Best Cities to Visit in China
Seven cities make the perfect first trip: imperial Beijing, futuristic Shanghai, ancient Xi'an, food-and-panda Chengdu, cyberpunk Chongqing, lakeside Hangzhou and the karst scenery of Guilin.
North China
Beijing北京
Imperial grandeur, hutong lanes and the Great Wall
4 daysmid-range
East China
Shanghai上海
Futuristic skyline meets 1920s glamour
3 daysmid-range
Northwest China
Xi'an西安
Terracotta warriors and 13 dynasties of history
2 daysbudget
Southwest China
Chengdu成都
Pandas, hotpot and China's most laid-back city
3 daysbudget
Southwest China
Chongqing重庆
The cyberpunk mountain city on the Yangtze
2 daysbudget
East China
Hangzhou杭州
West Lake, tea fields and classical Chinese beauty
2 daysmid-range
South China
Guilin桂林
Karst peaks, rivers and rice terraces
3 daysbudget