How to See the Best of Macau in One Day: World Heritage & Must-See Spots①

Macau

Check Point

・Course that visits 30 World Heritage sites

・Stylish Portuguese town

・Many Chinese power spots appear

【City description】

Macau is a special administrative region of China in the south. As it was once an overseas territory of Portugal, the city has a mixture of Chinese and Portuguese streetscapes. The central Macau Peninsula is home to 22 historical buildings and 8 squares registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and as they are all concentrated in one day, it is also known as the Las Vegas of the East due to the large number of casinos and luxury hotels. This page introduces half of a model itinerary (from Guia Fort to Senado Square) for touring the 30 World Heritage Sites in one day.

Please see here for a sample itinerary for the remaining half.

【Overall rating】

　★★★★★

【Time required】

【Budget】

　0 MOP

【Fatigue】

　★★★★★

Itinerary Map

Overall Route

Route of this page

Navigation

【Start】

★Route Time required: 15 minutes
First, head to Guia Fortress by taxi or bus. If you take the bus, get off at Calçada Da Vitória (Victory Slope), turn left at the intersection at the top of the hill, and follow the road up the hill. Or get off at Jardim Flora Park and there is a cable car that will take you up the hill (2 MOP one way, 8 am – 6 pm, closed on Mondays).

①Guia Fortress and Lighthouse

★Route Time required: 10 minutes
Go down the hill and continue straight towards the bus stop Calçada Da Vitória (得勝斜路), and you will see the cemetery on your right.

②St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery

★Route Time required: a few minutes
After leaving the cemetery, turn left and head back the way you came, then turn right at the first intersection and you will see the church on your right hand side.

③St. Lazarus’ Church

★Route Time required: 15 minutes
Continue along the street and turn right at the next intersection, then turn right again to return to the street in front of the cemetery. This area has a strong Portuguese atmosphere. Turn left at the street in front of the cemetery and continue on until you come to a roundabout. At the fork in the road in front of you, go downhill to the right and after you pass McDonald’s you will see a square on your right so go inside.

④Camoes Garden

★Enter the cemetery through the small entrance on the right corner of the square.

⑤Old Protestant Cemetery

★Leave the cemetery and go through the white and pink gate on your right.

⑥Casa Garden

★Route Time required: a few minutes
Leave the square, turn right and follow the road until you reach a roundabout. Look back and you will see the church.

⑦St Anthony’s Church

★Route Time required: 10 minutes
If you follow the road around the roundabout in front of the church, you will see a square on your left.

⑧Jesus Square

★Climb the stairs in the square toward the church wall.

⑨Ruins of Saint Paul’s

★Route Time required: a few minutes
To the left and rear of the Ruins of St. Paul’s you will find a Chinese temple.

⑩Na Tcha Temple

⑪Walls of Macau

★Route Time required: 5 minutes
Go up the hill next to the ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral. There is an escalator at the rear right of the ruins (closed on Mondays).

⑫Monte Fort

★Route Time required: 10 minutes
Leave Jesuit Memorial Square and follow the road. Go straight at the wide fork in the road with patterned cobblestones, turn into a narrow alley and your next destination will be on your left.

⑬Lou Kau Mansion

★Route Time required: a few minutes Once you leave the building, turn left and continue along the street until you reach the square.

⑭Cathedral Square

★Enter the white church in the square.

⑮Cathedral

★Route Time required: a few minutes
Return the way you came and take a left at the fork in the road to reach the square.

⑯St. Dominic’s Square

★Go to the yellow church in the square.

⑰St. Dominic’s Church

★Route Time required: a few minutes
Leave the church and follow the road ahead to the right to reach the square.

⑱Senado Square

How to use Google Map

・Click the square mark on the top left of the map to see a list of tourist spots.

・If you open the enlarge button on the top right corner on your smartphone, this model course will be displayed on Google Maps along with its location information.

・You can also quickly return to this map from the table of contents in the sidebar (if using a smartphone, select “Go to table of contents” from the menu at the bottom of the screen).

【Start】

★Route Time required: 15 minutes

First, head to Guia Fortress by taxi or bus. If you take the bus, get off at Calçada Da Vitória (Victory Slope), turn left at the intersection at the top of the hill, and follow the road up the hill. Or get off at Jardim Flora Park and there is a cable car that will take you up the hill (2 MOP one way, 8 am – 6 pm, closed on Mondays).

World Heritage sites are marked with ☆.

①Guia Fortress and Lighthouse☆

東望洋炮台東望洋燈塔

Time required: 15 min

Admission fee: 0 MOP

Opening hour: 9 am – 6 pm

Closed: No

It was a military fortress built on the highest hill in Macau, 92m above sea level. On top of the hill there is a church built by Clarist nuns who lived on the hill in the 17th century and a lighthouse built in the 19th century. The frescoes in the church reflect Macau’s culture, which deals with the two themes of East and West.

The lighthouse is the oldest in China and there is a legend of the Virgin Mary that a Portuguese man who was shipwrecked saw a light from this hill and safely found his way back. It is not generally possible to enter the lighthouse, but it will be open to the public on May 20th.

