Giant casinos 

Gambling was legalised in Macau in the 1850s and is now what the territory is most famous for. If you’ve been to Vegas then a lot of the brand names will be familiar. The huge buildings dominate the skyline and, despite being long-term fixtures, still look oddly out of place. Macau is also a tax haven, which may explain why every other shop appeared to he selling Rolex watches.

Colonial architecture

Macau was a Portuguese colony from the mid-16th century until 1999 (!). The street names, buildings and town planning made me feel like I was back in Lisbon, if I didn’t look up at the casino-dominated skyline. Bakeries are packed with pasteis de nata (Portuguese egg custard tarts) although these are served alongside Macanese pork chop buns and other not veggie-friendly Cantonese delicacies. The ruins of St Paul’s (built in 1602 and destroyed by fire in 1835) are a highlight of the old town.

Hidden history 

Just behind the ruins of St Paul’s, the Na Tcha Temple is a peaceful little spot, as well as a reminder of pre-colonial Macau.

Tourists posing for photos 

Macau is BUSY. The narrow European-style streets are packed with tourists and street-vendors, being a popular destination for tourists from Hong Kong, China and all over East Asia, Macau isn’t a sleepy little town in any way. You can’t even admire a pretty pink pastel building without a self-appointed former fashion blogger blocking the view of the green door…