Santo Tomas, Philippines
Santo Tomas is a town of 57,438 people in Calabarzon, Philippines, founded in March 7, 1666.
Why visit Santo Tomas
Townapedia lists 14 museums and landmarks, 9 parks and trails, 143 places to eat, 15 places to stay and 10 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Mount Bijiang, Mount Cabulugan, Apolinario Mabini Shrine and Rizal Monument.
Weather in Santo Tomas
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Santo Tomas
Santo Tomas, officially the City of Santo Tomas (Filipino: Lungsod ng Santo Tomas), is a component city in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 226,772 people.
From the Wikipedia article Santo Tomas, Batangas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Santo Tomas on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do10
Organi-Ka City Organic Trading Post
Farm and orchard
Santo Tomas Municipal Inner Road, Santo Tomas
Museums and landmarks14
Apolinario Mabini Shrine
Museum · 4.6 km
National Shrine and museum for Apolinario Mabini at his birthplace in Batangas, Philippines
Tu-Su 09:00-16:00
Rizal Monument
Monument and historic site · 10.0 km
Monument and statue of José Rizal in Calamba, Laguna, Philippines
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On this Site was Born 23 July 1864 Apolinario Mabini
Monument and historic site · 4.9 km
2 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds9
Restaurants and cafes143
Mando & Elvie's Lutong Bahay
Restaurant · Regional · 2.3 km
Maharlika Highway, Santo Tomas
Mo-Sa 07:00-22:00, Su 06:00-22:00
ManoKing Sto. Tomas
Restaurant · Chicken, Pork, Lechon Liempo, Lechon Manok, Inasal, Sisig · 3.0 km
Maharlika Highway, Santo Tomas
Mon-Sun 11am-9pm
Classic Savory
Restaurant · Chicken · 3.9 km
President Jose P. Laurel Highway, Tanauan
Goldilocks
Bakery
Maharlika Highway, Santo Tomas
Mo-Th 07:00-20:30; Fr-Su 07:00-21:00
Bonchon Chicken
Restaurant · Chicken, Korean, Sushi
Maharlika Highway, Santo Tomas
Bonchon Chicken
Restaurant · Chicken, Korean, Sushi · 5.8 km
Maharlika Highway, Calamba
131 more on the map.
History
Santo Tomas was founded in 1666, with Manuel Melo as its first head. Originally, it was composed of a large poblacion. When the Spanish friars arrived, their first and foremost objective was to construct a church near the river to satisfy their inclination for water. Thus, the present site of a Roman Catholic church was chosen near the San Juan River. As years went by, more houses were built around the church. This became the center of the poblacion.
Other groups of houses were scattered all over the area. They were given such odd names as "Kabaong", because of coffin-shaped stones along the road; "Putol" because the trail was cut short by Mount Makiling; "Aptayin", because "apta" or fine shrimps were found in the brook; "Biga", because biga trees abounded there; and "Camballao", as in "kambal" (twin) because twin rivers divided the place. These different unit groups comprised the barrios of the town.
From the History section of Santo Tomas, Batangas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay15
Churches and places of worship40
National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio
Church · Roman Catholic · 5.4 km
Antonio Carpio Avenue, Santo Tomas
St. John the Evangelist Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 2.8 km
Mabini Avenue, Tanauan
Iglesia ni Cristo
Church · Iglesia Ni Cristo · 4.1 km
President Jose P. Laurel Highway, Tanauan
Iglesia Ni Cristo, Locale of Milagrosa
Church · Iglesia Ni Cristo · 6.8 km
Maharlika Highway, Calamba
Immaculate Conception Parish Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 7.0 km
President Jose P. Laurel Highway
Mahal na Birhen de las Flores Chapel
Church · Roman Catholic · 3.2 km
Tanauan-Talisay-Tagaytay Road, Tanauan
Nuestra Señora de la Soledad Parish
Church · Roman Catholic · 4.8 km
President Jose P. Laurel Highway, Tanauan
Shopping51
Blue Basket Supermarket
Grocery · 2.1 km
President Jose P. Laurel Highway, Tanauan
Dewirt Steel and Hardware Construction Supply
Hardware store · 4.7 km
Tanauan-Talisay-Tagaytay Road, Tanauan
Gas and EV charging51
Schools, colleges and libraries126
Batangas State University Jose P. Laurel Polytechnic College
School · 7.2 km
Healthcare21
Daniel O. Mercado Medical Center
Hospital · 3.3 km
President Jose P. Laurel Highway, Tanauan
Laurel Memorial District Hospital
Hospital · 3.0 km
Tanauan-Talisay-Tagaytay Road, Tanauan
Mercury Drug
Clinic and pharmacy · 3.8 km
President Jose P. Laurel Highway, Tanauan
Santo Tomas General Hospital
Hospital · 1.3 km
1181 President Jose P. Laurel Highway, Santo Tomas
St. John Diagnostic and Medical Clinic
Hospital · 2.1 km
122 GF Gonzales Building J. Gonzales Street, Tanauan City
Map of Santo Tomas
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 47 km away.
