Sariaya Ancestral Houses

Sariaya grew rich on coconut in the first decades of the twentieth century, and the families who made that money built houses to say so - a cluster of mansions along the town's central streets in styles running from late bahay na bato through American colonial to full art deco, several of them designed by prominent architects of the period and three declared National Heritage Houses. The Gala-Rodriguez, Enriquez-Gala and Natalio Enriquez houses are the best known, with deep verandas, capiz and glass windows, tiled floors and carved woodwork; some open as museums or by prior arrangement, others remain private homes seen from the pavement. The church of San Francisco de Asis anchors the plaza, and the town sits below Mount Banahaw with the mountain visible from the streets. Sariaya is a functioning provincial town rather than a preserved showpiece, so the houses stand among ordinary shops and traffic.

What you actually see

• The heritage houses - Gala-Rodriguez, Enriquez-Gala and Natalio Enriquez.
• The deco details - verandas, tiles and carved woodwork.
• The town church - San Francisco de Asis on the plaza.
• The Banahaw backdrop - the mountain over the streets.

When to go

November to May. Weekday mornings are best for photography and for arranging house visits; the Agawan festival in May fills the town.

Honest expectations

Most houses are private - access inside is by appointment or not at all, and hours are irregular. The town is busy with traffic, and there is no formal heritage trail or signage.

Nearby

Tayabas basilica, Lucban and Kamay ni Hesus are within half an hour; Lucena is the transport hub.