Off the Beaten Path for Valentine’s in the Walled City

Intramuros has no shortage of tourists and lovers going in and out of the city. An amalgamation of modern society and Spanish colonial architecture, Intramuros provides a quaint backdrop to many great Valentine’s ideas.

If you've ever wondered if Intramuros holds more than its familiar attractions, we've got you covered. We've explored some of the less obvious options, at least from our perspective, for you to consider this love month.

Balai Maria

Found along Beaterio Street, Balai Maria is an unassuming gallery restaurant hiding in plain sight. The inside features a rustic interior adorned with paintings from local artists available for sale. Reopened in 2022, the restaurant serves traditional Filipino food as well as pasta dishes for the more foreign taste buds. If you are looking for a new place to dine, Balai Maria is a refreshing place that serves a tad more elevated local cuisine and even better local artistry. 

Some of their best-sellers are the Sizzling Tofu Madness (P250) which is good for 2-3 persons and their Bagnet Laing (P220). They are open seven days a week from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. and regularly features exhibits in their gallery. This National Arts Month, they’re giving homage to Filipino talent and culture through their exhibit called Atip running from Feb 3-29. 

Balai Maria is located at Knights of Columbus bldg. Council 1000, 1002 Beaterio St. For more information, you may check Balai Maria’s Facebook page.

Knights of Columbus Manila Council No. 1000

Once you’ve had your fill, in the same building of Balai Maria is a dingy and often overlooked hall of the Knights of Columbus Council No. 1000 where you can try your hands at pool, table tennis, darts, and duckpin bowling. Apart from a few locals and students, we were the only ones there during our visit in the afternoon. According to one of its caretakers, what once was a thriving and busy hall of the building began to wane down as people grew less and less aware of the recreations they offered.

If you’re looking for something fun and novel, we suggest you take advantage as the place offers a decent amount of activities couples and groups can do for very affordable rates. The pool table costs P100 to rent per hour and their ping-pong table costs P80 per hour. Meanwhile, duckpin bowling only costs P40 per game.

Skydeck Viewbar

Their menu is relatively on the pricier side which is why it made the list. But for those craving a touch of luxury, the view at the Skydeck Viewbar of Bayleaf Hotel is an experience by itself.

Wining and dining several feet above the ground, the alluring interior and cozy music seamlessly complement the cool breeze and charming panorama that greets you upon entry. If you can shell out a few extra bucks on the most romantic month of the year, we think it’s worth giving a shot just for the experience and scenery. Their first seating starts at 4 p.m. and runs until 7 p.m. while their second seating is from 7-11 p.m. Their starters and meals range from P200 to P950, all exclusive of value-added tax and their service charge of 10%.

Skydeck Viewbar is located at Muralla Corner Victoria Street Intramuros 1002 Manila, Philippines. For more information, you may check The Bayleaf Intramuros' Facebook page.

San Agustin Museum + Cafe

Right beside the San Agustin church sits what used to be the monastery for Augustinian priests. Now a museum, the storied building of adobe stones houses many religious artifacts celebrating the long history of the Augustinian order and Catholicism in the Philippines. First conceived in 1965, San Agustin Museum’s tranquil halls and scenic garden are perfect for people looking to veer away from the usual flock of tourists and escape into a secluded and quiet place at the heart of the walled city.

If relics and paintings aren’t your cup of tea, then maybe a cup of coffee is. A small cafe inside offers a selection of beverages priced from P110 to P180. Specializing in “Napoleones,” these pastries are baked by Father Alvin, the Augustinian priest responsible for all of the cafe’s baked goods.

Embracing the motto “Every Coffee is a Mission,” Fr. Alvin shares that a significant portion of their sales contributes to funding for the church's seminarians. Providing a variety of pastries and beverages, the integration of the cafe with the museum provides for one of the most relaxing and serene museum experiences one can have.

Destileria Limtuaco Museum

For P50 in Destileria Limtuaco Museum, you get a guided tour into the storied past of the distillery responsible for the iconic White Castle Whisky and Sioktong herbal wine. The tour takes you through the evolution of the company’s processes in creating its liquor, as well as some of the personal collections and items from the distillery’s history and founding. While one of the lesser-known museums in Intramuros, a visit to the place gave us one of the more interesting glimpses into the country’s oldest–and arguably one of the most iconic–distilleries. 

Regular guests pay P100 and can choose to upgrade their tickets to premium for P200 which will come with a liquor tasting after the tour. Fair warning, the museum does not allow students hailing from any Intramuros schools to avail of the premium tickets. The museum is open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesdays-Sundays.

Destileria Limtuaco Museum is located at 482 San Juan de Letran St. For more information, you may visit the Destileria Limtuaco Museum Facebook page.