- Tanauan 3 km south, about 3 min by car
- Malvar 7 km south, about 7 min by car
- Calamba 12 km north, about 12 min by car
- Los Baños 13 km northeast, about 13 min by car
- Alaminos 12 km southeast, about 12 min by car
- Talisay 13 km west, about 13 min by car
- Cabuyao 18 km north, about 18 min by car
- Bay 18 km northeast, about 18 min by car
- Lipa City 19 km south, about 19 min by car
- San Pablo 20 km east, about 20 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- SantoTomas,Batangasjf0636 06, Ramon FVelasquez, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 841Santo Tomas, Batangas Barangays Landmarks 16, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1770Santo Tomas North Batangas Barangays Roads Landmarks 31, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1190Santo Tomas North Batangas Barangays Roads Landmarks 39, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1190Santo Tomas North Batangas Barangays Roads Landmarks 23, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1240Santo Tomas North Batangas Barangays Roads Landmarks 13, Judgefloro, CC0
- 993Santo Tomas, Batangas Barangays Landmarks 22, Judgefloro, CC0
- 944Santo Tomas, Batangas Barangays Landmarks 25, Judgefloro, CC0
- 944Santo Tomas, Batangas Barangays Landmarks 32, Judgefloro, CC0
- 789Santo Tomas, Batangas Barangays Landmarks 42, Judgefloro, CC0
- 889Santo Tomas, Batangas Barangays Landmarks 21, Judgefloro, CC0
- 944Santo Tomas, Batangas Barangays Landmarks 13, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1289Santo Tomas North Batangas Barangays Roads Landmarks 13, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1240Santo Tomas North Batangas Barangays Roads Landmarks 26, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1190Santo Tomas North Batangas Barangays Roads Landmarks 49, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1289Santo Tomas North Batangas Barangays Roads Landmarks 09, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1160Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish Church of Santo Tomas, Batangas 53, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1097Santo Tomas, Batangas Barangays Landmarks 30, Judgefloro, CC0
- 789Santo Tomas, Batangas Barangays Landmarks 26, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1042Santo Tomas, Batangas Barangays Landmarks 34, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1160Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish Church of Santo Tomas, Batangas 41, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1160Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish Church of Santo Tomas, Batangas 27, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1770Santo Tomas North Batangas Barangays Roads Landmarks 17, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1770Santo Tomas North Batangas Barangays Roads Landmarks 20, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1097Santo Tomas, Batangas Barangays Landmarks 21, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1097Santo Tomas, Batangas Barangays Landmarks 16, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1770Santo Tomas North Batangas Barangays Roads Landmarks 26, Judgefloro, CC0
- 993Santo Tomas, Batangas Barangays Landmarks 11, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1160Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish Church of Santo Tomas, Batangas 40, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1240Santo Tomas North Batangas Barangays Roads Landmarks 48, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1240Santo Tomas North Batangas Barangays Roads Landmarks 03, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1240Santo Tomas North Batangas Barangays Roads Landmarks 22, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1190Santo Tomas North Batangas Barangays Roads Landmarks 33, Judgefloro, CC0
- 993Santo Tomas, Batangas Barangays Landmarks 17, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1042Santo Tomas, Batangas Barangays Landmarks 14, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1042Santo Tomas, Batangas Barangays Landmarks 20, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1042Santo Tomas, Batangas Barangays Landmarks 18, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1042Santo Tomas, Batangas Barangays Landmarks 32, Judgefloro, CC0
- 1770Santo Tomas North Batangas Barangays Roads Landmarks 10, Judgefloro, CC0
- 4719Padre Pio National Shrine 42, Judgefloro, CC0
- Yankee Candle Coppergate Walk York, Malcolmxl5, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Apolinario Mabini birthplace historical marker (English), Photo: Ramon FVelasquez ; perspective correction: Eugene Alvin Villar ( seav ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Tanauan Church Front, Kevin Michael Aguinaldo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Tanauan Church, Kevin Michael Aguinaldo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- SantoTomas,Batangasjf0589 09, Ramon FVelasquez, CC BY-SA 3.0
- BB7 JPLPC Malvar, Batstateupr, CC BY-SA 4.0
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