Macau is a colorful and creative city, especially when you walk away from the luxurious hotels, fancy shopping malls, and extravagant casinos and instead look toward the city’s historic districts. Make your way to the little streets or hidden allies, and you’ll see old neighborhoods of Macau beautifully mixed with modern art.

Here are the three best areas we recommend for appreciating street art in Macau. Mark them down and enjoy a colorful, creativity-filled, and inspirational walk!

Note: Click the pictures below to view them in full size.

1. Rua do Cunha

This is one of the most bustling streets in Macau’s Taipa Village, a culturally rich destination on the southern portion of Taipa Island. Both locals and tourists like to hang out here for authentic food and artistic scenes.

Rua do Cunha is best known as a food street, as renowned local restaurants, snack stalls, and gift shops are lined up on each side — making it a prime location to grab some street eats and gawk at roadside artistic expression.

2. Coloane Village

Coloane is one of the only neighborhoods in Macau that has maintained most of its old appearance.

It still has the feel of a quaint fishing port and old-fashioned village, with Portuguese-style buildings, pile dwellings, and corrugated steel houses all lined along narrow cobblestone-paved roads.

That being said, street art artists have also breathed new life into the village. If you look closely while checking out the small pathways, you’ll see various styles of murals painted or etched across buildings and walls.

Right next to two beautiful beaches, Cheoc Van and Hac Sa, Coloane is an excellent place to take a quiet walk and watch the sunset over the bay.

3. Praça de Ponte e Horta

Last but certainly not least, if you only have time to check out one area to experience Macau’s unique street art, we believe this is the place!

The district hosted a street art festival back in 2017, with the best local and international graffiti artists decorating the old area with hip, modern, and diverse mural art pieces.

Worthy of note: You may have to get there in the early morning or wait until late evening to see some paintings on the metal doors of shops. And of course, don’t forget to check the back alleyways as many outstanding works are tucked away there, waiting to reward intrepid travelers.

All images courtesy of Keita.C and Jack Hoi