One street-side food stall sells freshly made almond cakes. Bruno Maestrini / China Daily

An international airport perches on the northeastern tip of Taipa, and there is easy ferry access from Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Nansha (near Guangzhou). If you end a Hong Kong visit with a day trip to Macao, you can go straight to the Hong Kong airport if you're organized and pack light.

Strolling from the St. Paul ruin on our way to lunch, we enjoyed the shopping district that runs along two charming streets in the old city: Rua dos Ervanarious and Rua de Nossa Senhora do Amparo.

Other nearby lanes overflowed with distinctive street food. Be warned: By the time you get to the bottom of the hill, you may have little appetite for a sit-down meal.

Irresistible snacks include silky Chinese milk pudding, savory or candy-sweet strips of cured meat, pork-chop buns stuffed with a juicy slab of deep-fried meat, and pot-stickers fried with a crispy bottom and fluffy top. These goodies may be served piping hot in paper or plastic bags, so handle with care.

Macao's most famous morsel, of course, is the Portuguese egg tart.

These are popular at bakeries all over China, but buying one that's freshly made and warm from the oven is a whole new experience, with its buttery, flaky pastry and a sweet custard filling with the silkiness of creme brulee. It's hard to stop with just one. We found equally tasty versions right on the street and at Lord Stow's shops.

Several museums are worth a look, depending on your time and route.