Best Things To Do In Marikina, The Philippines

1. Shoe Museum

The Shoe Museum was conceived of in 1998, on the assumption that the town was the then Shoe Capital of the Philippines, by the then mayor, Bayani F. Fernando. The museum was then officially opened in 2001 and was known as the Footwear Museum of Marikina. Its purpose was to nurture the historical and cultural value of the Philippines’ shoe industry. The building where the museum is located is a historical landmark since it happened to be a detention cell for the Filipinos during the Filipino-American war.

The museum has collections that feature the footwear of former first lady, Imelda Marcos, as well as shoes owned by presidents, vice presidents, mayors, senators and many other heads of the Philippine government. The museum holds shoes made in many different designs and with different materials, such as those made of snake skin, pigskin, sheepskin and much more. I definitely recommend a tour of this museum, while in Marikina city.

Shoe Museum

Address: J. P. Rizal St, Marikina, 1801 Metro Manila, Philippines

Website: Shoe Museum

2. Book Museum

The Book Museum is owned by Atty Dominador Buhain, who is the chairman of the REX Group of companies. The book collection is his personal collection, owing to his life as a well-travelled travel enthusiast. The Book Museum cum Ethnology Center is divided into three buildings, occupying around 900 square meters (9687.5 feet), in Marikina City. The first building contains the book collections, the second and third buildings contains artifacts from Mindanao in the south building and from the Cordilleras in the north building.

The museum is a good place to stop by for all kinds of people, both for educational purposes and for fun. It has limited edition books, small edition books and other items and artifacts, including totem poles that illustrate Philippine mythology.

Book Museum

Address: 127, SE Dao, Marikina, 1810 Metro Manila, Philippines

Website: Book Museum

3. Our Lady Of The Abandoned Parish

The parish is a Roman Catholic Church, opened in 1572 and was consecrated in the year 1690. Originally, constructed from bamboo and leaves, its real construction began in 1687, in the Baroque style and was heavily fortified, with a facade that has ensured the parish stands the test of time as a historic landmark.

In the church are several images of the Virgin Mary, believed to be miraculous and thus earning it papal recognition. The parish is a great place to visit and a great place to learn about the old religious controversy of Marikina.

Our Lady of Abandoned Parish

Address: V. Gomez St, Marikina, 1800 Metro Manila, Philippines

Website: Our Lady of Abandoned Parish

4. Marikina River Park

This park was opened in 1993 and occupies about 220 hectares (543.6 acres). It is the city’s biggest recreational and sports area and is used for outdoor activities, not just for residents but also for those from the other cities of Metro Manila. The park has a mall, the Riverbanks Center, a roller-skating rink, and an office complex. It’s a great place to visit with family and friends for outdoor activities, jogging, camps, sports events or even just for relaxing.

Marikina River Park

Address: Marikina, 1800 Metro Manila, Philippines

Website: Marikina River Park

5. Philippine Science Centrum

This a recognized science center of the Philippines by the departments of education, science and technology and finally tourism. The PSC is used for science and mathematics exhibitions, various training activities, outreach programs and science-related seminars and events. It is an excellent learning facility for kids because it is often used for science fairs and exhibits for schools.

The PSC has over 100 interactive exhibits in ten galleries. The galleries include themes on bodyworks, a kids’ world, earth science, lights, mathematics, mechanics, space, liquids, electricity and magnetism and finally vision and perception. This is another stop you don’t want to skip when in the city, especially with kids.

Philippine Science Centrum

Address: Riverbanks Ave, Marikina, 1800 Metro Manila, Philippines

Website: Philippine Science Centrum

6. Pan De Amerikana

Pan de Americana, in Marikina, is the first and only chess themed restaurant in the Philippines. It is an excellent restaurant that offers good food, a great place to relax and fine ambiance.The restaurant is well known and a target for many locals and tourists because of its décor, design and great food. From the restaurant, you can find many interesting sites to visit, close by, like the Book Museum, the Spirit of Bethlehem Museum, Marikina River Park and so much more. The restaurant features 3.5 feet (1.1 meter) high chess pieces, a life-sized windmill, a rope bridge and European ruins, so you’ll want to bring your camera with you.

Pan De Amerikana

Address: 92 General Ordoñez Ave, Marikina, 1811 Metro Manila, Philippines

Facebook: Pan De Amerikana

Finally

Marikina is a great city to visit for relaxation but it is an especially great educational center of the Philippines, for its history and culture. These are some of the top sites I recommend you visit while in the city. Other places you could visit include the Valley of Waves, hiking trails such as the Croc Trail, Barakalalo Park, the Black Pearl Restaurant and so much more.