China, city by city.

What to see in each city, which sights to book ahead, when they close and how to get around. Built from our city database, with the date each fact was checked.

Beijing 北京

Beijing is China's imperial capital, where the Forbidden City, the Great Wall and hutong lanes sit beside a fast, modern metropolis. Allow 4–5...

22 sightsBest: September–October (also April–May)

Chengdu 成都

Chengdu is a relaxed, green megacity known for giant pandas, teahouses and fiery Sichuan food. Use the efficient metro to link central sights,...

23 sightsBest: Mar–Apr and Sep–Oct

Chongqing 重庆

Chongqing is a vertical riverfront megacity known for hotpot, night views and steep lanes where the Yangtze and Jialing rivers meet. First-timers...

19 sightsBest: Mar-May and Sep-Nov

Dali 大理

Dali pairs a walkable Bai old town with Cangshan mountain views and the Erhai lake loop, making it an easy first stop in Yunnan. Base in the old...

20 sightsBest: Mar–May, Sep–Nov

Guangzhou 广州

Guangzhou is China's great southern trading city, where 2,000 years of Cantonese food culture meets a modern skyline along the Pearl River....

22 sightsBest: October–December (dry, sunny, 20–28°C); March–April is also pleasant but damp

Guilin & Yangshuo 桂林

Guilin is the gateway to the Li River’s iconic karst scenery, while Yangshuo is the relaxed countryside base for cycling, rafting and river views....

17 sightsBest: Sep–Nov; Apr–May for green scenery (expect rain)

Hangzhou 杭州

Hangzhou is the classical lake city of China — a 2,000-year-old poetic capital wrapped around West Lake (西湖), with tea hills, Buddhist temples and...

23 sightsBest: Late March–May (tea season, flowers, mild) and September–November (crisp, osmanthus in October)

Harbin 哈尔滨

Harbin is China's ice-and-snow capital, a former Russian-influenced railway city where onion-domed churches, cobbled Central Street (中央大街) and the...

18 sightsBest: Dec–Feb for the Ice and Snow World festival (expect −20°C); Jun–Aug and Sep for mild, walkable weather

Huangshan 黄山

Huangshan is the gateway to the granite peaks and sea-of-clouds scenery of Huangshan Scenic Area, plus the whitewashed Huizhou villages of Hongcun...

21 sightsBest: April–May and September–November

Kunming 昆明

Kunming is a mild 'Spring City' with a walkable Green Lake old quarter, excellent rice noodles and easy rail access to the rest of Yunnan. Use it...

23 sightsBest: Mar-May and Sep-Nov

Lijiang 丽江

Lijiang is a UNESCO-listed Naxi old town at about 2,400 m, with cobbled lanes, canals and views of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Use it as a base for...

20 sightsBest: Mar-May and Sep-Nov

Nanjing 南京

Nanjing is a former imperial capital with a compact core of museums, city walls, lakes and the Qinhuai riverfront. Use the metro and allow two to...

18 sightsBest: Apr-May and Sep-Oct

Qingdao 青岛

Qingdao is a breezy seaside city where German-era red-roofed streets, hilltop views and modern skyscrapers sit beside sandy beaches. For a first...

20 sightsBest: Sep–Oct; May–Jun is also good

Sanya 三亚

Sanya is Hainan's tropical beach capital, with calm bays for swimming, big resort strips, rainforest day trips and duty-free shopping....

18 sightsBest: Nov–Apr (dry and warm; avoid Lunar New Year week and the Jun–Oct typhoon/rainy season)

Shanghai 上海

Shanghai is best experienced by neighborhood: start with the Bund and People’s Square, then wander the former French Concession and cross to...

21 sightsBest: Mar-May and Sep-Nov

Shenzhen 深圳

Shenzhen is a fast, modern megacity with Cantonese roots and a young immigrant food scene, best explored around metro hubs in Futian, Nanshan and...

23 sightsBest: Oct-Dec and Mar-Apr; avoid the Jun-Aug heat and typhoon peak.

Suzhou 苏州

Suzhou is a 2,500-year-old canal city whose classical gardens and whitewashed waterside lanes are UNESCO-listed and best seen slowly, on foot and...

23 sightsBest: March–May and September–November

Xiamen 厦门

Xiamen is a breezy island city of colonial-era lanes, Buddhist temples and seafood streets, with car-free Gulangyu a short ferry ride away....

21 sightsBest: Oct–Nov and Mar–Apr

Xi'an 西安

Xi'an is China’s great ancient capital, famous for the Terracotta Army, the Ming city wall and the Muslim Quarter food scene. For a first visit,...

22 sightsBest: Mar–May and Sep–Oct

Zhangjiajie 张家界

Zhangjiajie is the gateway to the sandstone pillars of Wulingyuan/张家界国家森林公园 and the cliff-top views of Tianmen Mountain. Plan 3–4 nights, base in...

22 sightsBest: Apr–May and Sep–Oct