7 sacred and soulful stops: Where to go in Baguio this Holy Week

Holy Week in Baguio is unlike anywhere else. It’s quiet, cool, and contemplative, with pine-scented air standing in for incense and mountain sunsets as your natural stained-glass backdrop. It’s a time when even the noisiest of us feel called to slow down, look inward, and maybe, just maybe, take a long walk uphill in reflection (because everything in Baguio is uphill).

Whether you’re here for a religious pilgrimage, a spiritual retreat, or simply doing some soul-searching without the pressure of an Instagram story, these seven places in and near Baguio promise to offer both peace and presence, the perfect companions for Holy Week.

1. Our Lady of the Atonement Cathedral/Baguio Cathedral (Session Road, Baguio City)

No Holy Week list is complete without the Baguio Cathedral. The pink-hued, Neo-Gothic landmark perched at the heart of the city. Built in 1936, the Our Lady of the Atonement Cathedral has been a sanctuary for generations of Baguio residents and pilgrims.

This is where you light candles for your intentions, for someone you miss, or maybe for traffic to clear up along Marcos Highway. The grand stained-glass windows cast morning light like grace itself.

Tip: Climb the 100-step staircase from Session Road if you’re feeling penitential (or if you skipped leg day).

2. Lourdes Grotto (Dominican Hill Road, Baguio City)

A favorite pilgrimage site, especially for devotees who practice the traditional “Alay-Lakad” (walking in penitence), Lourdes Grotto offers a physical and spiritual workout: 252 steps straight up to a serene statue of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Bring flowers, prayers, and maybe a small towel, because even saints sweat climbing those steps.

Bonus nearby stop: Diplomat Hotel, the abandoned Dominican retreat house with its own history of silence, solitude, and yes, ghost stories.

3. Mirador Jesuit Villa and Retreat House (Mirador Hill, Baguio City)

If you’re seeking quiet contemplation with a side of Instagram-worthy views, Mirador Heritage and Eco-Spirituality Park is your place.

Aside from its traditional Stations of the Cross, this Jesuit-run site now features the Mirador Peace Memorial, bamboo forest trails, a rock garden, and a famed torii gate, symbolizing the transition from the ordinary to the sacred.

While the entrance fee is modest, the peace of mind is priceless.

4. Camp John Hay Eco-Trails and Forest Bathing Spots (Loakan Road, Baguio City)

Not every reflection happens inside chapels. Sometimes, walking through a pine forest is prayer enough.

Camp John Hay offers quiet trails where one can practice “forest bathing,” a Japanese wellness concept (shinrin-yoku) that simply means immersing yourself in nature and breathing deeply (no WiFi required).

There are several trails within the eco-park, including Yellow Trail and Forest Bathing Trail.

It’s where silence speaks loudest, except when the birds decide to interrupt.

5. Mt. Kalugong or Mt. Yangbew (La Trinidad, Benguet)

For those ready to literally take their reflections to higher ground, head to La Trinidad’s mountains.

A 30-minute drive from Baguio, Mt. Kalugong offers a rocky escape with scenic views of the valley, and nearby Mt. Yangbew is fondly called the “Little Pulag” because of its grassy summit and sea of clouds at dawn.

Locals consider mountains sacred, places where the spirit world feels closer, where ancestors are remembered, and where time slows down enough for us to listen to ourselves.

6. Tam-awan Village (Longlong Road, Pinsao Proper, Baguio City)

Tam-awan Village is a recreated Cordillera artist’s village, complete with native huts, art exhibits, and quiet corners perfect for meditation or sketching your thoughts.

Built by the Chanum Foundation, the space invites you to reflect not only on faith but on heritage, identity, and the land that sustains us.

It’s also proof that spirituality is not always about solemn silence, sometimes, it’s about celebrating life, culture, and creativity.

7. Botanical Garden/Baguio Botanical Park (Leonard Wood Road, Baguio City)

Not your typical garden stroll. This green space is home to local flora, art installations, and Cordilleran connections.

During Holy Week, it’s a beautiful place for slow walks, journaling, or simply doing nothing (which, in today’s world, is probably the holiest thing you can do).

Look out for the peace poles inscribed with “May Peace Prevail on Earth.” A gentle reminder that inner peace and world peace begin with small, quiet moments like these.

Holy Week in Baguio isn’t just about the destination. It’s about the pause, the stillness, and the chance to reconnect: with faith, with nature, and with the self you’ve been too busy to meet.

So wherever you go, whether on your knees at Lourdes Grotto or on your feet in forest trails, may your journey be filled with grace, gratitude, and good walking shoes. – Rappler.com