Cities in China
40 Chinese cities for foreign visitors, with how many days to spend and the best time to go.
Best for a first trip
4–5 daysBeijing北京Forbidden City, the Great Wall and hutong life in China's capital.
3–4 daysShanghai上海The Bund skyline, old lanes and easy day trips to canal towns.
2–3 daysXi'an西安The Terracotta Army, a city wall you can cycle and the Muslim Quarter food street.
3–4 daysChengdu成都Giant pandas, Sichuan hot pot and slow afternoons in teahouses.
3–4 daysGuilin桂林Karst peaks along the Li River and cycling around Yangshuo.Second stop or second trip
2 daysHangzhou杭州West Lake, Longjing tea villages and a quick train from Shanghai.
1–2 daysSuzhou苏州Classical gardens and canals, about 25 minutes from Shanghai by train.
2–3 daysChongqing重庆A vertical mountain city with neon nights and fiery hot pot.
2–3 daysZhangjiajie张家界The sandstone pillars of Wulingyuan, the landscape that inspired Avatar.
1–2 daysKunming昆明Mild weather all year and the gateway to Yunnan.
2–3 daysLijiang丽江A canal-lined old town under Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
2–3 daysDali大理Erhai Lake, Bai villages and a laid-back old town.
2 daysGuangzhou广州Dim sum breakfasts, Cantonese food and Lingnan old streets.
1–2 daysShenzhen深圳China's tech city, with land crossings to Hong Kong.
2 daysHuangshan黄山Granite peaks above the clouds, with Huizhou villages nearby.
2 daysNanjing南京A former capital with Ming city walls and the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum.
1 dayTianjin天津Old concession-era streets, about 30 minutes from Beijing by train.
2 daysQingdao青岛A seaside old town, German-era architecture and Tsingtao beer.
2 daysXiamen厦门Car-free Gulangyu island and Minnan street food.
1–2 daysWuhan武汉Yellow Crane Tower, the Yangtze and hot dry noodles.
1–2 daysChangsha长沙Spicy Hunan food, night markets and the gateway to Zhangjiajie.
1–2 daysLuoyang洛阳The Longmen Grottoes, with Shaolin Temple within reach.
1–2 daysPingyao平遥One of China's best-preserved Ming and Qing walled towns.
1–2 daysDatong大同The Yungang Grottoes and the Hanging Temple on a cliff face.
2–3 daysHarbin哈尔滨Russian-influenced streets and the winter Ice and Snow World.
2–3 daysShenyang沈阳The Manchu emperors’ first palace and tombs, and Korean barbecue in Xita.
2–3 daysDalian大连A breezy seaside city with Russian- and Japanese-era streets, coastal drives and Lüshun’s war history.
1–2 daysChengde承德The Qing emperors’ summer retreat, ringed by Tibetan-style temples.
3–5 daysSanya三亚Tropical beaches on Hainan island.
2–3 daysGuiyang贵阳Gateway to Huangguoshu Waterfall, Miao villages and the karst hills of Guizhou.Off the beaten path
2–3 daysHohhot呼和浩特Mongolian monasteries, a superb regional museum and the grasslands on the doorstep.
2–4 daysYanji延吉Korean-Chinese food and culture, and the gateway to Changbai Mountain’s crater lake.
2–3 daysXishuangbanna西双版纳Tropical rainforest, Dai culture and the Mekong.
1–2 daysZhangye张掖The Danxia Rainbow Mountains on the Hexi Corridor.
2–3 daysYinchuan银川Western Xia royal tombs, Helan Mountain rock art and the Shapotou desert on the Yellow River.
2–3 daysXining西宁Kumbum Monastery and the gateway to Qinghai Lake, at 2,260 m on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau.
2–3 daysJingdezhen景德镇China’s porcelain capital: imperial kilns, studios and markets, with the villages of Wuyuan nearby.
2 daysDunhuang敦煌Mogao Caves murals and the singing sand dunes of the Silk Road.
4–5 daysLhasa拉萨The Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple at 3,650 m.
2–3 daysKashgar喀什Old town bazaars at the western end of China's Silk Road.