Macau is China’s challenge to Las Vegas—a city filled with casinos and an exciting mix of Portuguese and Chinese culture. While most travelers to Macau flock here to gamble, there is plenty to see outside the casinos.
Ruins of St Paul’s Church
Perhaps the most photographed attraction in Macau, St Paul’s ruins are not to be missed. All that remains today is the facade of the cathedral built in 1602, which burned down in 1835 in a fire. The facade is now one of 25 world heritage sights in the city center of Macau. The view from atop the ruins is stellar: you can climb up the back of the churchless facade, and gaze down onto sprawling Macau, with its modern and colonial speckled streets. Next door a section of the old city walls remains, adjacent to the small Na Tcha temple, while a stroll down the church steps lands you on a shopping street filled with Macanese snacks and clothing.
The Cotai Strip and the City of Dreams
In contrast to Macau’s many historic sights, this is the face of new Macau—known as the Cotai strip, a newly developed promenade filled with casino giants, posh accommodations, and designer shopping. At The Venetian you can catch a Cirque du Soleil show, or just wander into the shopping maze that is the Grand Canal Shoppes, an eerie twin of the Las Vegas original.
The City of Dreams is a collection of casinos, hotels, and entertainment, boasting The Bubble Theater with its ocean-themed performances, and several high-end hotel chains. For a relaxed, luxurious retreat, head to the Grand Hyatt Macau, one of the few upscale hotels on the strip without a casino. Here you’ll encounter guest rooms laid out like apartments, every amenity you can imagine, and word-class dining all dressed up with stunning modern design.
A-Ma Temple
Legend has it that long ago a village girl sought passage by boat and was refused by all but one small fishing vessel. During the voyage, a huge storm wiped out every ship except hers. Once ashore, she revealed her identity to be A-Ma, Goddess of seafarers. In gratitude, the surviving fishermen built a temple on the spot where they came ashore. Thus Macau’s oldest Chinese temple was born. The A-Ma temple later inspired the Portuguese to name their city A-Ma-Gao, which means place of A-Ma. Eventually this name evolved into “Macau”.
Today this temple is crowded with incense-toting devotees. Hundreds of pinwheels attached to inscribed prayer cards blow like crazy in the wind. Although the air is dense with incense from hanging coils, it’s still worth the staggered hike along the hillside to visit the various shrines, and take in the traditional Macanese architecture of this historic temple.
Senado Square and the Historic Churches of Macau
Senado Square is the heart of old Macau. Surrounded by pastel neoclassical buildings, this picturesque square hosts public events and celebrations, and is perfect for people watching. Like Macau’s own version of the yellow brick road, the floor of the entire area is decorated with an iconic mosaic pattern which fans out from the main square, leading visitors to nearby world heritage sights. These mosaic patterns have come to visually represent Macanese heritage.
From Senado Square you can easily explore the city center on foot. There are shops selling everything from Macanese specialties to Western designer brands. Restored colonial buildings and European-styled baroque Catholic churches populate the area, a reminder of the Portuguese role in this island’s history. St. Lawrence’s Church, St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church, St. Augustine’s Church, St. Dominic’s Church, and St. Anthony’s Church are all recognized world heritage churches worth a detour.
Portuguese Egg Tarts and Macanese Cuisine
Portuguese egg tarts, traditionally known as pastel de nata, are a Portuguese pastry with a caramelized crème brûlée-like consistency. These delicious Macanese must-try specialties are comprised of custard nested in crispy layers of flaky pastry coated with caramelized sugar. They can be found all over the island.
A unique facet of Macanese cooking is the blending of Asian and Western culinary traditions, resulting in a cuisine found nowhere else in the world. With roots in Portuguese, Indian, and Chinese cooking, favorite must-try Macanese dishes include minchi (minced beef with fried potatoes, onion, and garlic), spicy African chicken grilled or baked with piri piri peppers, baked quail and pigeon, curried crab, and feijoada (a stew of pork, beans, cabbage, and spicy sausage).
Gayle Wheatley - Gayle Wheatley is a professional writer, designer, and artist based in Los Angeles, and the founder of Culture Vixen magazine.
