2 days in Manila

Day by day

1. Day 1: Intramuros and Fort Santiago

   Intramuros, Fort Santiago, San Agustin Church and Manila Cathedral, then Manila Bay sunset in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Intramuros

      Much was destroyed in the 1945 Battle of Manila, but its walls, bastions, churches and rebuilt colonial houses make it the best place to understand the city's history, on foot, by bamboo bike or by horse-drawn kalesa.

   2. Late morning

      Fort Santiago

      Brass footprints trace his final walk, and the Rizal Shrine museum displays his writings and belongings amid gardens and old walls.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Adobo

      Filipino restaurants and carinderias (canteens) everywhere, served with rice.

   4. Afternoon

      San Agustin Church

      Its interior has a 19th-century trompe-l'oeil painted ceiling, and the adjoining monastery museum holds religious art and colonial artefacts.

   5. Late afternoon

      Manila Cathedral

      Its stained glass, bronze doors and large pipe organ are highlights, on Plaza Roma at the centre of Intramuros.

   6. Evening

      Manila Bay sunset

      Clear evenings in the dry season, roughly December to April, give the best colours.

2. Day 2: National Museum of Fine Arts and National Museum of Anthropology

   National Museum of Fine Arts, National Museum of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History and Rizal Park (Luneta), then Poblacion, Makati in the evening.

   1. Morning

      National Museum of Fine Arts

      Its centrepiece is Juan Luna's huge 1884 painting Spoliarium, which fills a wall of the entrance hall.

   2. Late morning

      National Museum of Anthropology

      Across the plaza from the Fine Arts museum, this museum traces the Philippines' pre-colonial cultures, with the Manunggul burial jar, textiles from many ethnic groups and finds from the San Diego, a Spanish galleon sunk in 1600.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Sinigang

      Filipino restaurants and home-style canteens.

   4. Afternoon

      National Museum of Natural History

      Galleries cover the islands' ecosystems, from coral reefs to mountain forests, and include the skeleton of Lolong, a saltwater crocodile over 6 metres long.

   5. Late afternoon

      Rizal Park (Luneta)

      It includes Chinese and Japanese gardens, open lawns and fountains, and fills with families at weekends.

   6. Evening

      Poblacion, Makati

      Cocktail bars, craft beer, rooftop terraces and street food around P. Burgos and Kalayaan Avenue.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Casa Manila (Intramuros): Combine it with San Agustin across the street; the courtyard café is a good rest stop.
• Swap in The Mind Museum (Bonifacio Global City (BGC)): Book a time slot online for weekends and school holidays.
• Swap in Manila Ocean Park (Ermita and Malate): Combine it with Rizal Park and the Natural History museum for a full family day.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 13–15 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.3 hours in January to 13 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Ride-hailing. Grab is the main ride-hailing app for cars, showing the fare upfront; it is the most convenient way between Makati, BGC, Intramuros and the airport.

More or fewer days

• One day in Manila
• 3 days in Manila

Questions travellers ask