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The Marriage of East and West in St Anthony’s Parish starts at the legendary façade of St Paul’s Cathedral, passing the old city walls and plunging into a delightful warren of shops and boutiques, to pass St Anthony’s Church, before veering west towards the Protestant Cemetery, the Statue of Dr Sun Yat Sen in Kiang Wu Hospital, and the Fire Services Museum. St Paul’s dates to 1640 and was one of the proudest specimens of Catholic architecture at the time, housing both a church and a college. It was razed by a fire in 1835 but the façade remains a handsome testament to its former glory. |
The trail for the Bygone Days of Taipa Village passes through some quaint old districts. The village - in its heyday, a spot for frenzied feasting by Hongkongers in search of crab and prawn - has modernized but managed to retain a fair bit of flavor with some authentic Portuguese restaurants too, like the matchbox Antonio not far from Pak Tai Temple. Try the barbecued chouriço that arrives flaming to your table, or paella. After a pause at the Museum of Taipa and Coloane History, savour the pickled atmosphere of the powder mint green Taipa Houses – Museum – a row of five carefully preserved Macanese homes with white louvred windows, set along a lovely cobblestone path, and dating back to the soft-focus 1920s. |
The Nostalgia in Coloane walking circuit is a must and you will likely dawdle on the seafront promenade and at the striking yellow Chapel of St Francis Xavier. Spend some time viewing relics in the chapel, St Francis (1506-1552) led the first Jesuit evangelical missions to Asia. This overlooks a characterful square lined by noodle stalls that have gentrified over the years but provide sufficiently comforting country clatter. Finally, the floral Largo do Presidente Antonio Ramhalo Eanes suggests several lazy strolls around this centre point, and your nose may lead you to Lord Stowe’s Bakery. The English Lord Stowe is credited with the delicious egg tarts that are now a staple on Macau menus. Walk on... |
