Visita Iglesia Routes 2014

DirectionsOnWeb's service which also provides yearly Visita Iglesia routes takes you to the summer capital. We have in our list seven Catholic Churches located in different parts of Baguio City. In giving this year's Visita Iglesia route which put all churches together in a sequence, I have taken into consideration the following factors: Your time - I know you are in a vacation but still would like to do penance so I arrange the route in best sequence I could create. Your energy - Since it's uphill and downhill roads there, I only suggest walk through the downhill but you can still walk your way on uphill roads, but I make sure that there are jeepney routes to take whenever you change your mind. Your last church - Baguio Cathedral is placed as the seventh church of our visita iglesia so that you will be immediately nearer to restaurants, fast foods, malls, etc right after your church visits. With this guide that I made, you don't need a map to get to each church. Simply follow the simple directions.

List of seven churches to visit in Baguio City during Holy Week

Baguio Cathedral aka Our Lady of Atonement
Holy Family Church
Immaculate Concepcion Parish Church
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish
Pink Sisters Convent
Saint Joseph Bosco Parish Church
Saint Joseph The Worker Church

Quick Glance of Visita Iglesia Routes

First destination is a church beautifully erected in a pastoral setting, making it an ideal place to visit this Holy Week.

As we return to the city, we would visit the church by the Burnham Park afterwhich we would go to two churches, respectively, in one route.

Back in Baguio Plaza, we will walk or take a jeepney to our fifth and sixth churches. You have two options here on which one would go ahead of the other. I will explain later in the directional guide. It depends on how you would want to go there - by ride or by walk.

Lastly, we will hop a jeepney and alight in front of Baguio Cathedral for our last church to visit.

Baguio City Visita Iglesia Routes & Directions

First Church - Holy Family Parish Church

The significance of this church for vacationists that are also wanting to observe the Holy Week is its location. A bit far from the city proper, it is built on the small valley which is also at the crossroad. Picture this: a huge church, albeit modern, with its roof tower protruding into the air backdrop by a pastoral view of tropical mountains. Once there, you'll climb down the concrete steps to the sprawling land of the church.

How to get to Holy Family Church

The route of jeepney that you must take in going to Holy Family Church is "Baguio Plaza-Bakakeng VV." The terminal is located at Burnham Park terminal which is situated right at the foot of stairs of the huge pedestrian overpass crossing Harrison Rd. It's just opposite Hotel Veniz and right beside Igorot Garden. Jeepneys there are headed to different directions. The Bakakeng bound jeepneys occupy the first slot which is nearer to pedestrian overpass and Harrison Rd.

You can ask the driver to drop you off there but to help you out, here's the tip: The jeepney takes Bakakeng Norte Rd which is at the other side of Marcos Highway. This means that the road after Marcos Highway is Bakakeng Norte. Holy Family Church is located at the other end of winding Bakakeng Norte Rd. But the jeepney will turn left onto a very downhill road perpendicular to Bakakeng Norte Rd. That's because majority of the locals are headed down there which is the community of the barangay. You must get off the jeepney before it goes down that downhill path. The downhill road is called Bakakeng Sur Rd. Their barangay hall is located at the corner of Bakakeng Norte Rd and Bakakeng Sur Rd. That means you are actually alighting at the barangay hall. You might as well tell the driver to drop you off at the barangay hall. Now on the ground, walk further along the extension of Bakakeng Norte and in a flash you'll see the church as it immaculately appears as if God suddenly painted a gate of His kingdom and turned it into reality for you to enter. It is just so amazing that after a winding and a bit of bumpy ride, you'll see a worship place that I might say different from it's surrounding structures. You'll feel solemnity in that area even as you approach the church and looking at it from the distance. The sign that reads "Holy Family Parish" is conspicuously erected before the church. You get to see it first.

