Liliw, Laguna: Church, Shoes and Pasta

Liliw, Laguna is where you find in one place a beautiful old stone church, streets of locally-crafted quality shoes at bargain prices, and a small haven of pasta and pastries.

The facade of this beautiful old stone church in Liliw, Laguna bears the image of St. John the Baptist.

Facade of the old stone church in Liliw, Laguna

Across the church is a very pleasant esplanade where families, especially children, gather before or after the Sunday Mass.

The belfry

The brightness of the church's interior walls and altar piece show that it must have been recently cleaned and restored.

Interior of the Church in Liliw, Laguna

From the church, the next stop were the rows and rows of shoe stores - small, family-owned ones where the shoes they sell are also made there. Very good quality, a wide variety of styles, and most importantly, very cheap prices as compared to stores in Metro Manila.

Abaca wedge shoes at only P280 from a store called Zhooz.
The soft insole and the abaca material make for very comfortable walking.

Espadrilles-type walking shoes. Also at P280 only.

Last stop in Liliw was the discovery of a small, cozy coffee shop that's called Arabela. The owners are a couple - the wife has a passion for cooking and the husband for eating. And their shop's name is the combination of their two children's: Ara and Bela.

Wonderful pasta, pastry and coffee at this little coffee shop called Arabela

The whole sight, smell and sound of it is a delight in itself and an unexpected find in Liliw. What makes Arabela even more charming is that it's located right under the owner-couple's family home which looks so inviting that guests often ask if it is part of the shop. And just like the Liliw shoes, Arabela is homegrown.