You can see quite a lot in a short time by walking along Hollywood Rd. It runs between Central and Sheung Wan and the highlights range from colonial history to antiques, street art and traditional temples.
i) TAI KWUN CENTRE - This is a good starting point. A newly restored complex of colonial buildings, it includes free historical exhibitions inside the old magistracy and Victoria Gaol, the JC gallery, several shops, restaurants and bars. From here, if you head past the Mid-Levels escalator, it’s about a 10 min walk to the Man Mo Temple.
ii) ANTIQUES - once famous as a centre of antiques, I’m not sure if Hollywood Rd can still make that claim. However there are still a large number of galleries and antique shops, selling anything from high-end antique furniture to Mao memorabilia.
iii) STREET ART - I particularly like the colourful street art. Organisations like HKWalls have attracted international and local artists, who have used the city walls as an open-air canvas. Most instagrammable, is the popular Graham St mural on the side wall of the G.O.D. shop.
iv) MAN MO TEMPLE - Built in 1842, this is one of HK’s oldest temples and is free to enter. If you’re only seeing one temple, then this is a good one to choose. It’s large and colourful, with a haze of smoky incense and giant spiralling incense coils hanging from the ceiling.
v) CAT ST - A slight detour across the road, will take you away from Hollywood Rd down to Cat St market, an open-air antiques and bric-a-brac market lane. You’ll find trinkets and treasures ranging from Mao statues to movie posters, jade, old watches and mah jong sets. I like to look out for the blue and white ginger jars that you can often find here at reasonable prices.