Guide to the Top 10 Pokemon Go Pokestop areas in Cebu City

Cebu City is teeming with Pokestops! But there are just places with more than enough and you would want to head to these areas to maximize your Pokemon hunting, filling up on those balls and walking around to incubate and hatch eggs. Surprisingly, its the uptown area as well as the old quarter that has the most number of Pokestops.

This guide is not all about Pokemon Go but also a guide of things to do, where to stay and where to eat to discover more of the featured places. In this way, you maximize your travel to the Queen City of the South while enjoying the newest game in the planet!

1) Fuente Osmena area

The Fuente Osmena Pokemon Go Pokestop area encompasses the rotunda/park, the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, behind this hospital, Robinsons Cybergate and the Bradford Church. But the center of congregation is around the 1912 fountain at the Fuente. Late afternoons and evenings can have lots of visitors with majority carrying their smartphones hunting for Pokemons and items as the Pokestops here are always with lures. But breezy evenings are the best, when the city lights are all up and are a sight to behold.

Things to Do: Shopping at Robinsons Place just across the Fuente Osmena, enjoying a cool night at the Fuente where you can sit on the many benches or on the grass.

Where to Stay: Pillows Hotel offers restful sleep and utmost comfort with an affordable price.

Where to Eat: Of course, Larsians, the popular barbecue and grilling area just walking distance from Fuente Osmena. Orange Brutus (http://www.orangebrutus.com/), the original Cebuano fastfood chain between Chowking and McDonalds is popular with their sizzling burger steak.

2) Redemptorist Church area

This area stretches from Fooda to the Redemptorist Church, the Baseline to the Century Plaza area which is popular for cafes, restaurants and night spots, stretching 100-200 meters end to end. There are a couple of Pokestops concentrated within the vicinity of the church but you might also want to walk around to hatch that egg.

Things to Do: Marvel at the mid century architecture of the Redemptorist Church and the neogothic inspired Iglesia ni Cristo edifice near Fooda.

Where to Stay: St. Mark Hotel (http://www.st-markhotel.com, +63 32 505 5555) is just right across the Redemptorist Church.

Where to Eat: Want something cheap and local? The pungko-pungko at the side of Fooda is quite popular. Or head to the Baseline vicinity for Bo’s Coffee and Boosog, a restaurant that offers Cebuano cuisine. Alejandro’s Cripsy Pata (https://www.facebook.com/alejandroscrispypata/, +63 32 253 7921) at Century Plaza is said to be the best place to have this deep fried pork knuckle dish.

3) Sacred Heart Parish area

The Sacred Heart Parish area has one of the many Pokestops that I have seen centered around a church. The area is big and consists of several buildings. This cluster not only includes the parish complex but extends to the streets leading to Casino Espanol de Cebu.

Things to Do: Marvel at the modernist architecture of the Catholic Church and the mid century architecture of the Archbishop’s Palace.

Where to Stay: ABC Hotel & Homes (https://www.facebook.com/abchotelcebu) offers comfortable rooms at an affordable price for short or long stays.

Where to Eat: Casino Espanol de Cebu (http://www.casinoespanol.ph, +63 32 253 1260 to 64) has several dining options and weekend buffets.

4) Ramos St. area

Just a hundred meters from the Sacred Heart Parish complex, this area, although smaller, is also teeming with Pokestops, around 14, starting from Casa Verde to the Velez bust at the corner of F Ramos and Ranudo Streets, to Bigfoot, and straight till the Ramos Public Market. It’s also a short walk end to end.

Things to Do: Along Ranudo Street near Velez College and Hospital is the lavish facade of the Mariano Cui heritage house.

Where to Stay: ABC Hotel & Homes (https://www.facebook.com/abchotelcebu) is just in the vicinity.

Where to Eat: Ipar’s Restaurante Y Bar De Tapas (http://www.ipars.com.ph, +63 32 410 7727) for Spanish cuisine, Dessert Factory (at the ground floor of ABC Hotel & Homes) for cakes, coffee and pastries including meals. Casa Verde (http://www.casaverdecebu.com/, +63 32 253 6472) is also a popular restaurant especially their sumptuous ribs. But Ramos Public Market is also popular with their lansiao (bull testicle soup aka soup #5).

5) Cebu Capitol area

This cluster is an area just north of Fuente Osmena and nearest the Cebu Capitol consisting of around 14 Pokestops.

Things to Do: Marvel at American colonial period architecture represented by the Cebu Capitol and the Jose Rizal Library along the northern end of Osmena Ave.

Where to Stay: Hotel Stella (http://hotelstella.com.ph, +63 32 238 5050) has budget but clean and comfortable rooms.

Where to Eat: STK ta Bay! | Paolito’s Seafood House (http://stktabay.com/, +63 32 253 4732) has delicious Cebuano and grilled dishes. The restaurant interior is quite interesting.

6) IT Park

It’s mainly the BPO center of Cebu City and for the Pokemon Go enthusiast, is a great place to be. Pokestops abound but mainly concentrated at the vicinity of The Walk, which is a popular hang out area with lots of restaurants. Perpendicular are the series of BPO buildings also with plenty of restaurants where a few Pokestops are also located.

Things to Do: IT Park is popular for joggers early morning and evening but most people come here to work and eat.

