Located at the highest point of the Macau peninsula, Guia Fortress offers some of the best panoramic vistas of the city. Perched on top is the small but exquisite Chapel of Our Lady of Guia, built around 1622 by Clarist nuns. Incredibly well-preserved, it retains original features including frescoes and mythological motifs that blend Portuguese and Chinese religious influences. Next to the chapel is the oldest modern lighthouse on the China coast, built in the late 18th century. The 15m-tall structure is usually open to the public on weekends in July.
The entrance to the fortress has an attractive display of old typhoon signals that were hoisted during storms – large metallic physical symbols of the strong-wind numbering system adopted by Macau (and Hong Kong). Inside the fortress is an information gallery on the chapel and the complex. On the other side of the fortress is a tunnel showing old photos and replicas of how things used to look when it was an air-raid shelter.
While you can take a relatively easy 15-minute walk to the top, a cable car also makes the trip from the entrance of Flora Garden, Macau's largest public park. Locals come to Guia Hill for its park and outdoor facilities, including football fields and a playground.
