Tagaytay: the City I Love

Tagaytay is a city like no other. No neon lights but only the stars in the sky. No towering skyscrapers but only houses on the hills. No subways but only horseback riding. Nature and serenity abound in this city.

Situated at the elevated part of the province of Cavite and overlooking Taal Lake, Tagaytay City offers fresh air and a relaxed quality of life. It also gives a breathtaking view of Taal volcano, the smallest in the world, which is one of the factors for Tagaytay’s fertile soil. You’ll find plenty of flowers, fresh vegetables, and fruits sold along the highway.

Tagaytay
The beauty of Tagaytay.
Tagaytay
Many come here for the cool weather…
Tagaytay
…and the serenity.

There are a thousand reasons why I love this city – the beautiful landscape, the cool weather, the natural breeze, and the delectable food. Most of all, it brings a sense of peace and solitude to the heart. It comes as no surprise why many residents from the capital of Manila drive an hour or more to Tagaytay City just to have a picnic or enjoy a sumptuous meal at one of the city’s restaurants.

Tagaytay
There are plenty of restaurants to choose in Tagaytay.

There are three things you can do when you visit Tagaytay:

  1. For the active travellers, you can ride your bike downhill to Taal Lake or ride a horse in one of Tagaytay’s park. You can visit the Picnic Grove or near Josephine’s Restaurant for some horseback riding. Others can play golf in Tagaytay Highlands.
  2. For food lovers, you can choose from the many restaurants and eateries built at the side of the hill giving you a beautiful view of Taal Volcano and Taal Lake. You can taste the delectable offerings at Antonio’s, Manos Greek Restaurant, Josephine’s, or Bag of Beans. The bone marrow soup at the local market is also a must-try.
  3. For those seeking peace and quiet, you can stay overnight in one of the Bed & Breakfast inns or go on a spiritual reflection in one of the retreat houses there or simply enjoy an afternoon at a flower and plant garden. One of the popular destinations here is Sonya’s Garden.

And the favourite place where I often spend a weekend in Tagaytay is Casa MaRa. It’s my home away from home. The rustic house, decorated with capiz shells and wood, gives a feeling of simplicity. The pineapple plantation across the house makes it even homier as if I was living on a farm.

Casa MaRa Tagaytay
Casa MaRa, our favorite home to stay when in Tagaytay.

Life in Tagaytay may be slow. But it must be the number one reason I love it more. It just makes me forget about the fast-paced life in the capital. It reminds me that I should always stop and smell the roses.

This is my submission for the ‘3 Things in the City’ I Love contest by Velvet Escape, Traveldudes and Wimdu.

8 Comments

  1. Great! We enjoyed staying in Tagatay City. We took many pictures of many beautiful places.

  2. Wondered if the Tagaytay scenery made a telling impact on military intelligence for the American forces driving on Luzon in 1944 that finally culminated in the famous diversionary parachute drop by the U.S. 11th Airborne Division on the ridge. Everything about it is so breath-taking.

  3. Never heard of it! Is it in the Philippines?

  4. So it’s in the Phillippines. Nature, relaxing, and a few adventure things like riding horseback on a trail. My kind of place.

  5. The smallest volcano in the world, the Taal Volcano is located in the center of Taal Lake. The best way to view the volcano is from the ridge high above in Tagaytay City. The best way to get to Tagaytay is to travel using the South Luzon Expressway and exiting at Sta. Rosa, Laguna. There are a number of restaurants along the ridge where you can view the volcano while having a nice meal. It is also possible to hire a boat which will take you to the Taal Volcano island.

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