Macau 1-day itinerary

Start at the Ruins of St. Paul's, the iconic stone facade of a 17th-century Jesuit church and Macau's most photographed landmark. Walk through the UNESCO-listed Historic Centre: Senado Square with its Portuguese wave-pattern cobblestones, the pastel Holy House of Mercy, and Leal Senado Building. Grab a free sample of almond cookies and jerky from the shops lining Rua de S. Paulo.

Take bus 11 or 33 to Taipa Village, Macau's charming old quarter with pastel colonial buildings, narrow cobbled streets, and the best food scene on the peninsula. Lord Stow's Bakery here serves Macau's famous Portuguese egg tarts (MOP$11 each) with flaky pastry and caramelised custard. Walk the Taipa Houses Museum (free), five mint-green colonial mansions showing traditional Macanese life.

Walk the Cotai Strip, Macau's answer to Las Vegas, with the Venetian (free gondola-lined canal inside), City of Dreams, and the Parisian with its half-scale Eiffel Tower. All casinos are free to enter and explore. Watch the free water shows at Wynn Palace or the Dancing Water show (from MOP$580). Dinner at a casino food court is surprisingly affordable at MOP$50–80.