Tour Highlights: • A-Ma Temple • Sao Paulo Church • Leal Senado Square • Guia Chapel and Guia Lighthouse • Penha Hill
Tour Duration
9 Hours
Departures
Daily
Meals
One (1) lunch
Guide
English-speaking guide service
Admissions
Entrance fees to scenic spots or show tickets as listed in the itinerary
Pick-up/Drop-off
Available at major hotels
Tour Excludes: • Hotel accommodation. • Flight/train ticket. • Additional meal and drink. • Personal expenses such as laundry, drinks, fax, telephone call, optional activities, etc. • Gratuities to the local guide, driver, hotel bellboy. • Services not mentioned in the itinerary. • Traveler insurance.
Travel by speed jetfoil over the South China Sea to Macau, skirting the Chinese Mainland and passing coastal islands before arriving in Macau. Macau was under Portuguese rule from the mid-16th century until 1999, when it came under Chinese sovereignty. It is the oldest European settlement in the Far East and is famous for gambling and, more recently, Las Vegas-style casinos.
A-Ma Temple Macau's name is derived from A-Ma-Gau or Place of A-Ma and this temple dedicated to the seafarers' goddess dates from the early 16th century. According to legend, A-Ma, a poor girl looking for passage to Canton, was refused by the wealthy junk owners but a lowly fisherman took her on board. A storm blew up and wrecked all but the boat carrying the girl. On arrival in Macau she vanished, to reappear as a goddess, on the spot where the fishermen built her temple.
Sao Paulo Church All that remains of the greatest of Macau's churches is its magnificent stone facade and grand staircase. After restoration work, lasting from 1990 to 1995, the back side of the Ruins of St. Paul's was turned into a museum. The ruins are regarded as the symbol of Macau and now offer visitors a new site where they can view the remains of the former Church of the Mother of God, visit a Crypt where the relics of the Martyrs of Japan and Vietnam rest, and a museum of Sacred Art where there are exhibits of paintings, sculptures and liturgical objects from churches and monasteries in the City.
Leal Senado Square The 3700 square meter, Senado square is paved with a wave-patterned mosaic of coloured stones, created by Portuguese experts. From the main road to the church of St. Dominic, the pavement extends to the ruins of St. Paul's, making the heart of the city a pedestrian paradise.
Guia Chapel & Guia Lighthouse A small chapel was first built in the 17th century as part of the Guia Fortress and the present chapel dates from 1637. The Lighthouse was the first on the China Coast, built by a local born Portuguese, Carlos Vicente da Rocha. On top of the Guia Hill, there are also some underground tunnels, which are commonly known as air raid shelters, extending in all directions.
Penha Hill From Penha Hill, you'll get a bird's eye view of the inner harbor, the city of Macau and across the Pearl River into China.
