Tagaytay is a ridge city at about 700 metres elevation on the rim of the ancient Taal Caldera, about an hour's drive south of Manila. From the ridge you look down into Taal Lake, and in the middle of the lake sits Taal Volcano island, which still smokes and is active. The view is one of the most striking in the Philippines: a volcano in a lake in a crater, layered against the sky.
The temperature on the ridge is noticeably cooler than Manila, which makes Tagaytay a popular weekend escape for city residents. Several good restaurants and cafes have opened along the ridge road, most with decks facing the volcano view. The local specialty is bulalo — beef bone marrow soup — which the cold mountain air makes particularly welcome.
Access to Taal Volcano itself requires a boat from Talisay on the lakeshore below Tagaytay, then a horse or walk up to the crater rim. The hike is manageable in two to three hours round trip; the crater lake inside is an eerie pale green. Check current eruption advisories before visiting, as access is periodically restricted.