Beijing is China's capital and was the imperial seat of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Its palaces, central axis and courtyard lanes preserve that heritage. Start with the Forbidden City's art and architecture, the Temple of Heaven's ceremonial grounds and the Summer Palace's lakeside gardens. Set aside another day for the Great Wall, then explore hutongs around Shichahai and the Drum Tower and try Peking duck.
Twenty-one cities,twenty-one kinds of China
Beijing’s imperial axis and hutongs, the walls of Xi’an, the gardens and canals of Jiangnan, Guilin’s karst hills, Chengdu’s teahouses, and the sea breeze of Xiamen and Qingdao.
Every city keeps its own pace. Read why each one is worth the trip and how long to stay, then pick your next stop and add it to your plan.
Shanghai is a major international business city, shaped by a port history that brought Chinese and overseas influences together. Walk the Bund for historic waterfront architecture, then cross to Lujiazui for the skyline. Yu Garden offers classical Jiangnan courtyards and rockeries. Explore the tree-lined Hengshan and Fuxing Road area and shikumen lanes for a more intimate view of the city, with stops for pan-fried buns and soup dumplings.
Xi'an, formerly Chang'an, was an imperial capital and a major starting point of the ancient Silk Road. Begin with the Terracotta Army's Qin-era ranks, the city walls and the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda's Buddhist heritage. Shaanxi History Museum adds context to the region's ancient civilizations, while old-city streets offer noodles and roujiamo. Give the Terracotta Army in Lintong a separate day from the central sights.
Chengdu, Sichuan's capital, brings together Three Kingdoms history, Tang poetry and a lively teahouse tradition. Visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding for conservation, Wuhou Shrine for Shu Han history and Du Fu Thatched Cottage for poetry and gardens. Leave time for tea in People's Park and a Sichuan meal or hotpot: the city's everyday rhythm is as rewarding as its major sights.
Hangzhou, Zhejiang's capital and the former Southern Song capital, is shaped by West Lake, gardens and Longjing tea. Walk the Su and Bai causeways to appreciate the landscape celebrated in Chinese poetry and painting. Lingyin Temple and Feilai Feng offer Buddhist architecture and carvings, while the Longjing area introduces tea gardens and traditions. Allow an unhurried half-day for the lake or a tea village.
Guilin in northeastern Guangxi is known for limestone peaks and rivers that evoke Chinese landscape painting. Prioritize the Li River corridor toward Yangshuo for mountain scenery. Elephant Trunk Hill is the city's classic landmark, while Reed Flute Cave reveals karst formations underground. Around Yangshuo, the Yulong River offers fields and villages at a slower pace; allow travel time between these areas and central Guilin.
Chongqing is a mountain municipality where the Yangtze and Jialing rivers meet. Its Bayu heritage, dockside history and steep streets give it a distinctive character. See the riverside skyline from Nanbin Road, Hongya Cave's stilt-house-style buildings and the hillside lanes of Shancheng Trail. The Three Gorges Museum provides historical context, Ciqikou offers old-town streets, and Chongqing hotpot introduces the city's bold flavors.
Suzhou is a historic Jiangnan city known for Wu culture, silk craftsmanship and scholarly gardens. Prioritize the Humble Administrator's Garden and Lingering Garden to discover how water, rocks and borrowed scenery shape classical Chinese gardens. Tiger Hill adds an ancient pagoda and local history. Walk Pingjiang Road or Shantang Street, listen to pingtan storytelling and try Suzhou-style noodle soup for a glimpse of everyday life.
Guangzhou, Guangdong's capital, is a historic trading port and a center of Lingnan culture, Cantonese opera and dim sum. Start at the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall for intricate brickwork and woodcarving, then explore Shamian and the old city's arcaded streets. The Pearl River waterfront and Canton Tower reveal modern Guangzhou. Reserve a morning for tea and dim sum to experience an enduring part of local life.
Lijiang in northwestern Yunnan offers Naxi heritage and connections to the old Tea Horse Road beneath a mountain backdrop. Explore the old town's waterways and traditional homes, then visit Black Dragon Pool for gardens and mountain views. Give Jade Dragon Snow Mountain a separate day. Dongba writing, Naxi music and a visit to Baisha add cultural depth beyond the busy old-town lanes.