Where to Stay: Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino (http://www.waterfronthotels.com.ph, +63 32 232 6888) is luxurious and the best hotel in the area.

Where to Eat: There are lots of restaurants to chose from but head to Ila Puti (https://www.facebook.com/ilaputi, 1 Building, Jose Maria Del Mar St.,, Cebu IT Park, +63 32 415 8800) for delicious Asian fusion cuisine.

7) SM City

SM City is one of the popular malls in Cebu and this is also a good alternative to Ayala Center Mall. Pokestops are mainly found near the entrances and at the Northwing where Lure Parties are held, the latter can get crowded during weekends.

Things to Do: As this is a very popular mall, there are several things to do here like shopping with local and international brands, bowling, getting a driver’s license (yes, there’s a branch of the LTO here), or watching movies.

Where to Stay: Radisson Blu is just right across the mall (http://www.radissonblu.com/cebu, +63 32 402 9900)

Where to Eat: Enjoy delicious desserts and coffee at Leona’s Cakes & Pastries

8) Ayala Center Cebu

Ayala Center Mall is impressive for the number of Pokestops present but the best place to hang out is at The Terraces area where several of these can be found. I usually drop by at Bo’s Coffee which is just near to two Pokestops and if you use their wifi, you need not walk as the GPS shifts around. During a two hour stay at the cafe, I hatched an egg without walking. Just this weekend, the mall had a three day Pokemon Go Lure Party in the morning and afternoon. Lots of people hanging out near the vicinity of Pokestops.

Things to Do: Of course, as this is a mall, you can shop till you drop with various international and local brands well represented.

Where to Stay: Quest Hotel & Conference Center

Where to Eat: Check Cafe Laguna (http://cafelaguna.com/, +63 32 231 0922) for delicious Filipino cuisine located at the ground floor of The Terraces of Ayala Center Cebu Mall. For local coffee, head to Bo’s Coffee at the second floor just above the Activity area.

9) Sto Nino/Cebu Cathedral/City Hall areas

This cluster encompasses the grounds of the Cebu Cathedral (with adjoining Rajah Humabon Monument), the Sto Nino de Cebu Basilica (center of devotion to the Sto Nino de Cebu built in the 18^th century) including the Magellan’s Cross kiosk (purportedly encases the original cross planted by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 and built in the 19^th century), City Hall and the upcoming Chinese Museum.  There are lots of Pokestops within this area, offering lots of places to explore and walk around.

Things to do: You can visit three museums within the area: The Cathedral Museum of Cebu just adjacent to the Cebu Cathedral that showcases the ecclesiastical treasures, or what’s left of these as well as the history of the area; The Sto Nino museum behind the open quadrangle has interesting items offered by devotees to the image of the Holy Child from toys to trinkets to dresses; and, the BPI Museum (near the Kiosk), the first bank museum in Cebu City housed in a beautiful building.

At the Sto Nino Basilica grounds, you can buy candles from ladies dressed in yellow and red and you can also request them to do the Sinulog, a prayer dance while offering a prayer.

For souvenir shopping, there’s the Island Souvenirs store just across the road from the BPI Museum

Where to Stay: Sampaguita Suites (http://www.sampaguitasuites.com, +63 32 5053879) offer budget friendly and comfortable rooms. It is just adjacent to Island Souvenirs.

Where to Eat: La Fortuna Bakeshop (http://cebulafortuna.com/) located beside the Kiosk entrance of the Sto Nino Basilica has budget friendly food for lunch and snacks as well as various baked products including their popular hopia which I always buy whenever I am in the area. Fastfood restaurants are also found within the perimeter of this cluster.

10) Plaza Independencia/Fort San Pedro

The adjoining Plaza Independencia and Fort San Pedro area, both historic spaces, are teeming with well distributed Pokestops, around 11 within the perimeter and a few at the adjacent Malacanang sa Sugbo and a MyBus stop. It’s a beautiful park with lots of large trees for shade and benches, breezy and can be visited anytime of the day. From time to time, there are Pokestops with lures. Afternoons and early evening can be busy while Saturdays and Sundays can get crowded with lots of local visitors. It’s also a good place to stroll, advisable to hatch that incubating egg.

Things to Do: Explore Fort San Pedro (with minimal entrance fee), a triangular fort with three bastions where Miguel Lopez de Legaspi first established his settlement in 1565. Within Plaza Independencia, you can check out the various monuments dedicated to Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, who arrived in the island in 1565, the Augustinian Recollects Monument dedicated to the quadricentennial of the religious order in the Philippines and various monuments and plaques commemorating the martyrs and veterans of war, national heroes and notable public officials.

Where to Stay: Sampaguita Suites (http://www.sampaguitasuites.com, +63 32 5053879) is just walking distance from this area.

Where to Eat: There are a few local eateries offering grilled and barbecued meat across the road going to Pier 1 at the northeastern part of Fort San Pedro. As this area is also near Sto Nino Basilica, there are a number of fastfood diners there. You can buy fresh seafood and meat and have these cooked on the spot at The Original AA BBQ (MJ Cuenco cor Legazpi Ext), a popular restaurant just at the northwest corner of Plaza Independencia, across the road.

NOTE: As of this writing, I’m on my eighth day playing Pokemon Go at Level 17 and Pokedex says I have caught 77 and seen 79.