20 THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN MACAO

The sound of the slots floods the air, the bills quickly become chips and gambling is the main protagonist. Las Vegas? Do not run so much, that this place is well away from the Nevada desert and to check it out, you just have to go outside. There are white and blue tiles, houses that seem to be taken from any street in Porto and the shop windows of the bakeries are full of cream cakes. Portugal? Nor: around you there are temples with incense sticks, red lanterns and slanted eyes. China! Bingo ... although with nuances, we are in Macau, an amazing city. Do you want to know what what to see and do in Macao in one day? Keep reading!

Territorially, Macao is part of China, although administratively it is one of those known as “special regions“, Like Hong Kong. It has autonomy in most areas, both political and economic, but it depends on China in aspects such as military or foreign policy. It is what China calls "one country, two systems."

And it is that Macao was a Portuguese colony for many centuries They landed here in 1556 and stayed until 1999. It was the first and last territory occupied by Europeans in the Far East. So in Macao you can walk along the Rua da Felicidade, stop at the Ramalhão Pastry Shop and taste their delicious cream cakes, or contemplate the ruins of the Igreja de São Paulo. Macao is a piece of Portugal in the most bustling China. A brutal mix, you'll see!

But if there is something more curious than its Portuguese influence, it is the amount of casinos. Macao is known as Las Vegas of Asia, with its more than 40 casinos. Apparently it moves 4 times more money than Las Vegas and that makes it one of the richest destinations in the world (There are some who say he will soon surpass Qatar as the richest at all).

Finally, you have to know that Macao is divided into two parts: the peninsular area, where the historic center and most of the city's attractions are located. And the islands of Taipa and Coloane, to the south, less urbanized and with natural spaces. In the latter is where the international airport is.

1. The visit begins in the A-Má Temple, of Taoist cult, the oldest temple in Macau. If you have already visited more Chinese temples, this is not going to discover anything new ... but it is a very significant place for the inhabitants of the city. He is curious that it is located at the base of a little hill, through which small paths dotted with sanctuaries meander. We arrive walking (1.7km) from the Grand Lisboa casino (from the ferry terminal there are free shuttles that take you to this casino).

2. Take the Rua da Barra, which links the west end of the city with its historic center, and pays attention to two places: Quartel dos Mouros, a building with Islamic reminiscences, and the Largo do Lilau, a square where formerly the largest water reservoir that supplied the city was concentrated. There is a saying that says “he who drinks from the water of Lilau will never forget Macao“, You can continue this tradition by taking a sip of the fountain in the square (small, because it is NOT drinkable!), Or pass from the saying and train the memory to not forget Macao anyway.

3. Make a break to visit the beautiful Mandarim House, UNESCO heritage and one of the most instagram-friendly corners of the city. This thanks especially to the curious moon-gate, a beautiful door round the sea of ​​beautiful! It was the residence of Zheng Guangying, a famous 19th century Chinese writer.

A-Má Temple, Macao

4. The first of the Catholic churches we saw in Macao will be found at the end of this street (Rua da Barra). Is the Igreja de São Lourenço, one of the largest in Macau, with a staircase that looks at the port and where formerly sat to wait with melancholy the wives of the sailors. Today there are buildings that hinder this view, but you can recreate it with some imagination.

5. A few steps from there is another church, the Igreja de Santo Agostinho, and the Don Pedro V Theater, with its green facade and which has the honor of being the first western theater in toooda China. Admission is free.

6. From here the environment changes completely: we arrive at the Rua da Felicidade, one of the places to see in Macau without a doubt, and perhaps, the most picturesque street. This alley represents the vivid image of the old red-light district of the city, with low houses that maintain their old color and quite trajín. Although today there is little left of the “forbidden” fun of before, almost all stores are souvenir shops, coffee shops and restaurants. But what has been said: it is one of the most charming places in Macau. Do not miss it.

7. And after another short while, we will arrive at Largo do Senado, which is the main square and the heart of Macao. There are some of the most emblematic buildings, such as the Senate House, wave Casa da Misericordia, which was the first western hospital in all of Asia and today houses a museum. More info here.

Rua da Felicidade, Macao

8. Right next door you can see the beautiful Church of Santo Domingo, the first Catholic church in China (1587). Inside it hides a treasure: a baroque altar that, they say, is one of the most beautiful in all of Asia. We found the church closed and we could not verify whether it is true or not (although the photos look very good).