Harbin, Heilongjiang's capital, reflects railway history and Chinese-Russian exchanges in its architecture and food. Central Street and Saint Sophia Cathedral are essential introductions, while the Songhua River and Sun Island offer open scenery. Ice and Snow World is a signature winter experience; summer suits riverside walks. Try Russian-style bread and northeastern Chinese cooking, and check seasonal opening arrangements for ice and snow attractions.
Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, is an important center of Tibetan culture and Buddhism. Prioritize the Potala Palace's architecture and art and Jokhang Temple's religious heritage. A walk around Barkhor reveals the old city, while Norbulingka offers palace gardens. Allow time to adjust to the altitude before planning demanding sightseeing days.
Xiamen is a Fujian port city shaped by southern Fujian culture, overseas Chinese connections and international exchanges. Give Gulangyu time for hillside lanes, historic buildings, sea views and its musical traditions. South Putuo Temple and Hulishan Fort introduce Buddhist culture and coastal defense. Back on the main island, walk along Huandao Road and try shacha noodles and seafood in the older neighborhoods.
Qingdao is a Shandong port city distinguished by red-roofed buildings, bays and brewing traditions. Begin at Zhan Qiao and the old town, explore Badaguan's leafy streets and villas, then visit May Fourth Square for the modern waterfront. Give Mount Lao a separate day for coastal mountain scenery and Taoist heritage. The beer museum offers another perspective through the city's industrial history.
Dunhuang is an oasis city at the western end of Gansu's Hexi Corridor, where Silk Road exchanges produced remarkable Buddhist art. Prioritize the Mogao Caves for murals and painted sculpture spanning many dynasties. Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake reveal the meeting of desert and oasis. Yumen Pass or Yangguan adds frontier history, with separate transport needed for these distant sites.
Zhangjiajie in northwestern Hunan is known for Wulingyuan's quartz-sandstone pillars and the region's Tujia heritage. Prioritize Wulingyuan: Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain and Golden Whip Stream offer contrasting views of peaks and valleys. Tianmen Mountain adds a natural arch, cliffside walkways and mountain panoramas; Huanglong Cave reveals an underground landscape. These are separate scenic areas best planned across different days.
Nanjing, Jiangsu's capital, is known as the ancient capital of six dynasties and is central to modern Chinese history. Start at Nanjing Museum, then visit the Ming Xiaoling and Sun Yat-sen mausoleums for different eras of architecture and memory. The Ming city wall and Xuanwu Lake reward walking, while the Fuzimiao and Qinhuai River area offers evening scenery and local duck dishes.
Huangshan city in southern Anhui is a gateway to Huizhou culture as well as the mountain's granite peaks, pines and cloud seas. Allow ample time for the mountain scenery. Hongcun and Xidi reward close attention to waterways, ancestral halls and traditional homes shaped by merchant culture. Tunxi Old Street adds trading history and Huizhou food; the city, mountain entrances and villages require separate transfers.
Dali lies between the Cangshan Mountains and Erhai Lake in Yunnan, with Bai heritage and memories of the Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms. Start with the old town and Three Pagodas, then explore a manageable stretch of Erhai's shoreline. Xizhou's Bai homes and Zhoucheng's tie-dye traditions add cultural depth. A separate outing to Cangshan brings mountain scenery into the journey.
Sanya, at the southern end of Hainan Island, is known for tropical bays and beach holidays, with opportunities to explore Hainan's local cultures, including Li traditions. Start with Yalong Bay for sand and sea, or Wuzhizhou Island for an island outing. Tianya Haijiao offers coastal landmarks and Nanshan a Buddhist cultural landscape. Choose a main bay as your base, since distances between resort areas are substantial.
Wuhan, Hubei's capital, spans three urban centers where the Yangtze and Han rivers meet. Trading history, Chu culture and modern events have shaped this river city. Visit Yellow Crane Tower for its literary associations and Hubei Provincial Museum for treasures including the Marquis Yi bells. East Lake offers waterside walks; Hankou's waterfront and hot dry noodles introduce the city's everyday breakfast culture.