The ancestral house was named as such for the presence of turtles (tortuga in Spanish) coming in from the Pansipit River where the villa is. Interior Design University of the Philippines graduate and former president of the Fashion Designers Association of the Philippines (FDAP), Lito Perez is successful in creatively dressing up Villa Tortuga to look the part with eclectic fixtures and displays but not removing the heritage of the structure's walls, ceiling, and floors. The result is a perpetual visit of old Taal with every experience of the tour.
The Tour In A Day
The Colonial Experience Tour Package showcases the heritage town as a destination for old churches, culinary favorites, and ancestral homes.
It starts with a visit of the Basilica de San Martin de Tours which is considered the largest basilica in the Far East. A portion of it is also home to a few parish priests and Cube News was fortunate to be invited inside the spacious dining area where they have their meals. We were also shown the conducive gym area where they work out surrounded by capiz window panels and a museum of religious artifacts and other old objects situated right between the dining area and the gym. To learn about how the first Philippine flag was made and who made it, a visit of the Marcella Agoncillo Ancetral House is included in the itinerary.
Try The Colonial Experience Tour Package of Taal! --------------------------- Contact Lito Perez via [email protected] or through mobile at 0927-975-1683 --------------------------- For more details about the lunch menu at Villa Tortuga, visit New Self. | The time for testing local delicacies happen during the Villa Tortuga visit for lunch. In our experience of the tour, we were served a hefty spread of Cerdo de Pinya (pork with pineapple slices), green mango salad, Sinaing Na Tulingan (local tuna mackerel) and Adobo Sa Dilaw (chicken adobo), among others. A nifty pictorial followed our colonial-inspired meal. It required us to don vintage clothing which was both inspiring and educational. For more details about the lunch menu at Villa Tortuga, read here. |
Having traveled to Europe and other foreign destinations, Mr. Perez have effectively transformed the bahay na bato for adaptive reuse. It even has appropriation for board and lodging for tour participants who want to stay overnight at the traditional 19th century house. Participants can either follow the fixed itinerary or customize a few destinations along the way. A visit of the Taal Public Market for souvenirs is highly recommended to end the day trip.
On a good day, Taal, Batangas is accessible from Metro Manila in less than two hours. Peak seasons like during summertime can make the trip to the town last three hours.