Cebu city, the Far East’s "Cradle of Christianity," is the oldest city in the Philippines and the economic hub of Cebu Island. Settled forcibly by Spaniards in the mid 1500s as a silk route trading hub, the city today boasts a strong Spanish heritage, notably in its architecture and religious persuasion. The "Queen City" is the second-most important metropolitan area of the Philippine Islands and boasts the largest port in the Visayas (one of the three principal regions of the Philippines, which include the islands of Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte and Samar). The Cebu International Port is home to no less than 80% of the Philippines’ domestic shipping companies. Cebu’s long stretches of white sandy beaches fringed with coconut palms bestow a paradise island feel to the city. Out of work hours, the city has plenty to offer in the way of activities such as golf, watersports, or dining in Cebu’s gratifying array of restaurants. If you are moving here, be prepared to shift down several gears. Cebuans are never in a hurry, whether they be walking in the street or managing supermarket supply chains. While you can find most of what you need in Cebu’s wide range of supermarkets, you’ll find that even locally produced items are regularly out of stock. While this may prove frustrating at times, you’ll be hard pressed to find a friendlier, more generous host city. As with any foreign country, having a handle on the local vernacular is always desirable from a cultural integration perspective. The most widely spoken language in Cebu is Cebuano (also referred to as Binisaya or Visayan), which, alongside English, is the non-official lingua franca of the region. Cebu is readily accessible by air via the Mactan-Cebu International Airport located in Lapu-Lapu City, which has direct flights to Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, China, Palau, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Qatar, South Korea; and other destinations. There are also direct transfer flights via the capital’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport that readily connects the city to other destinations in the world.