Antipolo is a city in Rizal Province, Philippines.

Understand

While Pasig remains the de jure capital of Rizal (despite being separated from the province to become part of Metro Manila in the 1970s, and the provincial government center there redeveloped into a lifestyle strip), Antipolo is the de facto capital of the province, and despite what the law says, the provincial capitol has been relocated into this city since 2009. Antipolo is planned to be converted into an independent city, but a plebiscite has not been held to completely ratify its autonomy from the rest of Rizal. Even when a vote occurs, the city will remains part of Rizal practically for travel purposes.

Sitting above a plateau 200 m (660 ft) above sea level, Antipolo is a respite from Manila's chaos, allowing a scenic view of an otherwise crowded and bustling metropolis. Most visitors go to Antipolo for pilgrimage as the city's cathedral houses the image of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage (Spanish: Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje, Tagalog: Birhen ng Kapayapaan at Mabuting Paglalakbay). There is continuing local following; devotees to the Marian image customarily undertake a 23 km (14 mi) trek, Alay Lakad, from Quiapo Church to the cathedral, which is a 5-hour sacrifice, when it is possible to reach it within a half hour without Manila's perennial traffic snarls.

Get in

Antipolo is around 25 km away from Manila, you can drive from Manila to Antipolo around an hour by car.

By train

The Line 2 will take you from Recto to Santolan Station. From there you can catch a jeepney (₱20) or an UV Express (₱40) that will take you to the city proper. There is ongoing construction of an extension of Line 2 to Masinag junction that will further shorten travel time.

By jeep or UV Express

Antipolo is accessible by jeepney or UV Express, with terminals in Metro Manila including one around Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City and around Shangri-la Plaza in Mandaluyong

Get around

With over 8000 tricycles in the town center alone, you will have no problem looking for a ride to nearby destinations. Places along the main roads are accessible by jeepney. It is advisable to travel by car to other destinations as jeepneys do not cover every corner of the city, especially the mountains.

See

• Antipolo Cathedral - Home of the more than 100-year+old Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buen Viaje (Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage); lot of pilgrims flock to the cathedral from Manila and the lowlands of Rizal during May to offer flowers
• Hinulugang Taktak Waterfalls - A once nice and popular picnic spot for families, this waterfalls has suffered from pollution and eutrophication; visitors are advised against bathing in the stream of the waterfalls for health reasons
• Pinto Art Museum, 1 Sierra Madre St., Antipolo City (A few meters away from Rizal Provincial Capitol, turn right at Grand Heights Rd then straight ahead to Pinto Art Museum), ☏ +63 2 697 2460. A museum gallery showcasing works of art from paintings and sculptures of local artists. It is a sprawling property with well manicured gardens and fountains. A perfect backdrop for reflection and learning. The gallery also has a commanding view of Metro Manila. The café catered by Bizu is open during weekends. 

Do

• Attend mass at the Antipolo cathedral (the biggest and most important church in the province). Also take time to visit the Nuestra Senora del Buen Viaje (at the back of the cathedral).
• Enjoy the overlooking views of the Manila skyline along Sumulong Highway. One could even stop for a drink at one of the restaurant-pubs on the roadside.

Buy

• Roasted cashew nuts - Hot from the vendors outside of Antipolo Cathedral (the vendors will most likely come to you, rather than you come to them)
• Filipino rice cakes - The most famous form of which, "kalamay", is another popular "pasalubong" that visitors carry away from Antipolo

Eat

There are a lot of fast food chains located at the town center (Upper Antipolo) and in Cogeo area (Lower Antipolo) such as Jollibee, McDonald's, KFC, and Pizza Hut, and convenience stores like 7-Eleven and Ministop.

Also, these includes numerous restaurants and bars located at OL (Over-Looking) at Sumulong Highway wherein you'll have the best view of Metro Manila, seeing Ortigas Buildings, and residential areas.

Drink

There are also numerous places to drink in the mountainous city, along Marcos Highway you can find several spots for drinking like 22nd St. Comedy Bar, X Factor Bar, Dampa sa Antipolo to name a few. In the Sumulong Highway you can also find classy places to drink like the Padi's Point and Cloud 9 bar.

Sleep

• Seven Suites Hotel Observatory, Hollywood Hills Subd, Sumulong Highway, ☏ +63 2 217-5443. An interesting hotel option with a powerful roof deck telescope for observing the stars. In-house astronomer on hand to give lectures about the stellar night sky. 
• Loreland Farm Resort, Sitio Loreland, Brgy. San Roque, Antipolo City (From the town proper of Antipolo, you can take the tricycle going to Loreland. Landmark is Unciano Medical Center & McDonalds, turn on that road that lead to Loreland), ☏ +63 2 696 0101. Loreland Farm Resort is an 8-hectare property overlooking the scenic Laguna De Bay and Metro Manila. The resort caters to family and corporate outings, teambuildings and events venue. It has 8 swimming pools, over 50 room accommodations, indoor and outdoor function areas, sports and teambuilding facilities. It is open for weekend, daytours and long stays. 

Go next

Come down into other lower-lying towns of Rizal, one of the most interesting of which is Angono (named the Art Capital of the Philippines) and host of two National Artists. In the backdoor entry to Angono from Antipolo (through the Eastridge Country Club), visitors can stop by to take a visit at the famous Angono Petroglyphs (now managed by the National Museum).