Long have I wondered the streets of Manila in search for a place of comfort, long have I wondered the streets of Manila in search for a place of refuge, long have I wondered the streets of manila for a place where I could come as me. And with the grace of God I have found it, a place that is comforting, yet stimulating, a place that is homey, yet not boring, a place where I don’t have to be someone else and yet still have a great time. Nestled inside the back alleys of Manila’s walled city is a Place called Sanctum, a place that is very different from the typical club, lounge or resto.

Sanctum is a place where in you can truly just relax, you do not have to be worried on how you look or what you are wearing because the whole ambiance of the place is so comforting that it will give you a feeling of being as “light as a feather”, not having a care in the world. Sanctum is not the place to be seen, rather it is the place where you can unwind and leave life’s problems behind for but a short while.

In spite of Sanctum not having any attractive signs or bright lights to attract attention, looking at the interior of this place from the glass door outside would mystically draw in almost anyone, because of the comforting and friendly vibe that the set-up of this place gives out. Unlike many cafes, bars and restaurants in Intramuros where the owners have all but destroyed the natural beauty of the place, Sanctum has preserved the natural look and beauty of Manila’s walled city. It has not painted any of the parts of its walls nor has it put anything that would stay there permanently. What it has done is, it has meticulously combined modern furniture and eclectic selection of beautiful artworks with the raw beauty of the walls of Intramuros.

The ambiance of comfort that is felt so strongly comfartable in Sanctum has much to do with the way the place is set-up, like a big living room, as it is with the way the place is run. The music is not too loud nor is it too soft, they play almost anything from world music, to homegrown music like Cynthia Alexander and Kapatid, to what we can classify as new metal. There are also tons of things to do here, first of there are a lot of interesting books that can be read and discussed by a group of friends, at the same time there is a large selection of board games and puzzles and if you are feeling a little artistic there are unfinished artworks that you can dare to finish, in addition there is also a book where in you can write whatever you want be it a poem, a story or whatever that is kept in Sanctum and is there for everyone to read.

Sanctum is a comfartable alternative to the usual Metro hangouts, this is a place where people can come as their selves, something that is mostly not present in most hangouts. In sanctum the vibe is so strong and so good that people feed off each other and thats what makes this place Manila's hidden treasure.

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