Beyond the casinos: Where to find the sights and sounds of old Macau

The past decade has transformed Macau from sleepy backwater into the gambling capital of the world, with an accompanying onslaught of tourist-trap kitsch. But there is a real city beyond the baize and slot machines, one with a 450-year history that has created one of the most fascinating and densely layered places in the world. "You can walk everywhere if you don't mind sweating a bit," says Joao O, a Portuguese-born architect who has lived in Macau since he was an infant. With walking comes discovery: in Macau, there's a surprise with every turn of the city's streets.

"It was very different when the Portuguese were here," says Macau-born photographer James Chu. The casino boom has brought money and crowds to the former Portuguese colony, but before the handover in 1999, the atmosphere was more relaxed.

"The Portuguese liked to stop work at 4pm, get themselves a coffee, and talk and talk," continues Chu.

That lifestyle lives on at Pastelaria Caravela (Patio do Comandante Mata e Oliveira, 7, tel: +853 2871 2080), a back-alley cafe that serves as a gathering spot for the local Portuguese community.

Start the day the Portuguese way with a bica (a long shot of espresso) or a galao (similar to a cappuccino) and raid the pastry cabinet, which includes some typically Portuguese treats such as pasteis de nata.