Take a tour of Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro Walking Tour or San Ma Lo (40 minutes)
The official name is Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro but residents use the Chinese name San Ma Lo (New Street) for the narrow thoroughfare that stretches from the Avenida da Praia Grande to the Inner Harbour. In less than a mile the street offers a capsule commentary on Macanese life.
At the beginning, note the mosaic-picture paving, potted plants and street
lights in old lamplight style. On your left is the new Bank
of China branch…on
your right the Banco Nacional Ultramarino (established 1902, Portugal’s
national overseas bank, with the original facade incorporated into a modern
skyscraper)…
Adjoining is a block of typical China Coast shop houses (with
ochre facades, stucco ornamentation and deep wrought-iron balconies), where
people live on upper floors, above shops and offices…
From here a steep stone staircase leads up to the Cathedral, matched on your
left by the steep Rua Central…Next on the left are shops, including the
modern Central Plaza mall and venerable Wing Tai, a leading antiques store…
On your right is the Central Post Office (with a philately section of Macau’s
special editions)…where the clock tower has a carillon that plays different
melodies at certain hours…
Now you’ve reached the main square, Largo do
Senado, with its Portuguese
pavement of wave-patterned stones and globular fountain…
Cross the road to
look in the imposing neo-classical building, formerly the Leal
Senado (containing
an art gallery, courtyard garden and library)…
Go back to the square to admire the baroque facade of the Santa
Casa da Misericórdia (established 1568, the oldest European
charity on China), browse the side-street shopping stalls and visit St.
Dominic’s Church (built by Dominican friars in the 1590s, now beautifully
restored, with a Museum of Sacred Art)…
If you feel like having some refreshment, try the open-air cafe in the square
or Portuguese restaurants in Rua de S. Domingos…
Continue along San Ma Lo, where both sides of the street are lined with pharmacies,
jewellery shops (24-carat gold is bargain priced here), banks, traditional Chinese pawnshops (designed like fortresses!) and clothing stores…
On your
right is the budget Hotel Central (opened in 1928 and once the gambling hub
of Macau) and Rua dos Mercadores (which leads to Tercena and Camões
Garden)…
As you proceed, look up at the art deco facades on the left side of the street…Cross
the street to take Travessa do Mastro…
Ahead is Fat Siu Lau (opened in 1903, the oldest restaurant in town is famous
for its roast pigeon)…
Turn left onto Rua da Felicidade (the former red-light district now restored
to its turn-of-the-century appearance with carved red lacquer facades and
sun blinds)…
This area is always bustling with shoppers, diners and strollers…
Retrace your steps and follow Felicidade to the Inner
Harbour waterfront…passing
shops famous for their dried, salted fish, Macanese
cookies and squares of
beef and pork cooked on open braziers…
Turn back onto San Ma Lo and take the right hand side of the street, to pass curio shops, the neighbourhood shops selling bargain-priced name-brand clothing.
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