Trip To The Ruins of St. Paul In Macau

Watch Below Video: My Trip To The Ruins of St. Paul in Macau

Macau is famous for its casino’s neon-bright lights at night but during the day, you may want to explore the other side of Macau, you’d think you were in Europe, not Asia and you may feel the old Portuguese period when you get to the area of Macau’s Senado Square when heading to the Ruins of St. Paul.

The ruins of the 17th century, the St. Paul’s Ruins. A Portuguese church dedicated to Saint Paul the Apostle. The St. Paul’s church was built by the Jesuits in 1640 and it was one of the biggest churches in Asia during that period and was destroyed by a fire in 1835.

St. Paul Ruins is one of the famous landmarks in Macau. The stone facade was the only remains located at the top of a small hill. There are about 68 stone steps leading up to beautiful St. Paul’s Ruin’s Facade.

The ruins were restored by the Macanese government. At the back of this stone facade, you will find a steel staircase that allows tourists to climb up to get a closer look at the stone carvings.

The St. Paul’s ruins were officially listed as part of the Historic Centre of Macau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

There is a museum at the bottom of the ruins. It is called the “Museum of Sacred Art and Crypt”. Admission to the museum is free and it is open from 9 am to 6 pm. There are steps that take you down to this small room with a few religious artifacts.

How To Get To The Ruins of St. Paul’s in Macau

From Ferry Terminal:

Take a free shuttle to Grand Lisboa Hotel. From there, it’s about a 10 minutes walk to Senado Square. Just simply follow the signs that is heading to the Ruins of St. Paul.

Or you can take bus 3X, 3, 4, 6A, 8A, 18A, 19, 26A, 33, or N1A to Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro. When you get off at Avenida De Almeida – this is just a short walk to Senado Square.

From Senado Square to the Ruins of St. Paul:

Senado Square is one of the famous squares in Macau. Immersed with Portuguese influence, its cobblestone streets with a wave-patterned mosaic of colored stones and beautiful old architectures will take you back to the old Portuguese era.

The buildings around Senado Square have a long history and this area is well protected by the government to maintain its beauty. Down below these old buildings, there are small shops selling Macau’s local delicacies, fashion clothing and shoes that makes Senado Square a famous attraction for tourists.

At the end of the paved road, you’ll pass a beautiful yellow church called the St. Dominic Church. Walk to the north of the church and you will arrive at the Ruins of St. Paul.

BOOK BEST HOTEL RATE NOW

During this trip, we stayed at the Macau Roosevelt Hotel. The Macau Roosevelt hotel is a 4-star modernist boutique hotel set differently compared to those extravagant glaring giant hotels in Macau. The Macau Roosevelt hotel is a new luxury lifestyle boutique hotel seated solely near the Jockey Club Horse Racing Course. Click here to watch my video tour about the Macau Roosevelt Hotel.

A trip to Senado Square and the Ruins of St. Paul is a must for any first-time traveler to Macau. Actually, this was my 5th time visiting the Ruins of St. Paul & the Senado Square. They’re the heart of old Macau and I really do love visiting these areas. I must say that… if you visit Macau, your trip won’t be complete without them.

I hope this post helps you to make your stay in Macau a memorable and enjoyable one.

Have Fun!
Jeng Cua
Macau Trip: March 5-6 2019

Click here to learn more about Jeng Cua