Baguio

The Philippines' Summer Capital, a pine-clad mountain city at 1,500 m with Burnham Park, strawberry farms, the BenCab Museum and a flower festival in February.

Baguio sits in the Cordillera mountains of northern Luzon, the Philippines, at an altitude of about 1,500 m. Surrounded by pine forests and with an average annual temperature of about 18–20°C, it is the country's best-known hill station, nicknamed the "Summer Capital". In the early 20th century the American colonial government turned it into a summer capital designed by Chicago urban planner Daniel Burnham, leaving a layout that includes Burnham Park, Camp John Hay, The Mansion (the presidential summer residence) and Teachers Camp. Downtown centres on Session Road, surrounded by the cathedral, the public market and the night market; to the east, The Mansion, Wright Park, the Botanical Garden and Mines View Park can all be visited in one go. Just to the north, La Trinidad has strawberry farms and colourful hillside houses; the western outskirts are home to the BenCab Museum and Tam-awan Village; and the Philippine Military Academy is south of the city. Keen hikers can head to Mount Ulap, about an hour's drive away, to see a sea of clouds. In 2017 Baguio joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (Crafts and Folk Art), and woodcarvings, weaving and silverwork by Ifugao, Benguet and other Indigenous peoples are everywhere, along with local specialties such as strawberries, ube (purple yam) jam and peanut brittle. The best season is November to April, when it is cool and dry; February brings the grand parades of the Panagbenga Flower Festival. June to October is the rainy and typhoon season, when mountain roads are prone to landslides. Buses from Manila take about 4–6 hours. Plan on 2–3 days. On weekends and holidays visitors pour in from Manila and traffic in town is severe, so visit popular sights on weekday mornings if you can; nights can drop to around 10°C, so bring a jacket.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries