CALERUEGA CHURCH: Visiting Guide to Transfiguration Chapel and Retreat House (Activities + Wedding Rates)

By JDC Thursday, June 2, 2022

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A place for a retreat and unwinding near Tagaytay. 

Caleruega Church, also known as the Transfiguration Chapel, is a beautiful church perched on top of the highest hill surrounded by panoramic breathtaking views of greenery.

Although, it is usually tagged from Tagaytay, the church is actually located in Nasugbu, Batangas. Its ideal location on top of the hill allows this church in Nasugbu, Batangas to reflect a highly spiritual and religious atmosphere.

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ABOUT CALERUEGA CHURCH

Caleruega was named after the birthplace of St. Dominic de Guzman, father of the Order of Preachers. Wishing to honor and remember the legacy of their founder, the Filipino Dominicans established Caleruega with the hopes that it will, like the town of Caleruega in Spain, be a birthplace - a genesis for people speaking to and for the Divine Creator.

Silence, solitude, harmony, the majesty of creation, the freedom of Light, and the passion to share God's Word - this is Caleruega: the seedbed of preachers, the cornerstone of spiritual inspiration.

It was built to serve as a venue for contemplation but has made a name for itself over the years as one of the most well-known wedding venues in the country, especially those from Manila.

WHAT TO BRING FOR CALERUEGA

Here are some things you might consider bringing with you for your day tour / adventure:

• Stylish face mask
• Water container/tumbler to rehydrate
• Sunscreen for skin protection
• Travel backpack / luggage
• Reusable vacuum storage packs
• Selfie stick
• Waterproof phone case
• Acion cam
• Camping tent
• WiFi kit
• Powerbank

Shopee is my go-to app for things I needed like the ones above. If you'd like discounts and vouchers, you may get the best offers here:

EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES TO DO IN CALERUEGA

Here's a list of activities you can do in Caleruega:

• Retreats and recollections
• Leadership and team building camps
• Prayer and renewal workshops
• Marriage and family encounters
• Weddings and receptions
• Art, music, liturgy and Care fo Creation workshops

WHAT TO SEE IN CALERUEGA CHURCH

Caleruega is not only a place for weddings and retreats, everyone can visit for touring and other activities offered in the whole area. Here are the things you can do inside Caleruega Church:

• Transfiguration Chapel
• Tent Chapel of Transfiguration
• Fountain Compass
• The Dominicum's grand stairway
• St. Dominic's Point
• Manaoag Drive Via Crusis
• Our Lady of the Holy Rosary
• "Thy Will be Done" Sculpture
• Koi pond and its walkways
• Hanging Bridge and Kampo Arriba
• Kampo Terraces and Amphitheater
• Worm Farm/ compost production

Relaxing and refreshing spots:

• Plaza de Aza's open and roofdeck
• Tuktok and its charming gazebos
• Garden Cafe's refreshing delights
• The plant nursery's seedings for sale
• Japanese garden
• Cenaculum
• Kampo restrooms

See the map here:

Caleruega Brochure Guide

OUR VISIT TO CALERUEGA

I've been to Tagaytay multiple times and I never considered to include Caleruega into my itinerary. Why? It's just too far.

When I say it's far, I'm speaking about the driving distance of Caleruega Road from Tagaytay-Nasugbu Highway to the exact location of the chapel. We're talking about more than 2 kilometers of rough road (partially paved, but mostly not).

Good thing, we have our rented van when we visited Caleruega on a weekend. It was around 10am and the sun's presence is everywhere. Given the weather in this area, it was hot especially in summer.

After 15-20 minutes drive from the hi-way to the main gate, we paid for the entrance (Php30 per head) and parking fee (Php40). We were given brochure guide (each guest).

After we found a space to park, we headed to the entrance of the premise and we were welcomed by this view.

Entering Caleruega

From here you can walk down the road to reach some of the attractions inside Caleruega. The fastest and the easiest way to the Transfiguration Chapel was closed during our visit.

Therefore, we took the until we reached the Dominican Steps (one of the newest attractions here) which gave us access to the Transfiguration Chapel.

Dominican Steps

WARNING! Ready your legs for the hundred steps. At least, the stairs were guided and there are plenty of resting platforms along the way.

Dominican Steps

Anyway, after these steps, you will be rewarded by this beautiful view of Batulao.

View from above (near Transfiguration Chapel)

Then, after a few more steps, we finally reached the Transfiguration Chapel! I was in awe! This chapel is one of the most posted on social media. I haven't seen any church as beautiful as this one in Caleruega.

Of course, we took our best selfies and family photos here. Our peers took a peak inside the church. There are several guests in the church during our visit. We headed to Garden Café to take a rest. Then (guess what?) we headed back to Dominican Steps, downstairs this time. It was really a perfect moment for the Holy Week.

Well, after the long walk through the stairway, we decided not to visit other attractions since we were going to have lunch soon. We went back to the parking area and stayed there a bit. 

They have a line of stalls selling Filipino street food like fishballs, kwek kwek, hotdog sandwich, siomai and palamig. Others sold pasalubong in variety, you can choose from espasol, pastillas, ube halaya to dried goods like tawilis. Most of them offer 3 packs of each for P100.

Here, we had some snacks, bought pasalubong (to ourselves, ha ha ha!) and took some more rest. PS: their ube halaya is the best!

See more Caleruega photos!

CALERUEGA CHURCH MASS SCHEDULE

Regular mass service is held at the Chapel of Transfiguration every Sunday, 11:00 AM.

For weddings, the chapel can accommodate only three weddings per day. Here are the time slots:

• 9:00AM – 11:00AM / 3:00PM – 5:00PM / 6:00PM – 8:00PM (Mondays to Saturdays)
• 8:00AM – 10:00AM / 3:00PM – 5:00PM / 6:00PM – 8:00PM (Sundays)

CALERUEGA CHURCH WEDDING RATES

The South offers a lot of ideal wedding venues for different couples. There are many beautiful churches in this part of the country that you would love to book right away for your wedding.

If you are looking for a charming and heavenly venue for your wedding ceremony, you have to discover what Caleruega Church in Batangas has to offer.

Chapel Use Only:

• P15,000 (off-peak season)
• P20,000 (peak season)

Notes:

• The rates are inclusive of the sound system, organ, CD player, and the sacristan (altar boy) who will assist the officiating priest.
• Peak season is from December 1 to January 31)
• The couple should tap the officiating priest and provide the flower arrangements, choir, photographers, lectors, commentator, carpet, offertory items (candles, mass wine, and bread), and missalette.
• Use of aircon is optional. Should you want to avail it, the rate is P5,000 for two and a half hours.

Caleruega Church in Nasugbu, Batangas is a haven for couples who are seeking a wedding venue that speaks of closeness to God and to nature at the same time.

CALERUEGA RECEPTIONS VENUE RATES

1. Plaza de Aza and Tuktok: P40,000
• Open-air roofdeck where tent outfitting is possible
• Seating Capacity is 200 pax
  
  
2. Veritas Hall: P30,000
• Indoor venue with additional P7,500 for air-con usage
• Seating capacity is 200 pax
  
  
3. Gazekubo: P25,000
• Indoor venue with additional P5,000 for air-con usage
• Seating capacity is 60 pax
  
  
4. Kampo Arriba (camp Site): P40,000
• Outdoor venue where tent outfitting is possible
• Seating capacity is 200 pax

Notes:

• Food is not included. The couple should contact their own caterer.
• Sound system is not included.

CALERUEGA RESERVATION POLICIES

• Reservation is on a “first come, first serve” basis.
• No pencil booking (provisional booking).
• Down payment is required. P5,000 for the chapel and P10,000 for the reception. This is non-refundable and non-transferable.
• Confirmation is in effect upon completion of the balance A MONTH BEFORE the wedding. Failure to do this will automatically cancel your slot and will be made available for others.
• No bank transfer.
• Rates may change without prior notice.

Transfiguration Chapel

CALERUEGA WEDDING RECEPTION RESTRICTIONS

• Wedding Reception Restrictions
• Reception Venue Hours.
• Until 3PM for morning wedding schedule.
• Until 9PM for afternoon wedding schedule.
• Until 11PM for evening wedding schedule.
• Music and sound system. The volume must be modulated.
• Smoking. No smoking inside the Caleruega premises.
• Fireworks/Firecrackers. Fireworks are not allowed inside the Caleruega premises.
• Parking. Free parking inside Caleruega and assigned parking space outside.

HOW TO GET TO CALERUEGA CHURCH

For those who plan to go here via public commuting, here's how you can travel from Manila to Caleruega by bus:

• From Manila, board a bus bound for Nasugbu. Advise the driver or the conductor that you are going to Caleruega or Batulao. You can just tell them to drop you off at Hillcrest. Some drivers know the place by its former name “Evercrest,” so if they don’t know Hillcrest, just say Evercrest.
• From KC Hillcrest entrance, hail a tricycle to Caleruega Chapel.
• Fare: P115 – P130 (Bus); P50 per ride (tricyle).
• Travel Time: Approximately 3 hours

Bus companies plying the Manila-Nasugbu route:

• DLTBCo Bus in LRT Buendia: The bus terminal is located at the corner of Taft Avenue and Buendia (Gil Puyat Avenue).
• BSC Bus in EDSA-Taft Pasay: The bus terminal is situated behind Mc Donald’s along EDSA, near MRT Taft Station.

For those who plan to bring own vehicle, best way for me is via SLEX-CALAX. You can follow suggested routes from Google Maps or Waze. If you don’t have a private vehicle, you can rent a car or van here.

Caleruega Philippines

Address: Bgry. Caylaway, Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas

Visiting hours: 08:00 am to 05:00 pm. (Please note of the break times from 12:00 nn to 01:00 pm (Monday-Saturday) and 10:30 am to 01:00 pm on Sunday)

OTHER ATTRACTIONS TO SEE IN MANILA 

Klook.com

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is there an entrance fee?
  Yes. P30 per person.
  
  
• Is there parking space at Caleruega?
  Yes. They used to allow parking inside, but when I went there last November this year, there’s a designated parking area near the entrance for FREE.
  
  
• What are the contact numbers of Caleruega?
  Mobile Numbers: +63921-270-9890 or +63921-830-4226
  E-mail Address: caleruega_philippines@yahoo.com
  
  
• What is the office schedule of Caleruega?
  8AM – 5PM (Monday – Saturday); Break time (12NN – 1PM)
  8AM – 5PM (Sunday); Break time (10:30AM – 1PM)
  
  
• What is the schedule of mass service in Caleruega Church?
  Sundays, 11:00 AM.

OTHER ACTIVITIES AND TOUR IN MANILA

ALSO IN BATANGAS

• Kaybiang Tunnel Guide - a shortcut to Nasugbu, Batangas
• BATANGAS: Casa Amara, a relaxing vacation house in San Juan
• BATANGAS: Pico De Loro Cove in Nasugbu
• BATANGAS: Isla Verde for 1000 pesos
• Stilts Calatagan Beach Resort - A 4-hour Away Paradise From Manila
• BATANGAS: Ataalaya Farmhouse - jacuzzi with Taal view

IMPORTANT NOTE: The rates, contact details and other information indicated in this post are accurate from the time of writing but may change without IMFWJ's notice. Should you know the updated information, please let us know by leaving a message in the comment box below.

WHERE TO STAY IN BATANGAS

Batangas Hotels & Resorts | Batangas Transient for Rent

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