Visita Iglesia Routes 2012

This year's Visita Iglesia is different compare to the past observances of Lenten Season. Manila Cathedral is closed for major repair. And so, on this direction for the traditional Visita Iglesia, we would just be passing by the iconic Catholic landmark.

Our Visita Iglesia starts from Minor Basilica of St Lorenzo Ruiz, popularly known as Binondo Church all the way to Our Lady of Sorrows in Pasay and vice versa. This Visita Iglesia guides to churches have three directions - Driving, Commuting and Walking.

After reading this, you might also like other Visita Iglesia routes I had previously created. Go to Two Visita Iglesia Routes or click here later.

North to South

Photo from Templorum

Minor Basilica of St Lorenzo Ruiz aka Binondo Church is situated at the corner of Ongpin St and Quintin Paredes St in Binondo. You can park your car either at Pay Parking Area to the right of Ongpin near the corner of Quintin Paredes St or along the road. Then walk your way back to the church. To know how to get to Ongpin St, go to Ongpin: Where Is It And How to Get There? or click here. Just turn right onto Ongpin from Quintin Paredes until you see the parking.

By commuting, ride a jeepney with "Divisoria" sign from any point of Taft Ave and Harrison St or Mabini. This jeepney comes from Baclaran or Pasay Rotunda. Alight at the frontage of Binondo Church. Ride "Divisoria" jeepney from Marikina, Cubao, Aurora Blvd, Ramon Magsaysay, Legarda and Recto. Alight at Abad Santos, use pedestrian overpass to get to other corner of the intersection which is Regeina Regente. Walk from that corner along Regeina Regente until you get to Binondo Church to your left opposite Plaza Lorenzo Ruiz.

Photo from Photowalker

Next Church - Sta Cruz Church. Drive along the one way Ongpin towards the other end. As soon as you get there, you get to see the church. Park at any vacant space anywhere in front of the church or as you turn right from Ongpin, road is wide and many motorists park there.

You can walk the whole stretch of Ongpin from Binondo Church to Sta. Cruz Church. Approximate distance is 770 meters.

Third Church - Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene aka Quiapo Church. Very near to Sta Cruz. For those who drive, leave your car. Walk towards elevated LRT-1. Walk beneath LRT elevated track towards Carriedo Statiorn which is right above Carriedo Street. As soon as you're standing at Carriedo Street, Quiapo Church is already visible. It is located at the other end of Carriedo St. Walk toward the church.

Fourth Church - San Agustin Church. Drive towards Pasig River. Cross Escolta Street and pass through McArthur Bridge. Turn righ onto the road that runs in front of the big Post Office Building. Turn right onto the small road that bordered the side of Post Office Building just before the main road which leads to Jones Bridge. Make left to traverse the edge of the Pasig River. Follow the road that bends to the left and then to the right between BF Condominium and a Jollibee branch store. Drive further and then turn left on the road between Manila Cathedral and the big Spanich inspired building with big signage that reads "Palacio Del Governador". Drive all the way until you see San Agustin Church which is to the right of the road. There's parking inside compound of the church.

Ride a jeepney with "Pier" along Quezon Blvd, the main road that bordered the side of Quiapo Church. Alight at Manila Cathedral. Walk along Gen Luna St, the road between Manila Cathedral and Palacio Del Governador until you get to the church.

You can walk to San Agustin Church from Quiapo by taking McArthur Bridge, get across Burgos St toward Intramuros gate via pedestrian underpass. Once inside Intramuros, walk straight up to Gen Luna St. Make left then walk toward San Agustin Church.

Fifth Church - Ermita Shrine. Drive toward the nearest gate of Intramuros which is visible from San Agustin. Cross Burgos St, main intersection with traffic lights. Drive past Luneta Park then turn right onto T.M. Kalaw. Turn left on one way M.H. Del Pilar, the last road before Roxas Blvd. Drive past U.N. Ave until you get to Ermita Church which is to the left of M.H. Del Pilar. There are parking spaces inside church compound but it's smaller. Check if you can park along M.H. Del Pilar.

Ride a jeepney with "Mabini" and "M.H. Del Pilar" wordings on both sides. Get out of Intramuros and wait for this jeep at Round Table, a triangular park before Padre Burgos. Ask driver to drop you off right at the front of Ermita Church.

Walk from San Agustin Church to Ermita Shrine by heading towards Luneta Park. Once there, get to the other side of the park which is bordered by T.M. Kalaw St. Take M.H. Del Pilar, the road perpendicular to Kalaw with one way traffic that goes away from Kalaw. Cross U.N. Ave until you get to Ermita Church.

Sixth Church - Our Lady Of Remedies Parish aka Malate Church. Drive along the one way M.H. Del Pilar past Faura and Pedro Gil streets, two consecutive intersections with traffic lights until you get to Malate Church situated to the left of M.H. Del Pilar. There's parking area inside church compound or you can park at available space around Plaza Rajah Sulayman Park which is opposite the church.

