Senate Square (Senado Square)

It’s possible to explore both the neoclassical Leal Senado building and the baroque St. Dominic’s Church, one of Macau’s oldest churches. Most Macau history and walking tours visit Senate Square with a guide to point out top attractions and cover the area’s colonial history. The square is also a popular stop on Macau day trips running regularly from Hong Kong: Macau is just an hour from both Hong Kong and Shenzhen by ferry.

• Senate Square is a must for photographers, Instagrammers, history buffs, and architecture fans.

• The square is lined with shops and traditional chinese restaurants.

• A ceremonial center of Macau for centuries, Senate Square still hosts public events from time to time.

Senate Square is easy to reach on public transport: buses including #3 run from the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal to the Almeida Ribero stop, mere seconds from the square. From the Taipa Ferry Terminal or the airport catch bus #26 to Rua Das Lorchas and walk five minutes.

Senate Square gets an extra dash of color around Chinese New Year, when you can expect firework displays, lion dances, and dragon dances. While the colors may photograph best in the day, the square is also magical when lit up after dark.

Ruled by the Portuguese from the mid-16th century until the Chinese takeover in 1999, Macau’s UNESCO-listed historic center is a magical blend of east and west. Don’t miss the A-Ma Temple, built in 1488 to honor the goddess of the sea; the Ruins of St. Paul, the skeletal facade of a baroque church destroyed by fire in 1835; or the sturdy walls of Monte Fort (Fortaleza do Monte), built by Jesuit priests in the 17th century.