Quezon City

Understand

Quezon City was created to become the future capital of the Philippines. It houses various government agencies whose buildings were constructed under the original masterplan laid out by the American architect and urban planner William Parsons. Quezon City is the largest city in terms of population, resulting from its gradual expansion and rural-urban migration; the 2015 census gives a population of over 2.9 million. The city is home to every person from all walks of life, from the richest to the poorest, and the contrasts are almost ubiquitous to this city. Quezon City has no single place considered the city center; it is a multipolar city, with central business districts and commercial centers scattered at different points. Quezon City sprawls out in almost every direction, and this is manifested by the low-density developments that border each business and commercial center, and the scarcity of high-density homes for poorer residents have led to its notorious overcrowding illustrated by slums forming overnight, even after demolitions or fires break them down. The major business districts are grand old Cubao, glitzy North EDSA at the North Triangle neighborhood, with its large malls, and the classy Libis or Eastwood area at the southeast (a little version of Singapore's Orchard Road, but with its Hollywood-esque twist: the Philippines' Walk of Fame). If you are seeking the city's nightlife, the Scout Area provides all you need to hang out through the night.

History Quezon City was conceived as the future capital of the Philippines under the Philippine Commonwealth government, as Manila had become overpopulated. Most of the city was planned by the urban planner, William E. Parsons. Most areas that are now Quezon City are acquired from various municipalities in Rizal. Many government buildings were built to house the agencies as they move from Manila. Only parts of the plan had come to fruition when the Japanese invaded the Philippines in 1941. After World War II, Quezon City further expanded by ceding parts of Caloocan to form the Novaliches district, resulting in the geographic division of the municipality.

Climate

The city has a tropical climate; daytime temperatures fall between 30s (86–102 °F), and has two seasons: dry and wet. Because of its location near the forested and rainy Sierra Madre, the dry season is rather cut short by the southwest monsoon. Average annual humidity is high, making the heat very unbearable, so dry season heat can take toll on your body; you will sweat easily on a short stay outside and do frequent changes in clothing

Getting there

For information on airports and seaports, see Metro Manila#Get in.

By plane Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL IATA) is to the south, straddling Pasay and Parañaque. From there, travelers generally take a taxi or bus.

Taxi: All three terminals have taxi stands, served by yellow airport taxis, which charge double as the white ordinary taxis, which can only be used on trips to the airport and can only be hailed outside. It is also possible to just use the ride-hail service Grab from the airport. Bus: For comfort, there are premium point-to-point buses provided by UBE Express, which alight at Cubao. Cheaper, but possibly slower due to Manila's perennial congestion are city buses with more frequent stops, which terminate near Terminal 2.

By bus

Provincial buses As of 2022, provincial bus service only serve the Araneta City Bus Port bus terminal in Cubao, served by commuter routes from Bulacan and provincial routes from Central Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. From elsewhere in the north and south, buses terminate at the North Luzon Express Terminal (NLET) in Bocaue, the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) in Parañaque, and Starmall Alabang in Muntinlupa. All of these three terminals have connections with the Manila city bus network.

City bus A huge majority of Metro Manila's bus routes serve Quezon City; general info is at Metro Manila#Get around

By train Quezon City is served by all of Metro Manila's three extant rapid transit lines, the LRT Line 1 (LRT-1), LRT Line 2 (LRT-2) and the MRT Line 3 (MRT-3). LRT-1 enters Quezon City using EDSA, terminating at the Fernando Poe Jr. (formerly, but still Roosevelt) station, with a future interchange with MRT Line 3 at North EDSA. LRT-2 connects Manila and the eastern suburbs, passing through Cubao. MRT-3 enters Quezon City from the south, following EDSA. Quezon City will also be served by the Metro Manila Subway (MRT Line 9). Opening is expected by 2029.

Getting around

Several options are available covering various distances and some areas are accessible only by certain means of transportation.

By bus Privately-operated city buses are plenty in Quezon City, and there is also a government-run free-fare bus service.

EDSA Carousel: BRT-like service running from the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) and Monumento (Caloocan) and uses a dedicated lane at the middle of EDSA. Serves Cubao and the Triangle areas. 2 Antipolo-Quiapo: Local bus service between Antipolo (PITX) and Quiapo (Manila via Aurora Boulevard). Major destinations served are Katipunan area, Cubao and New Manila. 6 PITX-Sapang Palay, 7 PITX-Fairview and 34 PITX-Montalban: Local bus services plying Quezon and Commonwealth avenues. 6 runs between Sapang Palay in Bulacan and PITX, 7 runs between PITX Fairview (with stops along Timog and East avenues) and 34 runs between PITX and Rodriguez (Montalban), turning off Commonwealth near the Batasang Pambansa. 18 BGC–North EDSA: Local bus service between SM North EDSA and Bonifacio Global City via Congressional, Luzon, Katipunan and E. Rodriguez avenues. This is one of 4 city bus routes that serve Eastwood to the southeast. QCityBus: intracity bus service operated by the Quezon City government, composed of 7 radial routes (QC1-QC6 and QC8) emanating from the Quezon Memorial Circle and 1 crosstown route (QC7 Katipunan–Welcome Rotonda). Services use air-conditioned coaches.