How to return to Baguio Plaza

Baguio Plaza is what they refer to the city proper of Baguio. You will wait for the same jeepney that will be coming from below of Bakakeng Sur Rd. The jeepney makes U-turn down there and climbs up Bakakeng Sur on its way back to Baguio Plaza via Bakakeng Norte Rd. Wait at the corner or the Barangay Hall. There are also times that the jeepney that climbs Bakakeng Sur Rd stops at Bakakeng Norte to transfer the passengers it picks up below onto a waiting another jeepney near the barangay hall. Take a look if a jeepney is being filled up there and ride. If none, ride one that climbs from Bakakeng Sur.

Second Church - Our Lady of Lourdes Parish

The jeepney from Holy Family Parish Church is now in Baguio City. You don't need to wait until it arrives at the terminal. Most passengers alight at Harrison Rd which is the road that bounded Burnham Park to the northeast. Our Lady of Lourdes Church is located at Kisad Rd, which is the opposite of Harrison Rd. Kisad Rd bounded Burnham Park to the southwest. You can get to Our Lady of Lourdes Church from Harrison Rd by walking across the entire Burnham Park. That means you will get across the football field and the Burnham Lake. Once you reached Kisad Rd, walk along the fenced edge of Burnham Park. Your landmark is the City Travel Hotel, a mammoth hotel with its sign visible from afar. Next to it is Our Lady of Lourdes Church which is under major restoration as of this writing. But even if the church is under construction, they have their Holy Week Schedule 2014 in placed. See pic at left.





Third Church - Saint Joseph The Worker Parish

Located at Pacdal Circle, you wouldn't have a hard time in getting to this church. It is in the same route as the fourth church. Here's how to get to St Joseph The Worker Church from Our Lady of Lourdes. Go back to Harrison Road by walking across Burnham Lake and Malvin Jones Football Ground. Note: There's an opening in the fencing of Burnham Park opposite Our Lady of Lourdes, you can use that gate and walk downhill to the park and walk by the side of the lake, cross Lake Dr, the road between Burnham Park and the football ground, walk across the field towards the stadium exit to Harrison Road. If the opening is closed, you can take Shanum St which leads to the pedestrian overpass that crosses Harrison Rd.

How to get to Saint Joseph The Worker Church

Cross Harrison Rd. Wait for a jeepney with "Baguio Plaza - Liteng" signs on its both sides and "Liteng' in the front. There are two ways these jeepneys serve the public - Express and Transfer. Express means once you ride in Harrison Rd, the jeepney will go all the way to Liteng. Transfer is my own word to describe it when this jeepney enters its terminal and stand in line with other jeepneys of this route. Here's a tip: This is how I done it when I got tired of walking. I asked the driver if he's "Express" and when he said "No", I requested to ride and would alight at the terminal, and he allowed me. Usually, Express has a lot of passengers on board while "Transfer" has a few if no passengers.

Assuming you need to transfer, this is what you do. The jeepney turns right onto Magsaysay Ave from Harrison. It drives past Session Rd and then turns right onto small street next to the corner of Session Rd and Magsaysay Ave. Actually it stops as soon as it enters so that all remaining passengers can alight. Get off the jeepney there and walk along Magsaysay Ave forward until you get to the next street where you will immediately see jeepney queues on both sides. The one in the front is "Baguio Plaza-Navy" and next to it is the "Baguio Plaza-Liteng" but usually you have to wait until one has arrived. There's also a barker assisting the passengers, pointing which "Liteng" jeepney is next in line. The jeepney from which you alighted a while ago gets around the buildings and line up with other jeepneys in the queue.

Once full, the jeepney turns right onto Magsaysay Ave and immediately turns right again onto the next street which is Gen Luna. After taking different uphill, downhill and winding road of Gen Luna, the jeepney turns left onto Leonard Wood Road where Gen Luna ends. It takes the whole stretch of Leonard Wood which ends in Pacdal Circle. The jeepney turns right onto Pacdal Circle and gets around it and then turns right onto the last exit road from the circle. You have two options of getting off the jeepney: at the corner of Leonard Wood and Pacdal Cirlce before the jeepney turns right or wait until the jeepney makes the complete pass in Pacdal Circle and alight as it turns right onto the exit road. If you alight at the corner of Leonard Wood Rd and Pacdal Circle, cross Leonard Wood and walk up ahead. The church is located at the other corner of Leonard Wood Rd and Pacdal Circle. If you alight after the jeepney has encircled the roundabout, you will immediately see the gate of St Joseph The Worker church.