★Route Time required: 10 minutes

Go down the hill and continue straight towards the bus stop Calçada Da Vitória (得勝斜路), and you will see the cemetery on your right.

②St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery

聖彌額爾小堂

Time required: 10 min

Admission fee: 0 MOP

Opening hour: 8 am – 6 pm

Closed: No

This church is located in a cemetery made for Catholics. It was originally a graveyard for Portuguese people, but now Macau residents are buried there. The church has a cute pastel-colored exterior that gives off a southern European vibe, and is relatively new, having been built in the 19th century. The inside is small, and there is a statue of St. Michael trampling the devil on the altar. You can also go up to the second floor.

★Route Time required: a few minutes

After leaving the cemetery, turn left and head back the way you came, then turn right at the first intersection and you will see the church on your right hand side.

③St. Lazarus’ Church

望德聖母堂

Time required: 15 min

Admission fee: 0 MOP

Opening hour: 8h30 am – 12 pm / 3 pm – 6 pm

Closed: No

It was a church for a leper facility built in the 16th century. It is one of the three great ancient churches in Macau, including St. Anthony’s Church and St. Lawrence Church, which I will visit later, and is built in the Baroque style. There is a pipe organ at the altar inside.

★Route Time required: 15 minutes

Continue along the street and turn right at the next intersection, then turn right again to return to the street in front of the cemetery. This area has a strong Portuguese atmosphere. Turn left at the street in front of the cemetery and continue on until you come to a roundabout. At the fork in the road in front of you, go downhill to the right and after you pass McDonald’s you will see a square on your right so go inside.

④Camoes Garden☆

白鴿巣賈梅士花園

Time required: 5 min

The square is named after the Portuguese poet Camões and has a bronze statue of him.

★Enter the cemetery through the small entrance on the right corner of the square.

⑤Old Protestant Cemetery☆

基督教墳場

Time required: 10 min

Admission fee: 0 MOP

Opening hour: 8h30 am – 5h30 pm

Closed: No

This is the cemetery where the first Protestant community in Macau was located. It was originally a cemetery for the British East India Company, but it took on its current form when Robert Morrison, the first missionary to China, asked the government for a cemetery after his wife died in Macau. About 150 people are buried here, and there is a chapel named after Morrison.

★Leave the cemetery and go through the white and pink gate on your right.

⑥Casa Garden☆

東方基金會會址

Time required: 15 min

Admission fee: 0 MOP

Opening hour: 10 am – 7 pm

Closed: Monday

This colonial-style building was built in the 18th century and was originally the mansion of Manuel Pereira, a wealthy merchant who was also known as the father of Portuguese insurance. It was once the headquarters of the East India Company, but is now the office of the Oriental Foundation and is used for exhibitions and other events.

★Route Time required: a few minutes

Leave the square, turn right and follow the road until you reach a roundabout. Look back and you will see the church.

⑦St Anthony’s Church☆

聖安多尼堂

Time required: 10 min

Admission fee: 0 MOP

Opening hour: 9 am – 6 pm

Closed: No

This church is one of the three ancient churches in Macau and was the first base of the Society of Jesus. It is also called the Flower King Church because Portuguese people held weddings here. It was originally made of bamboo and wood, but was rebuilt several times and took on its current form in the 20th century. The front facade is in neoclassical style and the interior is in baroque style. In front of the church there is a stone cross with the date 1638 written on it.

★Route Time required: 10 minutes

If you follow the road around the roundabout in front of the church, you will see a square on your left.

⑧Jesus Square☆

耶穌會紀念廣場

Time required: 5 min

This square is located in front of the popular tourist spot, Ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral, and there are 66 steps leading up to the ruins. There is a bronze statue in the square that represents friendship with Portugal.

bronze statue in the square that represents friendship with Portugal

★Climb the stairs in the square toward the church wall.

⑨Ruins of Saint Paul’s☆

大三巴牌坊

Time required: 10 min

This is a famous tourist spot in Macau. Only the front wall of the church remains, but it refers to the general name of the Church of Our Lady and the ruins of St. Paul’s College next door. Originally, the chapel of St. Anthony’s Church, built in the 16th century, stood here, but it was destroyed by fire and the Church of Our Lady was rebuilt over 30 years in the 17th century. Japanese Christians also participated in the construction, and if you look closely, you can see that chrysanthemums, a symbol of Japan, are carved into the church. Later, in the 19th century, a fire destroyed the church, leaving only the front wall, and it took on its current shape.

The wall, which is 23 meters wide and 25.5 meters high, is divided into five levels, and is carved with statues of Mary, four Jesuit saints, a sailing ship, and the seven-headed monster. You can also climb up by going around to the back.

★Route Time required: a few minutes

To the left and rear of the Ruins of St. Paul’s you will find a Chinese temple.

⑩Na Tcha Temple☆

大三巴哪吒廟

Time required: 10 min

Admission fee: 0 MOP

Opening hour: 8 am – 5 pm

Closed: No

This temple was built in the late 19th century to enshrine Natcha, the god of martial arts who also appeared in Journey to the West. It adopts traditional Chinese architectural styles, and the roof is decorated with lotus flowers because Natcha is often depicted with lotus flowers.

