Attraction type: Portuguese community, Neighborhood

About Portuguese Square Melaka

The Portuguese Square is central to the Portuguese community of Melaka.  The residents there are the modern descendants of past Melakan colonists who settled and blended with the locale community during the last 400 years.  This square is also known as ‘Mini Lisbon’ for its location within this Portuguese settlement.  The square is central to Portuguese culture in Melaka and is also the only one of its kind in Malaysia.  It lies on the Malacca town outskirts, in the district of Ujong Pasir.  It hosts interesting stalls full of souvenirs, great Portuguese restaurants and entertaining dance performances.  The square can be seen as a little patch of land taken directly from Portugal, with the Portugues flare within its restaurants, stalls of food, lively pubs and a museum of small size.  When weekend hits, the square turns on its festive mood when the Portuguese communities put on traditional dances, entertaining visitors and celebrating in their unique style and culture.

Tips for Travelers

The Portugal square is famous for its restaurants, which serve sumptuous seafood dishes like fragrantly spiced baked fish wrapped in banana leaves. Every Saturday evening, the square lights up in a festive mood and performers participate in cultural dances to their heart’s content.

Performances take place in the square where visitors can observe dancers spiral around in their customary costumes to the musical harmony of the orchestra.  Every other night, including Saturdays, you’ll hear bands playing the night away in a scene resemblant to Portuguese style living.  This square truly makes having a drink during the week a very gratifying experience.

The best time to come to the square is probably on weekend nights because, with al fresco dining and live music, the whole area perks up and couples join within the bars, the place seems to transform into old Lisbon.  You bet, this is the best place to go for fun on a weekend night in Melaka!

How should visitors get to Portuguese Square?

The number 17 town bus will bring visitors straight to the square within the Portuguese settlement, roughly 3 km east of Melaka City.  The stop number for this bus is 10.

Alternatively, visitors can also take a taxi which will cost no more than RM 15.

Visiting Hours

It is a community, so you can visit anytime!  However, the best (and previously recommended) time to visit Portuguese Square is during the weekends.