Cities
Start with the city that fits how you travel.
Some visitors want classic sights, some want food, some want a softer landing. Use these city snapshots to narrow your first China route.
Beijing
History, hutongs, museums, and a classic first China route.
Shanghai
Skylines, design, cafes, easy metro days, and a soft landing.
Chengdu
Pandas, spicy food, tea houses, and slower daily life.
Guangzhou
Cantonese food, warm weather, value, markets, and river nights.
Featured city
Featured City: Zhuhai
Zhuhai is the low-effort coastal add-on to a Macau or Hong Kong trip: a long seaside promenade, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge gateway, island waterfronts, and a noticeably slower pace than China's big inland cities.
Read the Zhuhai guideCity guides
Go deeper once a city catches your eye.
Zhuhai Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors: Lovers' Road, Sun Moon Shells and Chimelong
A practical Zhuhai travel guide for first-time visitors to China: a no-backtracking three-day itinerary along Lovers' Road, the Sun Moon Shells opera house, old-town Xiangzhou, Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, seafood, hotels, Macau connections and common mistakes.
Xi'an Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors: Terracotta Warriors, City Walls and Street Food
A practical and human Xi'an travel guide for first-time visitors to China, covering the Terracotta Warriors, city wall, Muslim Quarter, food, reservations, transport and common mistakes.
Beijing Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors: Forbidden City, Great Wall and Hutong Life
A practical and human Beijing travel guide for first-time visitors to China, covering the Forbidden City, Great Wall, hutongs, food, transport, reservations, where to stay and common mistakes.
Shanghai Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors: Skyline, Old Streets and Easy First Steps
A practical and human Shanghai travel guide for first-time visitors to China, covering the Bund, Yu Garden, French Concession walks, food, transport, payment, where to stay and common mistakes.
Chengdu Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors: Pandas, Hotpot and Tea Houses
A practical and human Chengdu travel guide for first-time visitors to China, covering pandas, hotpot, teahouses, neighborhoods, day trips, transport, payment and common mistakes.
Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, or Chongqing: Which Chinese City Should You Visit First?
A practical comparison of Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Chongqing for first-time visitors choosing their first city in China.
Best Places to Visit in China for First-Time Visitors
A practical first-time guide to choosing where to go in China by travel style, trip length, and first-time difficulty.
Guangzhou Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors
The best-value tier-1 city in China for travelers: world-class Cantonese food at budget prices, slow pace, tropical parks, and one of the easiest Chinese cities for first-time foreign visitors.