Still standing today, Magellan’s Cross was planted here in 1521, making Cebu the cradle of Christianity in the Pacific. Nearby Magellan’s Cross is the Basilica Minore del Sto Niño, which houses the image of Santo Niño de Cebu, the Holy Child of Cebu and the unofficial patron saint of the local people.

The language of Cebu, Cebuano (or Visayan), is spoken natively by 20 million people, more than speakers of Tagalog, the language of Manila and central Luzon.

Like most of the Philippines, local people subsist on rice, seafood, and meats. Local specialties include barbecue and puso, which is rice wrapped in coconut leaves.