Fourth Church - Pink Sisters Convent

The location of Pink Sisters Convent is along the route of "Baguio Plaza-Liteng" jeepneys. It is near the corner of Gen Luna and Leonard Wood where the jeepney have previously turned left on its way to Pacdal Circle. Leonard Wood and Gen Luna is a junction of three roads. The third road is Brent which is at the middle of the corner of Gen Luna and Leonard Wood. The road signs that read "Brent Rd" is conspicuously erected along Leonard Wood pointing to where it is located. Pink Sisters Convent is located at Brent Rd, a stone's throw away from the corner of Gen Luna and Leonard Wood. Get off the jeepney at Brent Rd road sign or anywhere near it and walk down this street. You will immediately see the sign of "Pink Sisters Convent." The church is located inside a compound hidden by trees. It's an exclusive surrounding there with big houses inside big compounds along both sides of Brent. The vicinity is fitted for the convent to be where it should be.

How to return to Baguio Plaza

Ride the same jeepney (Baguio Plaza-Liteng) and alight at Harrison Rd.

Fifth & Sixth Churches - Saint John Bosco Parish & Immaculate Concepcion Church

I will present to you two ways of getting to these churches - by jeepney rides or by merely walk. Some of us observe Holy Week by doing some penances, don't we? The most popular among them is walking either barefoot or with slippers/shoes on. Doing this partly during Visita Iglesia in Baguio City would be quite an experience.

Walk

If you're going to walk, then do not alight from "Baguio Plaza-Liteng" jeepney that you have ridden from Pink Sisters Convent at Harrison Rd. Wait until the jeepney reach its terminal or if it's Express alight once the jeepney turns right onto Gen Luna. Walk the entire stretch of Magsaysay Ave forward from there all the way to its other end where a rotunda with sculpture at the center is located. Don't look for any landmark. Just remember its a rotunda with sculpture at the middle. Also Saint Louis University is located at the corner of Magsaysay Ave and the road on the right of the rotunda onto which you're going to turn. That road is Bonifacio St. Turn right onto Bonifacio St but you must at the left side because you will go down the road that slopes down from the left of Bonifacio. Just remember, after turning right onto Bonifacio from Magsaysay Ave, immediately go down the road that goes downhill from the left of Bonifacio St. That road is called Rimando Road. You can read the road sign at the junction - take the direction of Rimando written on the road sign.

In downhill Rimando, immediately turn left onto the perpendicular road. You might think that Rimando Rd goes straight and the road perpendicular to its left is another street. But actually the perpendicular road is the continuation of Rimando Rd. That's why all jeepneys would also turn left onto that road that swerved to the left. Walk down the sloping Rimando past Baguio Church of Christ/Phil Bible College (right hand side of Rimando) until you get to the first 4-way intersection or a crossroad. There's a 7-eleven store at the left corner of this intersection. The road that crosses Rimando is Manuel Roxas St. Turn left onto Manuel Roxas St and walk down the whole stretch up to the location of your fourth church - Saint John Bosco Parish also known as Don Bosco Catholic Church. Here's how to locate it. Just remember, from Rimando Rd, walk along Manuel Roxas St past the only one perpendicular road to the right of Manuel Roxas St. Because the next road perpendicular to the right of Manuel Roxas is the uphill road that goes to Saint John Bosco Church aka Don Bosco. There's also a dilapidated sign that reads "Don Bosco" and an arrow sign at the corner of Manuel Roxas and the uphill road to Don Bosco Church. You will immediately see the church as you climb the road.

After your church visit at Don Bosco, go back to Rimando the way you came to Don Bosco. Now, continue your walk along Rimando Rd which from this point on is in uphill direction. It easy to locate the next church. Just remember that the uphill Rimando Rd you're climbing now is in straight line with very slight of swerving. The moment Rimando Rd makes a sharp right turn or it swerves to the right in 90 degrees, at the end of that road is the Immaculate Concepcion Church, exactly before Rimando turns left again.

