Spanish colonists ensconced themselves within the walled city of Intramuros, filling it with Baroque churches, municipal buildings and villas. Discover how early colonialists lived at the reconstructed Casa Manila, ride horse-drawn carriages (kalesas) or walk along the ramparts of Fort Santiago, where national hero Jose Rizal was imprisoned.

Poblacion is the oldest barangay (district) in Makati, Manila’s financial centre. A one-time red-light district, now its backstreets feature creative joints serving neo-Filipino bistro food, hip bars and taphouses, and a burgeoning gallery scene. For hipsters, it’s a must-do in Manila.

If you’re looking for educational things to do in Manila, learn about the country’s flora and fauna at the National Museum of Natural History, opened in 2018 and housed in a neoclassical heritage building. The star attraction is the huge DNA-shaped sculpture which dominates the central atrium.

The Philippines is Asia’s only Christian-majority country, and the Unesco-listed San Agustin is its oldest church (and a prized wedding venue). The ornate interior has trompe l’oeil frescoes on the ceiling, while the museum traces the 450-year history and artistic output of the Augustine friars who live by the church.

The Pinto Art Museum has a bucolic setting in the Silangan Gardens overlooking metro Manila. It features contemporary Filipino works, from surrealism to social realism. There’s also an indigenous art collection and a resident traditional tattoo artist, if you’d like a permanent souvenir of your travels to Manila.

Chinese traders reached Manila well before the Spaniards, but in 1594 the community were confined to Binondo, across the Pasig River from Intramuros. This area is full of family-run shops, and Divisoria Market is famous for bargain goods. Taste your way through the streets, then explore the Chinese Cemetery, where the wealthiest were buried in style.

Lined by palm trees, this promenade hugs the waterfront for two kilometres along Roxas Boulevard. It’s popular with buskers, food vendors and view-seekers: savour the ubiquitous halo-halo shaved ice dessert as you take in the fabulous panorama and watch the sun dip underneath Manila Bay.

You won’t be short of things to do in Manila’s trendy BGC neighbourhood. Expect upscale boutiques, restaurants and craft cocktail bars. All that consumption comes with a side of culture: street art, the BGC Arts Center and the kid-friendly Mind Museum.

Leave the bustle of Manila and head 90 minutes south to Tagaytay, a popular holiday town set on a lush ridge above Taal Volcano's active crater. Explore nearby trails, go horseback riding at the Picnic Grove and soak up views at the People’s Park in the Sky. Don’t miss the funky glass sculptures at indoor-outdoor Museo Orlina.