Macau was the last Asian territory under European administration. Portugal governed it for over 400 years, until 1999, leaving such a strong imprint that even today you can find signs in Portuguese, squares with pavements typical of Lisbon, and dishes that blend European and Chinese flavors.
During my semester abroad in Taiwan, I had the opportunity to visit both Hong Kong and Macau for a few days. Being relatively close, they are easy destinations to reach from Taiwan, but what I didn't expect was how different they were from the rest of East Asia I had visited up to that point. Although they are now part of China, both maintain a strong identity of their own, built from a unique history of trade, colonization, migration, and encounters between different cultures.
They are places where, within minutes, you can go from a Chinese temple full of incense to a street that seems straight out of Europe. Walking through their streets, you continuously perceive this meeting between different worlds: signs in Chinese characters next to colonial buildings, Eastern traditions that coexist with Western influences, and a history that has left visible traces everywhere.
My first impression of Hong Kong didn't particularly excite me. Skyscrapers everywhere, traffic, frantic pace, and a density of people reminiscent of American cities. As the hours passed, though, I began to understand why this city fascinates so many people.
Hong Kong was ceded to the United Kingdom after the First Opium War in 1842 and remained a British colony until 1997. Even today, this legacy is evident: English is widely spoken, people drive on the left, and many institutions maintain typically British characteristics.
What struck me most was the constant contrast between tradition and modernity. On one hand, crowded markets, small temples hidden among buildings, and neon signs illuminating the streets; on the other, financial districts, shopping centers, and one of the most recognizable skylines in the world.
One of the most beautiful moments was climbing Victoria Peak, the city's most famous viewpoint. From there you can see all of Hong Kong from above, with skyscrapers overlooking the bay and mountains in the background. At sunset the panorama becomes even more suggestive, when the lights begin to come on and the city completely changes its face.
Another interesting place is the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery in Sha Tin. A long staircase immersed in vegetation, lined with thousands of golden Buddha statues, all different from each other, leading to the top where there are various temples and spaces decorated very scenographically.
If Hong Kong seemed to me a fusion of China and the Anglo-Saxon world, Macau gave me the sensation of being in an Asian version of Portugal. The Portuguese arrived here in the 16th century and Macau became one of the main connection points between Europe and Asia.
Walking through the historic center, you encounter pastel-colored colonial buildings, squares paved with typical Portuguese mosaics, Catholic churches, and bilingual signs in Chinese and Portuguese. At times it seems like you're really in Europe, except you turn a corner and find yourself in a typically Chinese market.
The facade of the Ruins of St. Paul is probably the city's most famous symbol, but what I liked most was the overall atmosphere. Macau is more compact, quieter, and less frenetic than Hong Kong.
In Hong Kong we discovered the tradition of dim sum, small dishes served in bamboo baskets that are shared in the center of the table. Among the most famous are har gow, shrimp dumplings, and siu mai, open dumplings with meat and shrimp. Eating dim sum is not simply a meal, but a true social ritual.
In Macau, on the other hand, the absolute protagonist is pastel de nata. Crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, it is probably the dessert that best represents the meeting between the two cultures.
But the real particularity is the so-called Macanese cuisine, considered one of the first fusion cuisines in history. In its dishes, Chinese ingredients, Portuguese techniques, and influences from the ancient trade routes that connected Europe, Africa, and Asia come together.