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Cities

Food and sights differ city by city. Start here.

Cities listed
28
Full guides
1
Regions
7

First trip to China 初访

Eight cities most first-time visitors choose from

All cities by region

28 cities · 1 full guide so far

East 华东 8

  • Shanghai 上海The Bund skyline, food and shoppingShanghai · Guide
  • Suzhou 苏州Classical gardens and canalsJiangsu
  • Hangzhou 杭州West Lake and Longjing teaZhejiang
  • Nanjing 南京Former capital and Ming city wallJiangsu
  • Wuzhen 乌镇Canal water townZhejiang
  • Huangshan 黄山Granite peaks and sea of cloudsAnhui
  • Xiamen 厦门Gulangyu island and seafoodFujian
  • Qingdao 青岛Beaches and Tsingtao beerShandong

North 华北 4

  • Beijing 北京The Great Wall and Forbidden CityBeijing
  • Tianjin 天津Street food and old concessionsTianjin
  • Pingyao 平遥A walled Ming–Qing townShanxi
  • Datong 大同Yungang GrottoesShanxi

Northeast 东北 1

  • Harbin 哈尔滨Ice and Snow FestivalHeilongjiang

Central 华中 3

  • Zhangjiajie 张家界Sandstone pillar mountainsHunan
  • Wuhan 武汉Yellow Crane Tower and hot dry noodlesHubei
  • Luoyang 洛阳Longmen GrottoesHenan

South 华南 4

  • Guangzhou 广州Cantonese food and dim sumGuangdong
  • Shenzhen 深圳Tech city and electronics marketsGuangdong
  • Guilin and Yangshuo 桂林Li River karst hillsGuangxi
  • Sanya 三亚Tropical beachesHainan

Southwest 西南 5

  • Chengdu 成都Giant pandas and Sichuan foodSichuan
  • Chongqing 重庆Hotpot and a city built on mountainsChongqing
  • Kunming 昆明Mild weather all yearYunnan
  • Dali 大理Old town by Erhai LakeYunnan
  • Lijiang 丽江Naxi old townYunnan

Northwest 西北 3

  • Xi’an 西安Terracotta Army and Muslim Quarter foodShaanxi
  • Dunhuang 敦煌Mogao Caves and desert dunesGansu
  • Zhangye 张掖Rainbow Danxia mountainsGansu

Cities without a full guide yet are listed for orientation. We add guides one city at a time, written or checked by someone who knows the place.

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