Sofia's Singapore Walking Tour: Hill Street Highlights

SINGAPORE SERIES

Here's our version of a walking tour that's totally do-able and fun if you're looking for something to do with the kids in Singapore on a Saturday. It's best if the kids come with strollers as quite a lot of walking involved. This is a tried and tested tour which my daughter loves to do. Though we normally just take pictures, then move on. You can opt to stay longer and explore the places which interest you more. The best thing about this list is that admission is free for all the places.

Just in case you were wondering where Hill Street is, it's very near Clarke Quay and City Hall.

The main attractions:
Central Fire Station Singapore
Philatelic Museum
Armenian Church
Fort Canning Park
MICA building
Funan DigitaLife Mall

St. Andrew's Church
Raffles City and City Hall for shopping

Central Fire Station

If you're not an early riser, I suggest you start this tour at the Central Fire Station on Hill Street after grabbing a hearty breakfast. This is because the Central Fire Station is only open to visitors from 9:00am to 11:00am every Saturday morning.

Central Fire Station on Hill Street

Recognized as a National Monument,
but it's very much a real and working Fire Station

Speaking from experience, I've observed that they're very nice and they still let you in even if you arrive at 10:45am

The firemen are all friendly, and they really explain how things work. They also go out of their way to entertain the kids and find things that will interest them.

The firemen let the kinds try their hand at controlling the water hose.
They need to knock down the standees by pointing the water at the red dot.

The nice fireman explained to us the different parts of the truck,
the helped Sofia ride in it.

The kids get to tinker with their equipment and the hoses

The firemen gamely pose with the kids or with the families for pictures

The one entertaining Sofia  made one of his buddies to go down the fire pole to show Fi how it's done.

This little girl thinks that just because she practiced in the playground, the next time we go back to the fire station, she can do it on the fire pole too.

Bilib sa Sarili and Feelingera much
Just like Mom!

The Central Fire Station also has a fleet of Ambulances and a Paramedics Team that goes out on emergencies. If required, they bring the patients to the nearest government hospital for medical attention.

Just like the last time, there was an emergency announcement,
then this ambulance hurried to go to the rescue

Once the firemen start packing away, people leave and head towards the Civil Defence Heritage Gallery. This is actually open until 5:00pm, so if you miss the Visiting Hours at the station you can actually do this instead. 

The heritage Gallery is right beside the Fire Station.

You just need to walk in front of the Fire Station to get there.

The Central Fire Station in Profile

These are where the ambulance and the fire trucks go out on their way to an emergency

The Heritage Gallery is like the Fire Station Museum, chronicling the history of Fire Fighting in Singapore. My daughter is very at home here, because we normally don't make it early enough to go to the Fire Station, but we normally have time to kill before pottery class (at Funan).

They have old firetrucks.

It's very interactive, you can enter one of them and watch a film.

The second floor has been recently renovated.

You can try  to put out the fire in a burning car.

They still kept the part where kids can shade the paper, and the fire station will appear,
but it now looks like this.

For the next stop of the tour, we need to backtrack a little. You only have to do this, if you were running late and trying to catch the Fire Station Visit. If you have enough time to spare, or if you missed the Fire Station visit altogether, it's advisable to make this your first stop.

Armenian Church

The Armenian Church is the oldest Church in Singapore and has very nice Church grounds. It's also on Hill Street, just past the Central Fire Station. However, if you're taking the bus (Bus 32 included), the bus stop is right in front of the Armenian Church, so it's best to take some snaps before walking back.

The Armenian Church

They also have their version of a suggested walking tour

When you enter, you see sculptures carrying the cross in the front garden

The Church itself, the oldest in Singapore, is a small circular structure.
I didn't take any pictures inside the church but it was nice and solemn

I went with my friend and his mom who are Christians from South India, and they were explaining to me that their religion can be traced to the Armenians as it was the Syrians that first brought Christianity to India.

The garden at the back had a nice sitting area under the tree with pink flowers
Shot in Vivid with the CanonS95

My daughter and my friend were curious enough to go to the small gazebo

This is the house of the priest.
Too bad it says private property.
I think it would make a really nice coffee shop, or place for afternoon tea.

I like this sculpture of an angel

Moving on to the next stop, you will need to cross a small street to get to the Central Fire Station. That's Coleman Street. At the intersection, you will see this. Just decide if you want to go in for a quick look.

Singapore Philatelic Museum

The Singapore Philatelic Museum (Stamp Museum in common speak)

A quick look is free, because there is a gift shop as you enter, and quite a lot of photo ops outside the building. However, admission to the museum is SG$5 (adult) and SG$4 (children). Students who are permanent residents of Singapore have free admission.

Assuming you've done the Central Fire Station and the Heritage Gallery, a walk past that will bring you to Fort Canning Park.

Fort Canning Park

Fort Canning Park Hill Street Entrance

This park has always intrigued me. We live so near, we can actually walk to it. But those stairs are really intimidating for someone who has a kid AND a stroller. When I figure out how to conquer those stairs, I'll tell you about it, and what this park has to offer.

Just beside this entrance to Fort Canning, you'll see my favorite building in Singapore, the MICA building.

MICA Building

I've always called this the ROYGBV  building

MICA stands for the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts. Inside this building, there are a few art galleries, and they also have a small office with the Friendship Lions from Singapore's Friendship campaign. Just in case you think this building is very familiar, it's because you probably see it from the other side, the one facing Clarke Quay. The corner of this street is River Valley Road. If you cross it, you will be standing near the Reverse Bungee in Clarke Quay. If you walk further down the road, you'll see Central Shopping Mall, and even further down, perhaps a 20 min walk, will take you to Chinatown.

Now, back on the Hill Street Highlights tour, you'll need to cross the road and head towards Funan DigitaLife Mall.

Funan DigitaLife Mall

Here you have a choice of cutting through the mall to get to City Hall on the other side, or doing some actual window/ real shopping for computers and electronics. In some of the stores here, bargaining is acceptable, so I think you should canvass, and always ask for the best price.

I just passed through the mall and bought some Each a Cup Milk Tea

You need to exit the mall on the other side to get to North Bridge Road. From here, you will see St Andew's Cathedral. Raffles City and City Hall is just a 5 minute walk.

St. Andrew's Cathedral

This is St. Andrew's Cathedral from the outside

Just walk along St. Andrew's Cathedral on North Bridge Road until you see this.

Raffles City Mall

Raffles City Mall, it's connected to City Hall MRT where you can also access the Citylink Mall

After all the walking in Singapore's humid weather, I'm sure you'll be looking forward to a nice late lunch, or a cold drink here before you have energy to shop again. Happy Shopping. Hope you enjoyed our Hill Street Walking Tour!