# Intramuros, a Practical Guide: What to See, Tickets, Hours and Where to Eat Canonical page: https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/intramuros-guide Source: What's On Manila. Please cite and link the canonical page. Published: 2026-10-17 *Fort Santiago, San Agustin, Casa Manila and Baluarte de San Diego: what each costs, when they open, the free weekend walks, Bambike tours, a one day route and where to eat inside the walls.* Intramuros is the old walled city of Manila, and you can see the best of it in a single day on foot. Start at Fort Santiago (₱75 entry, open daily), walk to San Agustin Church and its museum, step into Casa Manila across the street, then finish on the walls at Baluarte de San Diego. If you would rather ride, Bambike runs guided bamboo bike tours from Real Street, and the Intramuros Administration runs free guided walks every Saturday and Sunday. Updated October 2026. Intramuros sits on the south bank of the Pasig River, next to Rizal Park and the National Museum. The Intramuros Administration, a government agency under the Department of Tourism, runs the main sites, sets the hours and fees, and publishes an events calendar each month. Below is what to see, what it costs, a walking route that links it all, and where to eat. For the wider museum picture, see our [guide to museums in Manila](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/museums-in-manila). ## What to see **Fort Santiago** is the place to start. The stone gate at the river end of the walled city leads to the old fort walls, the gardens and the shrine to José Rizal, the national hero. Go early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the heat drops and the light is soft on the stone. Santa Clara Street, Intramuros. ₱75 regular, ₱50 for students, senior citizens and PWD (persons with disability). Monday to Friday 8am to 10pm, last entry 8pm; Saturday and Sunday 6am to 10pm, last entry 8:30pm. Good to know: the Museo ni Rizal inside the fort keeps its own hours, Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm, closed Monday. **San Agustin Church** is part of the Baroque Churches of the Philippines, the UNESCO World Heritage listing of four churches built by the Spanish and reworked by Filipino and Chinese craftsmen. Look inside the church, then pay for the San Agustin Museum next door for its religious art. General Luna Street, Intramuros. San Agustin Museum: daily, 8am to 12pm and 1pm to 5pm. Tip: it closes for lunch, so plan it as your first or last stop of a half day. **Casa Manila** is a museum house run by the Intramuros Administration, furnished to show how a family lived in Spanish era Manila. It is across the street from San Agustin, so the two pair easily. General Luna Street corner Real Street, Intramuros. ₱75 regular, ₱50 for students, senior citizens and PWD. Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 6pm, last entry 5pm; closed Monday. Good to know: the Intramuros Administration's site directory still lists Casa Manila as weekends only, so call (02) 8527 3108 before a weekday visit. **Baluarte de San Diego** is one of the old bastions of the city walls, run as a garden site by the Intramuros Administration. It is usually quieter than Fort Santiago and a good place to end the walk. Santa Lucia Street corner Muralla Street, Intramuros. ₱75 regular, ₱50 for students, senior citizens and PWD. Daily, 8am to 5pm, last entry 4pm. **[Bahay Tsinoy](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/bahay-tsinoy)** is a museum of Chinese Filipino history in the Kaisa Heritage Center. It fits well if you are crossing the river to Binondo afterwards. Anda corner Cabildo Street, Intramuros. Good to know: hours are not published on the Intramuros Administration's directory, so call ahead. **Centro de Turismo Intramuros** is the visitor centre and a good first stop if you want a map and a sense of the place before you start. Entry to the Visitor Center and the Centro de Turismo Intramuros Museum is free; a ₱150 ticket (₱120 discounted) adds Museo de Intramuros, the library and the mezzanine. Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 6pm, last entry 5:30pm; closed Monday. The visitor desk is open daily, 9am to 6pm. ## Free guided walks every weekend The Intramuros Administration runs **free walking tours** with DOT (Department of Tourism) accredited guides every Saturday and Sunday at Fort Santiago and Casa Manila. Tours start at 9am and 4pm, with 25 slots per batch, walk-in only, first come first served. Register at the Intramuros Visitors Center for the Fort Santiago tour (about an hour) and at the stairway entrance of Casa Manila for the museum tour (about 30 minutes). Good to know: the tour is free, but regular site entrance fees still apply. The 4pm Fort Santiago tour is the most comfortable in the heat. ## Bamboo bike tours with Bambike **Bambike Ecotours** runs guided tours of Intramuros on bicycles with bamboo frames, built by workers from Gawad Kalinga communities. Groups are small, around five to ten people, and there is no age limit, though children must come with a parent or guardian. Riding gets you between the far corners of the walls without the walk in the heat. Real Street corner General Luna Street, Intramuros. Open daily, 9am to 6pm. Tours on the website include the Intramuros Express Tour (2 hours, from US$12.50), the Intramuros Experience with Fort Santiago (3 hours, from US$19.50), the Intramuros Night Tour (2 hours, from US$14.50) and the Intramuros Sunset Tour (3 hours, from US$22). Book online by card through PayPal, or message them on Facebook to pay with GCash. Tip: fill in the waiver and health declaration form on their site before you arrive. ## A walking route for one day The walled city is small enough to cover on foot in a day if you keep a steady pace and take breaks out of the sun. 1. **Morning: Fort Santiago.