9. It shows that we are in the center and above, on a Sunday afternoon, Uff. Result? The Rua of São Paulo, the main street of the historic center of Macao, is like a can of sardines. Of course, more than sardines, dehydrated meat is carried here ... The many tourist shops strategically placed on the street, do not stop offering it (and the Chinese eat it). If you find the street walkable and with few people, we are sure that it is a delight, but in our case it was a total chaos!

10. Step by step and with a lot of patience, we got to the Largo da Companhia de Jesus, a small square from where the symbol of Macao already appears (although we do not do spoiler yet). Here you have to look for the statue of a Portuguese man delivering a flower to a Chinese girl, symbolizing the fraternity between the two peoples.

11. And now yes: raise your eyes and freak out! On top of a beautiful staircase, reminiscent of that of Sacre Couer in Paris or that of Piazza de Spagna in Rome, the ruins of the Igreja de São Paulo, the most iconic image of Macau (beyond the casinos, of course). The facade, with the sky in the background, seemed a real wonder. You are probably wondering what happened to her: a terrible fire in 1835 destroyed her completely, leaving only the elegant facade intact.

Ruins of the Church of San Pablo

12. The Fortress of Monte It was once the main defense point of the city, and today it is a beautiful corner to enjoy good views and some tranquility after the hustle and bustle of before. Here is the Macau Museum, perfect for all those who want to learn more about the history of this peculiar city.

13. Go up to the Guia Hill, the highest point of the city of Macao, and contemplates its curious lighthouse which, as we were told, is the oldest western lighthouse in the entire far east. The views from the top of the promontory are unbeatable!

14. You can't leave Macau without try a cream cake. They say the best are eaten in the Margaret's Coffee and Cream and in the Ramalhão, since 1902. Although the truth is that there is in all Macau patisseries and I challenge anyone to find a bad cream cake XD (They cost between 7 and 10 MAC).

15. And of course, try some Portuguese recipe (better if it is accompanied by a good wine). Some ideas: a slash of amêijoas (clams) or a good bacalhau to bras (cod) never fail! One of the most valued restaurants in Macau is the Antonio Restaurant.

Macau Historic Center

16. You can end the visit of this part of Macao in the mythical Grand Lisboa Casino, with its extravagant (and expensive) architectural design in the form of a lotus flower. It has different rooms with game tables and rooms for guests, see the prices here. There are free buses to various points, such as the port, the border with China, etc ... This shuttles service is offered by practically all the big casinos and hotels.

17. On the island of Taipa there are other casinos important, like The Parisian with a replica of the Eiffel Tower and of Arc de Triomphe, or The Venetian, which is neither more nor less, than the largest casino in the world and yes, will transport you to the very Venice (with gondolas and all hehe).

18. The area of Coloane It is the least tourist and quietest of Macao, where you can get to know the Vila de Coloane, with its white and yellow houses, do the odd trekking route (if you feel like going up to the highest point of Macau, the Alto de Coloane, the good thing is that it is less than 200 meters hehe), or if you prefer, you can relax in your Beaches or fat a few grams with the famous cream cakes of the Lord Stow's Bakery.

19. Nothing better than climbing the Macau Tower To say goodbye to a great day and enjoy the amazing skyline of this peculiar place! The viewpoint is 233 meters high and you can buy your ticket here and skip the lines. And speaking of jumping… do you know that you can throw yourself from the tower in bungy jumping? In fact, currently, it is the highest bungy jumping in the world! That locurote 🙂 Do you feel brave? Book your jump here although we already anticipate that cheap is not :-p

20.If before taking the ferry to return to Hong Kong you have left a little time, go walking to the Fisherman's wharf, an area full of restaurants, shops, good sea views and a curious replica of the Colosseum in Rome!

Casino Grand Lisboa, Macao

Is it worth sleeping in Macau? We didn't do it, but we believe that if you have a few days, it would be a good idea to spend (at least) one night here. The night skyline has to be amazing, as well as the ambient one in the casino area. That said: if you have the opportunity, don't think about it.

Here you have a map with the location of everything to see and do in Macau:

We hope this article with the things to see and do in Macau it helps you to spend a great day 🙂 Personally we had doubts if it was worth visiting this part of the world from Hong Kong, but after knowing it, we only have something to tell you: go!