Macau
A-Ma Temple was probably already standing when the Portuguese arrived, although the present structure may date from the 16th century. It was here that fisherfolk once came to replenish supplies and pray for fair weather. A-Ma (aka Tin Hau and Mazu) is a sea goddess from whom the name Macau is derived. It's believed that when the Portuguese asked the locals the name of the place, they were told ‘A-Ma Gau’ (A-Ma Bay).
In modern Cantonese, ‘Macau’ (pronounced 'Ou Mun') means ‘gateway of the bay’.
24.62 MILES
Po Lin is a huge Buddhist monastery and temple complex that was built in 1924. Today it seems more of a tourist honeypot than a religious retreat,…
Ruins of the Church of St Paul
0.99 MILES
The most treasured icon in Macau, the towering facade and stairway are all that remain of this early-17th-century Jesuit church. With its statues, portals…
0.53 MILES
St Joseph’s, which falls outside the tourist circuit, is Macau’s most beautiful model of tropicalised baroque architecture. Consecrated in 1758 as part of…
2.78 MILES
The historical part of Taipa is best preserved in this village in the south of the district. An intricate warren of alleys holds traditional Chinese shops…
21.69 MILES
On weekends, droves of visitors trek to the far-flung west coast of Lantau to see a fascinating way of life. Here in Tai O, historical home to the Tanka…
1.38 MILES
As the highest point on the peninsula, Guia Fortress affords panoramic views of the city. At the top is the small but stunning Chapel of Our Lady of Guia,…
0.6 MILES
This charming building, founded in the 19th century, was the country retreat of the late tycoon Robert Ho Tung, who purchased it in 1918. The colonial…
21.77 MILES
Tai O's remaining stilt houses stand over the waterway, scrunched up against each other for support. Some have ladders descending to boats, the vehicle of…
0.05 MILES
Located a stone's throw from A-Ma Temple and Moorish Barracks is the Maritime Museum. The highlights here are the interactive displays detailing the…
0.12 MILES
These former barracks (c 1874) were designed by an Italian in a neoclassical style inspired by Moorish architecture to accommodate Muslim Indian policemen…
0.17 MILES
A small painting studio that sometimes doubles as an art gallery for paintings and photographic works relevant to Macau. Check their Facebook page to make…
0.22 MILES
Towering above the colonial villas of Avenida da República is Penha Hill, the most tranquil and least-visited area of the peninsula. From here you’ll get…
5. Chapel of Our Lady of Penha
0.25 MILES
This graceful chapel atop Penha Hill was raised as a place of pilgrimage for Portuguese sailors in the 17th century, purportedly by survivors of a ship…
0.26 MILES
Banyan-lined Avenida da República, along the northwest shore of Sai Van Lake, is Macau's oldest Portuguese quarter. There are several grand colonial…
0.29 MILES
Built around 1869, the Mandarin’s House, with over 60 rooms, was the ancestral home of Zheng Guanying, an influential author-merchant whose readers…
8. Residence of the Portuguese Consul-General
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The magnificent residence sits on the edge of Penha Hill. Formerly the legendary Hotel Bela Vista (1870), it has a magnificent neoclassical design and…