Asia Pacific
GET INTERACTIVE WITH MACAOAT ITB BERLIN
Visitors to ITB Berlin are invited to discover Macao’s East-meets-West character at the Macao booth (Hall 26, Stand 317) and by participating in a questionnaire. Click on the QR code printed above to access the questionnaire, which will also appear across Macao’s outdoor advertising at ITB Berlin. Participants will also have the chance to win a hands-on workshop experience at the booth, offering a closer introduction to Macao’s culture and creativity. They can also discover the Magic of Multi-Stop Adventures of Macao at the China stand (Hall 26, Stand 315).
This coexistence, rather than contrast, is what gives Macao its distinctive sense of place. Living traditions, everyday life But there’s more to Macao’s heritage than its monuments and museums. Chinese festivals, temple rituals, Cantonese opera and traditional crafts continue alongside Catholic processions and civic traditions. In neighbourhoods beyond the main squares, daily life unfolds much as it has for generations, with cafés, markets and family-run businesses forming the social fabric of the city. This sense of continuity gives Macao a rare authenticity. Heritage here is lived rather than staged, enabling visitors to experience culture as part of everyday life rather than as a curated attraction. A city told through flavour Macao’s cultural fusion finds one of its most expressive forms in its food. In 2017, the city was designated a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, recognising a culinary tradition that has emerged through centuries of maritime exchange. Macanese cuisine is often described as one of the world’s earliest fusion cuisines. Developed in home kitchens over generations, it blends Chinese cooking techniques with Portuguese ingredients and influences from Southeast Asia, Africa and beyond Delicious dishes such as minchi, African chicken and spice-inflected seafood, reflect a global history distilled into deeply local flavours. Alongside these sit Portuguese baking traditions, most famously the
MACAO ITINERARY MUSTS
Historic Centre of Macao (UNESCO World Heritage Site) Senado Square, the Ruins of St Paul’s, and St Dominic’s Church. A-Ma Temple One of Macao’s oldest landmarks and a cornerstone of its Chinese spiritual heritage. Taipa Village A blend of historic streets, temples and local eateries that reflect everyday life in Macao. Cotai Area Contemporary resorts and entertainment that showcase the city’s modern identity. Local bakeries and eateries Macanese cuisine and iconic egg tarts (pictured below) offering a taste of cultural fusion.
A city rooted in shared heritage Nowhere is this cultural crossroads more clearly expressed than in the Historic Centre of Macao, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2005, in recognition of its role as a crucial port in East-West trade and cultural dialogue. Rather than a single landmark, the UNESCO designation acknowledges a connected urban landscape of more than 20 sites – churches, temples, squares and civic buildings – that together tell the story of centuries of exchange. At its heart lies Senado Square, a lively civic space paved in wave-patterned Portuguese stonework and framed by pastel-coloured buildings. Nearby, St Dominic’s Church and the dramatic Ruins of St Paul’s stand as testimonies of the city’s European past. Just blocks away, the ancient A-Ma Temple, dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu, anchors Macao firmly in Chinese spiritual tradition. The proximity of these sites enables visitors to move between cultures, often within the same street.
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