Roavina

City guide · China

Shenzhen

A photograph of Shenzhen
Photograph · Charlie fong · CC BY-SA 4.0

Shenzhen is a polycentric city stretching along the coast and the Hong Kong border. Futian forms the civic and business centre, Luohu combines an older commercial core with a major border crossing, and Nanshan holds many museums, theme parks and technology districts. Eastern beaches and mountain areas sit far beyond the central urban sequence.

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Practical information
Language spoken
Standard Chinese; regional languages are widely used
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+86 mainland · +852 Hong Kong · +853 Macao
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Renminbi (CNY); HKD and MOP in the SARs
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
110 police · 120 medical on the mainland
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type A, C and I · 220 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No single verified statement covers mainland China and both SARs

Turn this list into a plan

Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.

Plan Shenzhen

Planning a visit

Suggested stay
Not recorded
Getting around
Walking, metro and rail
  1. January: best time to visit
  2. February: best time to visit
  3. March: good time to visit
  4. April: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  5. May: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  6. June: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  7. July: recurring difficult conditions
  8. August: recurring difficult conditions
  9. September: recurring difficult conditions — current month
  10. October: good time to visit
  11. November: best time to visit
  12. December: best time to visit
  • Best time
  • Good time
  • Viable with trade-offs
  • Difficult conditions

Sources

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

Filter the list

11 places match
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Category

Historic monuments 11 Museums 10 Places of worship 1 Nature sites 20 Viewpoints 3 Food and drink 0 Markets and shopping 2 Entertainment 4 Nightlife 0 Family attractions 1 Art and culture 5 Activities 1

Typical visit duration

Up to 1 hour 11

Interests

History 0 Art 0 Museums 0 Nature 0 Sea and beach 0 Viewpoints 0
  1. Dapeng Fortress Dapeng Fortress
    01 45 min

    Dapeng Fortress

    大鹏所城

    Dapeng Fortress, known locally as 大鹏所城, is a historic military fortification in Shenzhen's Dapeng New District.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  2. HQB Museum HQB Museum
    02 45 min

    HQB Museum

    华强北

    Huaqiangbei is a major commercial district in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. Known widely as one of the world's largest electronics markets, it occupies a significant area in the Futian District.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  3. Nantou Nantou
    03 45 min

    Nantou

    南头古城

    Nantou Ancient City, or 南头古城, is a historic fortified settlement in Shenzhen. It preserves the memory of an older urban landscape within a city better known for new towers, technology, and rapid construction.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  4. Dafen Dafen
    04 45 min

    Dafen

    大芬油画村

    Dafen Oil Painting Village is an art production and trading district in Shenzhen, China. A small village developed into a concentrated center for oil-painting reproduction and original art.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  5. Kingkey 100 Kingkey 100
    05 45 min

    Kingkey 100

    京基100

    KK100, known locally as 京基100, is a supertall mixed-use tower in Shenzhen's Luohu District. It is one of the city's most recognizable skyline landmarks and contains office space and the St.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  6. Shun Hing Square Shun Hing Square
    06 45 min

    Shun Hing Square

    地王大厦

    Shun Hing Square, known locally as 信兴广场, stands as a prominent commercial and architectural landmark in Shenzhen. The complex features one of the city's most recognizable skyscrapers, contributing to the distinctive skyline of this rapidly developed metropolis.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  7. Chiwan Bay Left Fort Chiwan Bay Left Fort
    07 45 min

    Chiwan Bay Left Fort

    赤湾左炮台

    Chiwan Left Fort, or 赤湾左炮台, is a historic coastal defence site in Shenzhen’s Nanshan District near Chiwan Port. The fort represents the military role of the Pearl River approaches and preserves a link between Shenzhen’s coastline and earlier maritime security.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  8. Tomb of Emperor Shao of Song Tomb of Emperor Shao of Song
    08 45 min

    Tomb of Emperor Shao of Song

    宋少帝陵

    The Tomb of the Young Song Emperor, known locally as 宋少帝陵, is a memorial site in Shenzhen associated with the final years of the Southern Song dynasty.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  9. Gankeng Hakka Town Gankeng Hakka Town
    09 45 min

    Gankeng Hakka Town

    甘坑客家小镇

    Gankeng Hakka Town is a cultural heritage destination in Shenzhen’s Longgang District, centred on Hakka architecture, settlement patterns and folk culture.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  10. Guanlan Printmaking Village Guanlan Printmaking Village
    10 45 min

    Guanlan Printmaking Village

    观澜版画村

    Guanlan Printmaking Village is a cultural heritage site in Shenzhen's Longhua District, known for its historical architecture and contemporary printmaking tradition. The village preserves traditional Hakka-style buildings while functioning as an active base for printmaking artists.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  11. 光明农场大观园
    11 45 min

    光明农场大观园

    Guangming Farm Grand View Garden is an agricultural tourism attraction in Shenzhen’s Guangming District. It offers a rural counterpoint to the city’s dense urban landscape, bringing visitors into a farm-oriented setting within the metropolitan area.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

How the city is laid out

Treat Futian, Luohu and Nanshan as separate day clusters linked by metro. Civic Centre, Lianhuashan and the central skyline fit together in Futian; Dongmen and the border area define Luohu; OCT, Shekou and the bayfront spread across Nanshan. Dapeng Peninsula and eastern coastal sites require a dedicated outward journey.

Checked 2026-08-26

Getting around

Shenzhen Government Online describes a broad rail-transit network and four high-speed railway stations, including a direct rail connection to Hong Kong. Use rail for movement between the city's widely separated districts and walk within one selected cluster at a time. The official guide does not provide a single universal route for every attraction, so consult current station and service information separately before a cross-city journey or onward travel to Hong Kong.

Checked 2026-08-26

Nearby districts and related places

Nearby places

Common questions

How many days should I spend in Shenzhen?

A fixed stay length is not recorded. Build the visit around Futian, Luohu and Nanshan, then add Dapeng and the eastern coast only when the available time supports a separate journey.

What is the best way to organise sightseeing in Shenzhen?

Group places by district instead of crossing the city repeatedly. Start with Futian, Luohu and Nanshan; treat Dapeng and the eastern coast as separate routes with their own travel allowance.

How do I get around Shenzhen?

Walk within one district cluster and use the metro or rail network for longer journeys. Consult current official station and service information before relying on a particular connection.

Can I explore Shenzhen mainly on foot?

Only within individual neighbourhood clusters. The main visitor areas are separated by distances, waterways, major roads or regional approaches, so longer links normally need public transport or a licensed vehicle.

Which Shenzhen sights need separate transport planning?

Plan Dapeng and the eastern coast separately from Futian, Luohu and Nanshan. Check the current route, return connection and any access requirements on the official source before departure.