Calle Crisologo
Stones and lanterns at night.
Hydztemple — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Christopher Andres — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Patrickroque01 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Simon Burchell — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ibarra Siapno — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Simon Burchell — CC BY-SA 3.0
The most complete surviving Spanish colonial town in the Philippines, and perhaps in all of Asia, on UNESCO's World Heritage list since 1999. Its stone-paved streets are lined with bahay na bato houses: a stone ground floor, a wooden upper floor with sliding windows of translucent shell, in a style that blends Filipino, Chinese and Spanish building. The best-known street is Calle Crisologo, closed to cars, where kalesa horse carriages pass between old houses that now hold antique and craft shops and cafés. Walking it in the evening, when the lanterns are lit, is one of the joys of the northern Philippines. Around the district are workshops of traditional burnay pottery, still making large jars by hand, and a broad plaza with a dancing-fountain show in the evening. Vigan was named one of the New Seven Wonders Cities in 2014. Vigan's best-known food is the fried empanada, usually filled with pork sausage, so ask for an alternative. The town is far: eight hours or more by bus from Manila, or a flight to Laoag and an hour and a half by road.
Stones and lanterns at night.
Among the old houses.
Jars made by hand.
Calle Crisologo and surrounding streets, central Vigan, Ilocos Sur; about 400 km north of Manila
By overnight bus in eight hours or more, or fly to Laoag and drive about an hour and a half south. The district deserves at least one night, to see it in the evening.