With colorful colonial architecture standing over bold, swirling pavement, Senate Square (Senado Square or Largo do Senado) is the beating heart of Macau’s UNESCO-listed historic center. Highlights include the 18th-century Leal Senado (Municipal Council), once the seat of the Portuguese government, and St. Dominic’s Church.
Spanning 11.8 million square feet (1.1 million square meters), the Galaxy Macau is a massive resort on the Cotai Strip. Featuring six luxury hotels, over 120 restaurants and bars, more than 200 shops, and options ranging from gaming machines and tables to laser shows to wave pools and waterparks, there’s plenty to keep you entertained.
Plenty of cities have Ferris wheels, but Macau has one shaped like a figure eight, towering 425 feet (130 meters) above the Cotai Strip. Built into the facade of the Studio City entertainment complex, the Golden Reel offers some of the most beautiful views over Macau and the South China Sea.
Historically, Macau was home to two small islands that sat just offshore of the mainland: Coloane and Taipa. Following recent land-reclamation efforts, however, a third island, Cotai, has filled in the gap. Each of the three areas, now merged into one island, retains its own identity, offering distinct experiences for travelers.
Macau isn’t the most family-friendly destination, but Kids’ City inside the City of Dreams is designed for young visitors. This 17,000-square-foot (1,579-square-meter) indoor play park features slides, rope bridges, inflatable bounce castles, and ball pits, as well as crafting stations, a dress-up area, and an arcade.
Macau’s only Suzhou-style Chinese garden, Lou Lim Ieoc Garden, often attracts locals who come to practice tai chi or play music in what was once the largest private garden in the city. Today the space is a 4.4-acre (1.8-hectare) public park, featuring traditional elements like ponds, bridges, rockeries, pavilions, and pagodas.
A 32,000-square-foot (2,973-square-meter) indoor children’s amusement area, Warner Bros. Fun Zone at Studio City Macau is located inside the Studio City casino-and-resort complex. Attractions include a climbing wall, a shooting ride, a raceway, and an arcade center. The Tom & Jerry Picnic Playground caters to toddlers.
Situated on a forested hillside in the old part of town, Luis de Camões Garden and Grotto is a welcome oasis of calm in one of the most densely populated places in the world. Dedicated to the Portuguese poet and naval veteran Luis de Camões, this is the largest park in the city of Macau.
One of the three ancient temples of Macau, Kun Iam Temple was founded during the 13th century, although the present structures were built in 1627. Dedicated to Kun Iam, the Chinese representation of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Mercy, this Buddhist temple is one of the largest and most important in Macau.
