China city guide map

Choose a city before choosing the checklist

Start from the city, then check season, suggested trip length, first-day pacing, transport notes, sights, and the apps that actually help in that place.

City guide index

Compare cities by trip shape

North China

Beijing

Imperial sights, museums, hutong walks, and Great Wall day trips.

3-5 days · Spring or autumn for outdoor walking and clearer day plans.

East China

Shanghai

City walks, skyline views, museums, food streets, and high-speed rail connections.

2-4 days · Spring and autumn are easier for walking; summer can feel hot and humid.

Northwest China

Xi'an

Ancient capital sights, city walls, food streets, and Terracotta Warriors day planning.

2-3 days · Spring or autumn for city walks and day trips.

Southwest China

Chengdu

Food, pandas, teahouses, museums, and relaxed city pacing.

3-4 days · Spring and autumn are simpler; summer can be humid and rainy.

Southwest China

Chongqing

River views, steep city walks, hotpot, rail-transit viewpoints, and night scenes.

2-3 days · Spring or autumn helps with heat, humidity, fog, and walking comfort.

East China

Hangzhou

West Lake walks, tea landscapes, temples, and a softer city pace near Shanghai.

2-3 days · Spring and autumn are usually easier for lake walks and outdoor plans.

South China

Guangzhou

Cantonese food, riverfronts, old neighborhoods, museums, and Greater Bay Area connections.

2-3 days · Autumn and winter are easier for heat and rain planning.

East China

Nanjing

Historic sites, museums, city walls, lake walks, and Jiangsu rail connections.

2-3 days · Spring and autumn are better for historic sites and outdoor routes.