Taipa Village is a small and peaceful community with narrow streets, and picturesque markets. Portuguese-style offices, ancient temples and colonial villas blend effortlessly with the area’s old-fashioned street lamps, hanging flower baskets and street vendors. Food Street, which is also known as the Rua da Cunhna, draws many people over to the south of the island, eager to savour the true taste of Macau along with Cantonese and Italian cuisine.

Of course, there are several casinos (ubiquitous to Macau) and the Macau Jockey Club where you can watch races in air-conditioned comfort, but local charm wins out here. You'll also find the ruin of Sao Paulo (St. Paul’s) Church here – a single standing facade with no church behind it; unusual to say the least. The tree-lined esplanade on Avenida de Praia lends a colonial elegance to the area with its wrought-iron public benches overlooking a lake.