By train While covering only parts of QC, LRT Line 2 and MRT Line 3 run through the main points in the city, namely Cubao, North EDSA and Katipunan. The MRT Line 7, nearing completion, will extend train coverage to Fairview, most of Commonwealth Avenue, the UP campus, Quezon Memorial Circle and North EDSA. Most of the line is already complete, with potential opening by 2026.

By taxi Metered taxis are probably the most comfortable option - just be wary of large taxi fares during rush hours and drivers being picky on their passengers (they try to avoid destinations in crowded areas).

By jeepney Jeepneys, either traditional or modern ones, are most useful in areas of QC not already served by city buses such as UP Diliman, which is served by a loop service known as the "UP Ikot". A lot of jeepney routes in QC also take the main roads primarily served by buses such as Commonwealth Avenue, but for trips that involve those roads, taking a bus is preferable.

By car Driving in QC is not recommended, especially if your destination is along EDSA. Traffic is badly congested, streets are often narrow, left turns are rare than rights, par

See

Landmarks and parks

Quezon Memorial Circle, in the Triangle Area, is a national park and shrine bounded by the Elliptical Road. At its center is a mausoleum containing the remains of Manuel L. Quezon, the second President of the Philippines. Mabuhay Rotonda in Quezon City/West was built to welcome people to the new national capital that was being built in Quezon City. Tandang Sora National Shrine is the place where the house of Melchora Aquino stood in Northwestern Quezon City It was in this site that she took care of the wounded Katipuneros and provided them food and shelter. Known as "Tandang Sora" she was adopted "Heroine of Quezon City" by a City Council Resolution. She died at the age of 107 on March 12, 1919.

Churches In Santa Mesa Heights, you'll find Santo Domingo Church, home to the statue of the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, said to be more than 400 years old, and San Pedro Bautista, which is one of the oldest churches in the country, housing the bones of the patron saint. There is also a catacomb in the basement of the church where the friars of the past were buried. Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish Church is a quiet church in Brgy. West Triangle.

Other places of interest Tomas Morato and Timog Avenue Tourist Belt Area in the Scout Area is where restaurants, bars, clubs, and other retail and entertainment establishments are found. Araneta Center is a mixed-use residential and commercial complex in Cubao housing several malls and budget accommodations. An ideal transport base as it's LRT-2 and MRT-3 stations connects 2 major lines. It also houses several city and provincial bus terminals for travel within the metro or to other provinces. It is home to the Araneta Coliseum, aka the "Big Dome", which is the biggest arena in the country.

Buy

Individual listings can be found in Quezon City's district articles

Eat

Individual listings can be found in Quezon City's district articles Dining options vary upon each area or district of this large city. In the Diliman/Katipunan area, where some of the best universities in the country are located, dining options are largely geared towards the student population (though this does not say anything about the range or quality of available options -- posh dining is equally possible). The Tomas Morato area is a known nightlife area and serve good options for both dining and drinking, especially afterwork. When all else fails, people flock to the nearest mall (within just this city, there are several) survey the dining options there (from posh and chic restaurants to fast food dining in food courts).

Drink & nightlife

Individual listings can be found in Quezon City's district articles

Sleep

Individual listings can be found in Quezon City's district articles

Go next

Within Metro Manila Visiting Manila may come to your mind after staying in Quezon City. Other options within the metro are:

Makati – Philippines' financial capital, with towering skyscrapers, the glitzy Ayala Center, and high society, contrasting with the hassles of crowded residential districts. Marikina - The "Shoe Capital of the Philippines", not complete without visiting its Shoe Museum or strolling the Riverbanks. San Juan – Shop till you drop at the Greenhills Shopping Center, or if you're lucky to visit in June, join the Wattah-wattah Festival, part of the Feast of St. John the Baptist celebrations with water fights resembling Songkran celebrations, and get wet.

Northern Luzon Quezon City is a hub for buses to northern Luzon.

Alaminos – The Hundred Islands with its pristine beaches. Baguio – The "Summer Capital of the Philippines", with cool climate, pine trees, and mountains. Banaue – World-famous rice terraces and Ifugao culture San Fernando – Taste of Kapampangan cuisine and the spirit of Filipino Christmas. Vigan – Heritage city with a well-preserved downtown