Travel

Top 5 Cities to Visit in China

Lush green terraced fields, bucolic villages, beckoning bamboo forests, thought-provoking Buddhist cave statues and the Great Wall winding across mighty mountains, China as a country is anything but ordinary. The world’s oldest civilization that continues till today has loads of history from the olden days as well as the razzmatazz of the contemporary urban life. Apart from the sea of human faces, China has plenty to offer to its tourists. Here are top 5 cities to visit in China for a memorable trip to the most populous country in the world.

1. Beijing

Great Wall of China near Beijing

The capital city and cultural hub of China, Beijing is known for its extraordinary historical landscape, soul-satisfying food and the Great Wall. Tiananmen Square (the world’s largest public square), the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven are some of the greatest historical offerings that Beijing has along with an impressive number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, numerous other reminiscences of the country’s glorious past, museums and art galleries. Don’t miss the most succulent and heavenly Peking duck and dumplings while in Beijing.

2. Shanghai

Park Shanghai

China’s largest city and commercial center, Shanghai is a shopper’s paradise peppered with a gorgeous riverside cityscape. An alluring mix of east and west, Shanghai is one of the most exotic cities of China. The old Chinese houses with European flair, dazzling skyscrapers, high-end designer outlets and the Bund by the Huángpǔ River are the defining highlights of the city.

3. Xi’an

Xi'an Ancient Capital of China

Home to the world famous Terracotta army, Xi’an is the oldest city of China. This 3000-year-old city and ancient capital of China which was once the terminus of the ancient Silk Road is also known for the world’s largest city wall. Ruled over by 13 dynasties, the city has plenty of reminiscences from the past to offer to the visitors from across the globe.

4. Hong Kong

Hong Kong Temple Garden

The most enigmatic of all cities in the country, Hong Kong is not just China’s but Asia’s culinary capital. Glamorous persona, deep-rooted history and commercial success with chic boutiques and swanky shopping mall, Hong Kong is a tourist magnet and surely not without reasons. Kids or grown-ups, backpackers or luxury travelers, Hong Kong has something or the other to offer to everyone traveling to this Special Administrative Region in the People’s Republic of China. Not to forget, the most scrumptious Cantonese food fair that truly defines the essence of the city literally meaning ‘Fragrant Harbour’ in English.

5. Guilin

Guilin, China Scenery, Mountains, River

Famous for its exquisite river and mountainscape, Guilin is one of the most popular and scenic destinations in China frequented by Chinese and foreign tourists alike. Surrounded by four beautiful lakes, two picturesque rivers, and jagged mountains, Guilin also happens to be the first city in China to develop tourism after the end of Civil War and declaration of China as a People’s Republic in 1949. The 1000-year-old village of Jiangtóuzhō, the Reed Flute Cave, the City Wall and the Elephant Trunk Hill are some of the must-see sights in and around Guilin. Your trip to China is incomplete without spending a couple of days in this old settlement, fast emerging as an urban city with English-speaking locals which is a rare phenomenon in China.

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Paul Tomaszewski is a science & tech writer as well as a programmer and entrepreneur. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of CosmoBC. He has a degree in computer science from John Abbott College, a bachelor's degree in technology from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, and completed some business and economics classes at Concordia University in Montreal. While in college he was the vice-president of the Astronomy Club. In his spare time he is an amateur astronomer and enjoys reading or watching science-fiction. You can follow him on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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