Branded as the “Little Vigan of the South”, Taal Heritage Town is overflowing with rich history, culture and beauty. It used to be located in present day San Nicolas, but after the 200-day 1754 eruption, the biggest eruption of this small volcano recorded in history, the entire town was forced to move to a safer elevated location, farther from the Taal Volcano. During the Spanish era, the town continued to prosper and produced some of the country’s bravest national heroes such as Marcela Marino Agoncillo, best known as the mother of Philippine Flag; Don Felipe Agoncillo, a diplomat and a revolutionary hero and Gliceria Marella de Villavicencio, known as the Godmother of the Revolution. Their ancestral houses are well-preserved and remain standing up to this date.

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This sightseeing heritage tour starts at Goco Ancestral House with the welcoming remarks and brief history lecture about Taal, facilitated by a local expert, Pio Goco, a member of the Goco clan and one of the many passionate Taalenos working hard to preserve Taal’s heritage. After you take a deeper look into what the town looked like before until the present day, you’ll surely need something to fill your hungry stomach. Lunch is served at the 2nd level of the Goco Ancestral House where you can indulge yourself with the local Taal delicacies from appetizers to the main course and to desserts.

 

The walking tour continues as you visit the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Caysasay, the church dedicated to the miraculous image of Mother Mary called Our Lady of Caysasay. A few walks from the church is the hillside well called Sta. Lucia Well and is believed that the waters coming from the spring has miraculous powers. Next stop are the ancestral houses of some of the prominent Philippine National heroes such as Marcela Marino Agoncillo, a renowned Filipina in Philippine history as the principal seamstress of the first and official flag of the country, gaining her the title of “The Mother of the Philippine Flag” and Don Felipe Agoncillo, a diplomat, revolutionary hero and a major supporter of the revolt against the Spanish forces. Another historical landmark to visit is the Apacible Museum, once the ancestral home of Don Leon and Matilde Apacible, stands like a beacon on the main street of the town. Don Leon was Emilio Aguinaldo’s Finance officer and a delegate to the Malolos Congress of 1898.

 

To refresh you from the long walking tour, we’ll treat you with the special Halo-halo for snacks, a popular Filipino dessert with a mixture of shaved ice and evaporated milk to which various ingredients are added, including sweetened beans, coconut, sago, gulaman, mashed tubers, fruits, flan, and ice cream.

The walking tour continues by visiting the Basilica de San Martin de Tours, the biggest Catholic Church in the Philippines and in the whole Asia. The tour ends by enjoying various Filipino street food, traditional snack food and handicrafts.