** Arrive at opening (6am on weekends, 8am on weekdays) and give it an hour or two. On a weekend, join the 9am free tour from the Visitors Center. 2. **Late morning: San Agustin.** Walk south along General Luna Street to the church and museum. Be inside the museum before noon, or wait until it reopens at 1pm. 3. **Lunch.** Ilustrado or Barbara's are both within a few minutes' walk (see below). 4. **Early afternoon: Casa Manila.** Directly across from San Agustin. 5. **Afternoon: Baluarte de San Diego.** Walk to the southern walls. Last entry is 4pm. 6. **Sunset: Pasig River Esplanade.** Head back north and walk the riverside path that runs from Fort Santiago towards Arroceros. Our page on the [Pasig River Esplanade](https://whatsonmnl.com/place/pasig-river-esplanade) has more. If you only have half a day, do Fort Santiago and San Agustin and save the rest for another visit. ## Where to eat in Intramuros **Ilustrado** opened in October 1989, the first fine dining restaurant inside the walls, and still serves Filipino Spanish and modern dishes. It works for a proper sit-down lunch between sites. Cabildo Street corner Recoletos Street, Intramuros. Monday to Saturday 8am to 10pm, Sunday 9am to 6pm. Phone (02) 8527 3674. **Barbara's Heritage Restaurant** in the Plaza San Luis Complex serves traditional Filipino dishes with some Spanish touches, and its buffet comes with a cultural show of folk dances from Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao with live music. It is the choice for visiting family who want the full experience. Plaza San Luis Complex, General Luna Street, Intramuros. Open 11:30am to 8:30pm. Buffet with cultural show: ₱1,650 regular, ₱1,320 for senior citizens and PWD, ₱825 for children aged 4 to 7; lunch buffet starts 11:30am with the show at 12:30pm, dinner buffet starts 6:30pm with the show at 7:30pm. Good to know: the show is only for buffet guests, and booking ahead is best; there is no lift to the upstairs dining room. For a cheaper, faster lunch, cross the river to Binondo, which is a short ride away and full of old family eateries. ## How to get there - **By train:** take LRT-1 (Light Rail Transit Line 1) to Central Terminal station, the closest stop, and walk from there. On a beep card, the fare to Central is ₱23 from Gil Puyat and ₱18 from UN Avenue. - **By car or Grab:** set your drop-off as Fort Santiago or San Agustin Church. Traffic from Makati or BGC (Bonifacio Global City) varies a lot by hour, so leave extra time. - **Getting around inside:** walk, or take a Bambike tour. Wear comfortable shoes. ## Before you go - **Mondays:** Casa Manila, Museo de Intramuros, Centro de Turismo and Museo ni Rizal are closed. Fort Santiago, Baluarte de San Diego and San Agustin are open. - **Heat and rain:** do the open-air sites before 10am or after 3pm. Bring water and an umbrella. - **Discounts:** bring a valid ID for student, senior citizen or PWD rates. - **Events:** the Intramuros Administration posts a calendar each month on intramuros.gov.ph, with free walking tours, dance performances and film nights. For more ideas nearby, see our [free things to do in Manila](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/free-things-to-do-in-manila) and [a perfect weekend in Manila](https://whatsonmnl.com/blog/a-perfect-weekend-in-manila). ## Questions people ask ### How much is the entrance fee to Intramuros? Walking into Intramuros itself costs nothing. The paid sites are Fort Santiago, Casa Manila and Baluarte de San Diego at ₱75 each for adults and ₱50 for students, senior citizens and PWD. The Visitor Center is free. ### What time does Fort Santiago open? 8am on weekdays and 6am on weekends. Last entry is 8pm on weekdays and 8:30pm on weekends. ### Are there free tours of Intramuros? Yes. The Intramuros Administration runs free guided walks every Saturday and Sunday at 9am and 4pm, at Fort Santiago and Casa Manila, walk-in only with 25 slots per batch. Site entrance fees still apply. ### How long do you need in Intramuros? A full day covers Fort Santiago, San Agustin, Casa Manila and Baluarte de San Diego at an easy pace. Half a day is enough for Fort Santiago and San Agustin. ### How much is a Bambike tour? On Bambike's site, the two hour Intramuros Express Tour starts from US$12.50 and the three hour Intramuros Experience, which includes Fort Santiago, starts from US$19.50. ### What is the nearest train station to Intramuros? LRT-1 Central Terminal. From there you walk into the walled city.