After your visit at the sixth church which is Immaculate Concepcion on this Baguio Visita Iglesia with walk route, you would probably opt to ride a jeepney in going to the last church that would complete the seven churches. Don't worry it would be very easy to take a jeepney to your seventh church. But before that let me guide you on how to go to your fifth and sixth churches by jeepney rides.

Ride

As I have said, you will take "Baguio Plaza-Liteng" jeepney from Pink Sisters Convent. The jeepney will pass through Harrison Rd again. Alight anywhere in Harrison Rd then wait for another jeepney. This time the jeepney route that you must take is "Baguio Plaza-Aurora Hill VV."

Like "Baguio Plaza-Liteng" jeepneys, "Baguio Plaza-Aurora Hill" jeepneys pass through Harrison Rd. So, just go to a loading area along Harrison Rd and ride an Aurora Hill bound jeepney. If you are nearer to any intersection of Harrison Rd, i.e., Cladio St and Mabini St, wait for traffic lights to turn red and ride a "Baguio Plaza-Aurora Hill" jeepney that stops in red signal. Just tell the driver that your destination is Immaculate Conception Church or "Simbahan ng Immaculate Concepcion." It takes the whole route of walking direction that I have mentioned earlier. But with this jeepney ride, you wont stop at Manual Roxas. Let the jeepney take Rimando Rd all the way to Immaculate Church, that would be your fifth church this time. Just remember, after the downhill direction of Rimando Rd, it will go uphill after crossing Manuel Roxas. And after an almost straight line, Rimando will make a sharp right turn. You must alight at the end of the road after that sharp right turn. You will immediately see Immaculate Concepcion Parish Church there. A big sign that reads "Immaculate Concepcion Parish" is attached to the building at the corner.

After your visit at Immaculate Concepcion, ride a jeepney with the same route. There are lots of them at the opposite lane of Rimado Rd. Alight at the corner of Manuel Roxas St. Ride another jeepney that turns left onto Manuel Roxas from Rimando Rd. The route of the jeepneys that serve Don Bosco Church from city proper is "Baguio Plaza-Trancoville VV." That's the sign of jeepney you must ride. Ask driver to drop you off at Don Bosco Church or count the perpendicular roads to the right of Manuel Roxas. The second perpendicular road is where you must alight. Once there, walk uphill to get to the church.

Going back to Immaculate Concepcion walk route, either walk down the Rimando Rd until you get to Manuel Roxas or ride a jeepney with "Baguio Plaza-Aurora Hill" sign and alight at Manuel Roxas for your next ride to your seventh and last church.

Seventh Church - Baguio Cathedral

The jeepney that will take you to the frontage of Our Lady of Atonement most popularly known as Baguio Cathedral straight from Saint John Bosco Parish is the one with "Baguio Plaza-Trancoville" route written on both sides of the jeepney. Simply go down from Don Bosco Church back to Manuel Roxas St and ride one of many jeepneys that pass through both opposite lanes. Cross Manuel Roxas first so that your direction will be toward the city proper.

If your sixth church is Immaculate Concepcion Parish, ride a jeepney from there. The sign of jeepney is "Baguio Plaza-Aurora Hill." Alight at the corner of Manuel Roxas St and ride a "Baguio Plaza-Trancoville" jeepney.

After passing through series of downhill and uphill winding roads, the jeepney will pass by the Baguio Cathedral right before it turns left onto the busy and wider Session Road. You will see the cathedral at the right before the corner of Session Rd. The name of that small one way downhill road in front of Baguio Cathedral is Fr Carlu St. Just look at the right of the road always so that you get to see the cathedral once the jeepney gets on that area.

Now, you have completed your Visita Iglesia in Baguio. Enjoy your vacation in the summer capital. For directional guides to the popular attractions of Baguio, go to the following articles:

How to get to Dinosaur Island & Holy Land
How to Commute to Baguio City's Tourist Spots
How to Commute to Tam-Awan Village from Baguio City
Strawberry Picking: A What to do in La Trinidad