Ride jeepney at the frontage of Ermita Church. The jeepney must have any of these signs: "Baclaran", "Harrison Plaza", "Vito Cruz" and "Libertad". Alight at the frontage of Malate Church.

By walking, just take M.H. Del Pilar until you get to the church.

Seventh Church - Our Lady of Sorrows. Located to the left of Harrison St past Gil Puyat Avenue. Drive along M.H. Del Pilar all the way to Quirino Ave where it ends. Turn left on Quirino Ave, then turn right immediately to the next street which is Mabini. Cross Pablo Ocampo St formerly Vito Cruz. Mabini St becomes F.B. Harrison St past Vito Cruz. Drive all the way and turn right onto Gil Puyat Ave. Make a U-Turn before Roxas Blvd and turn right back to Harrison St. Drive further until you get to Our Lady of Sorrows.

Ride a jeepney with "Baclaran" sign and ask driver to drop you off at Our Lady of Sorrows. You can walk to Our Lady of Sorrows by following the direction of jeepneys bound for Baclaran walking across Gil Puyat to take the extension of Harrison St.

South to North

Starting off with Our Lady of Sorrows, drive towards Gil Puyat. Make right then U-Turn and drive all the way to Roxas Blvd. Make right. Stay to the middle of Roxas Blvd, cross two intersections with traffic lights namely Pablo Ocampo and Quirino Ave. Turn right onto San Andres, the road between Aristocrat Restaurant and Plaza Rajah Sulayman Park. Right there is the next church which is Malate Church.

Ride jeepney with "Mabini" on its both sides and alight at San Andres where Malate Church is situated.

Walk your way to Malate Church by taking Harrison and Mabini street until you get to San Andres St.

From Rajah Sulayman, drive and take Roxas Blvd service road, cross Pedro Gil and Fadre Faura and park your car near Plaza Ferguzon, then walk towards Ermita Shrine.

Ride passenger jeepney bound for "Quiapo" or "Divisoria" as well as "Sta Cruz" at the back of Malate Church. Alight at Flores St and walk towards M.H. Del Pilar. Right there is Ermita Church.

Walk along M.H. Del Pilar northward until you get to Ermita Shrine.

Fourth Church northward is San Agustin Church. Drive northward and turn right onto T.M. Kalaw. Turn left on Maria Orosa St. Cross Padre Burgos towards Intramuros taking Gen Luna Gate. Drive further past PLM until you get to San Agustin, to the left.

Ride jeepney bound for "Quiapo" or "Divisoria" as well as "Sta Cruz Monumento". Alight at Round Table. Walk toward Intramuros and take Gen Luna St to get to the church.

Walk across Luneta Park to get to Intramuros. Take Gen Luna gate of Intramuros. Walk further until you get to the church.

Drive back toward Luneta but immediately turn left on Padre Burgos. Stay to the left of Padre Burgos and drive all the way and cross Pasig River via Jones Bridge which is to the left of Post Office Bldg in Lawton. Road becomes Quintin Paredes. You will enter Chinese Arch. Stay on the one way Quintin Paredes until you get to Minor Basilica of St Lorenzo Ruiz aka Binondo Church which you can make out from afar. Turn right onto Ongpin to park your car.

Ride a jeepney with "Divisoria" sign exactly where you got off the jeepney from Ermita Shrine. Ask driver to drop you off at Binondo Church.

Walk northward along Gen Luna St until you get to Manila Cathedral. Turn right onto the main road at the frontage of Manila Cathedral towards Pasig River. Take Jones Bridge and walk straight up to Binondo Church which you can make out from the distance.

Drive along the one way Ongpin towards the other end. As soon as you get there, you get to see Sta Cruz Church. Park at any vacant space anywhere in front of the church or as you turn right from Ongpin, road is wide and many motorists park there.

You can walk the whole stretch of Ongpin from Binondo Church to Sta. Cruz Church. Approximate distance is 770 meters.

Last church from Lady of Sorrows is Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene aka Quiapo Church. Very near to Sta Cruz. For those who drive, leave your car. Walk towards elevated LRT-1. Walk beneath LRT elevated track towards Carriedo Statiorn which is right above Carriedo Street. As soon as you're standing at Carriedo Street, Quiapo Church is already visible. It is located at the other end of Carriedo St. Walk toward the church.

Author's Note:

I've gone to Binondo and Sta Cruz and took photos of the two churches. Unfortunately, the SD card I used got corrupted and I didn't able to recover the images. So, the first and second photos of this blog entry are courtesy of Templorum and Photowalker. As respect for my fellow bloggers who owned them, I invite you to visit their blogs too. Just click their names that I had mentioned. Thanks for patronizing Directions on Web.