⑪Walls of Macau☆

舊城牆遺址

Time required: 5 min

These defensive walls were built by the Portuguese to protect their residential areas, and were repeatedly built and destroyed due to opposition from Chinese officials, but in the 17th century, such walls were built over a wide area to protect against the Dutch. They were built using a Macanese technique called Shunambo, which involves pouring a mixture of soil, sand, straw, and oyster shells into a wooden frame.

★Route Time required: 5 minutes

Go up the hill next to the ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral. There is an escalator at the rear right of the ruins (closed on Mondays).

⑫Monte Fort☆

大炮台

Time required: 20 min

Admission fee: 0 MOP

Opening hour: 7 am – 7 pm

Closed: No

This is Macau’s strongest fortress, built in the 17th century. The fortress, which took about 10 years to build, contained military facilities such as a powder magazine, an arsenal, and barracks. It offers a panoramic view of the city and has 22 cannons, but is not facing China, signifying its lack of will to fight. There is also a museum on the premises where you can learn about Macau’s history and life, so if you’re interested, I recommend visiting it.

Macao Museum（澳門博物館）
Time required: 1h
Admission fee: 15 MOP
Opening hour: 10 am – 6 pm
Closed: Monday

★Route Time required: 10 minutes

Leave Jesuit Memorial Square and follow the road. Go straight at the wide fork in the road with patterned cobblestones, turn into a narrow alley and your next destination will be on your left.

⑬Lou Kau Mansion☆

盧家大屋

Time required: 20 min

Admission fee: 0 MOP

Opening hour: 10 am – 6 pm

Closed: Monday (open on public holidays)

This is the mansion of Chinese merchant Lu Huazhao. It is a two-story building made of gray brick with a courtyard, and is a traditional Chinese structure that incorporates the characteristics of Guangdong Province, but also Western elements such as stained glass.

★Route Time required: a few minutes

Once you leave the building, turn left and continue along the street until you reach the square.

⑭Cathedral Square☆

大堂前地

Time required: 5 min

In the square in front of the cathedral, there is a fountain decorated with a cross and a seahorse.

★Enter the white church in the square.

⑮Cathedral☆

大堂

Time required: 15 min

Admission fee: 0 MOP

Opening hour: 7h30 am – 8 pm

Closed: No

This church was built in the 19th century and was the base of operations for the bishopric of the Asian region. It was customary for the Governor of Macau to receive a blessing here upon his appointment. It was built with bricks made from soil and straw called Taipa, but took on its current form in the 20th century.

The exterior is made of plaster made in Shanghai, and the two symmetrical bell towers on the grey walls are distinctive. At the entrance, it is inscribed in Latin, “This church is dedicated to the Birth of the Virgin Mary.”

★Route Time required: a few minutes

Return the way you came and take a left at the fork in the road to reach the square.

⑯St. Dominic’s Square☆

板樟堂前地

Time required: 5 min

The square in front of the church is characterized by its black and white wavy cobblestones (Calzadas).

★Go to the yellow church in the square.

⑰St. Dominic’s Church☆

玫瑰聖母堂（板樟堂）

Time required: 45 min

Admission fee: 0 MOP

Opening hour: 10 am – 6 pm

Closed: No

It was built in the 19th century by three Spanish Dominican friars who came from Mexico. It was originally made of wooden boards, so it was called the Plank Mausoleum, and it was also called the Church of the Roses because it was dedicated to Our Lady of the Roses. The pilgrimage to Our Lady of Fatima is held on May 13th, and many statues of saints are enshrined inside the church. In the 19th century, the first Portuguese-language newspaper in China was published here. From inside the church, you can visit the Treasure Museum of Religion, which has about 300 religious exhibits.

★Route Time required: a few minutes

Leave the church and follow the road ahead to the right to reach the square.

⑱Senado Square☆

議事亭前地

Time required: 10 min

It is one of the most popular tourist spots in Macau. The name comes from the fact that the city hall, which we will visit later, was called Real Senado (Royal Parliament). It is surrounded by pastel-colored buildings and features wave-patterned cobblestones. In the center is a globe that represents Portugal’s Age of Discovery.

The remaining half of the journey from Senado Square to A-Ma Temple is here!!

Useful Links for Travel

【Hotel Reservations】

Expedia

There is a lot of great hotel deals listed, and you can read comments from people from all over the world. You can also book these together with your flight.

Hotels.com

There is also a lot of hotel information here. Another great thing is that many of them offer no cancellation fees.

Booking.com

This world-famous hotel booking site has a huge number of listings, so you can find the hotel you like. If you become a member and stay many times, you can get discounts and get even better deals.

【Flight Reservations】

Expedia

It is a world-famous travel site. It is convenient because you can also purchase domestic air tickets.

【Attractions and Tours】

klook

This is a convenient site where you can book tickets and tours to tourist spots around the world. Be sure to check it out as they sometimes offer discounts.

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