2 days in Macau

Day by day

1. Day 1: Ruins of St. Paul's and Senado Square

   Ruins of St. Paul's, Senado Square, Monte Fort and Macau Museum and St. Dominic's Church, then Macau Tower in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Ruins of St. Paul's

      Reached by a wide flight of 68 steps, it mixes Christian imagery with Chinese and Japanese motifs, and a small crypt and museum of sacred art sit behind it.

   2. Late morning

      Senado Square

      It is the starting point for walks to St. Dominic's Church and the Ruins of St. Paul's.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Portuguese-style egg tart

      Lord Stow's Bakery in Coloane Village and Margaret's Café e Nata near Senado Square; buy them warm.

   4. Afternoon

      Monte Fort and Macau Museum

      Paul's with cannons on its ramparts. Inside, the Macau Museum covers the city's history, Chinese and Portuguese traditions and daily life, including a recreated street of old shops.

   5. Late afternoon

      St. Dominic's Church

      Its bell tower houses a small museum of sacred art with statues, vestments and liturgical silver.

   6. Evening

      Macau Tower

      Go up at sunset to see both daylight and the city lights in one visit.

2. Day 2: A-Ma Temple and Mandarin's House

   A-Ma Temple, Mandarin's House, Lilau Square and Guia Fortress and Lighthouse, then The Venetian Macao in the evening.

   1. Morning

      A-Ma Temple

      Its pavilions climb a rocky slope among boulders carved with inscriptions and hung with giant incense coils.

   2. Late morning

      Mandarin's House

      Its restored rooms, moon gates and courtyards mix Chinese layout with Western details such as Indian-style ceilings and French windows.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pork chop bun

      Long-established cafés in Taipa Village and local cha chaan teng diners across the peninsula.

   4. Afternoon

      Lilau Square

      Banyan trees shade old houses, and the nearby Moorish Barracks, built in 1874 for Indian soldiers, have arched verandas.

   5. Late afternoon

      Guia Fortress and Lighthouse

      A short cable car climbs from Flora Garden, and jogging trails ring the hill.

   6. Evening

      The Venetian Macao

      Walk through the connected malls of the Venetian, the Parisian and the Londoner to stay out of the heat or rain.

Before you go

• Macau Tower: Bungee jumps and skywalks should be booked in advance, especially at weekends.

If it rains

• Swap in Macao Science Center (Nam Van and the peninsula casinos): Book a planetarium show in advance at weekends, as sessions fill up with families.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 10–11 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.8 hours in December to 13.5 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Walking. The Historic Centre from the A-Ma Temple to the Ruins of St.

More or fewer days

• One day in Macau
• 3 days in Macau

Questions travellers ask