Lucena City & Tayabas Heritage Tour

The Quezon province towns of Lucena and Tayabas hold some of the finest Spanish colonial heritage in southern Luzon, and this full-day tour brings their churches, bridges and old streets to life. The centrepiece is the Minor Basilica of San Miguel Arcangel in Tayabas, a magnificent church first built in the 1580s and locally nicknamed Susi ng Tayabas, the Key of Tayabas, for its distinctive key-shaped floor plan.

Declared a National Cultural Treasure, the basilica boasts one of the longest naves of any Spanish-era church in the country, stretching over 100 metres. From there the tour heads to the graceful Puente de Malagonlong, the longest and tallest colonial stone-arch bridge in the Philippines, a five-arched span over the Dumacaa River completed in 1850 and now a national historical landmark.

The route also takes in Lucena City, the provincial capital and gateway to the region, and other heritage stops that reveal the rich history of old Tayabas province. Your guide threads together the stories of the Spanish friars, the master builders and the faith that shaped this corner of Quezon, making it a rewarding day for lovers of history and architecture.