Language · 11 published
Country guide
China covers 9.6 million km², third largest of any country, and holds more than 1.4 billion people — about 17 per cent of everyone alive. It is divided into 33 province-level divisions, two of them special administrative regions. Beijing is the capital; Shanghai is the most populous city by urban area. Between them the land runs from the Central Plain and the Yangtze and Yellow rivers out to desert, plateau, subtropical and temperate forest, and the Himalayas in the southwest. The first decision a visitor makes here is therefore not which sight to see but which climate to travel in.
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · N509FZ · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photograph · King of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photograph · Mustang Joe · CC0
Photograph · Charlie fong · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photograph · ScareCriterion12 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photograph · Charlie fong · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
44 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
The Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady is the present cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Macau. Set on a terrace above the historic centre, it has a prominent urban position and remains an active place of worship.
黃大仙祠 Wong Tai Sin Temple
Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple is a working Taoist temple in Kowloon, and the two halves of its name matter.
志蓮淨苑 Chi Lin Nunnery
Chi Lin Nunnery is a Buddhist temple complex in Diamond Hill, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Founded in 1934, it was rebuilt in the 1990s using traditional Tang dynasty architectural techniques with wooden structures assembled without nails.
萬佛寺 Ten Thousand Buddha's Monastery
Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery is a Buddhist temple complex in Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong. Despite its name, it is not a monastery in the traditional sense as no monks reside there.
寶蓮禪寺 Po Lin Monastery
Po Lin Monastery is a working Chan (Zen) monastery on the Ngong Ping plateau, in the middle of Lantau Island, at an altitude of about 400 metres and set between Lantau Peak and Lei Nak Peak.
清真大寺
The Great Mosque of Xi'an is an active Islamic place of worship in the historic Muslim Quarter. Its origins reach back to the Tang Dynasty, making it one of China's oldest and best-known mosques.
車公廟 Che Kung Temple
Che Kung Temple is a Taoist temple in Hong Kong dedicated to Che Kung, a military commander from the Song dynasty revered for his supposed ability to suppress rebellions and bring good fortune.
雍和宫
The Lama Temple, known locally as Yonghegong, stands as one of Beijing's most significant Tibetan Buddhist monasteries. Originally constructed in 1694 as an imperial residence, it was converted to a lamasery in 1744.
北京牛街礼拜寺
Niujie Mosque, known locally as 牛街礼拜寺, is Beijing's oldest and most important historic mosque. Founded in 996 and rebuilt across later dynasties, it combines Chinese timber halls and courtyard planning with Islamic orientation, Arabic inscriptions and worship functions.
法源寺
Fayuan Temple is one of Beijing's oldest Buddhist establishments, founded in the Tang period and rebuilt repeatedly under later dynasties. The present compound on Fayuansi Back Street consists of four principal courtyards and remains an active place of worship.
徐家汇圣依纳爵主教座堂
Saint Ignatius Cathedral, known locally as Xujiahui Catholic Church, stands as a prominent Catholic cathedral in Shanghai's Xujiahui district. The cathedral represents one of Shanghai's most recognizable religious landmarks and holds significance in the city's architectural and cultural heritage.
媽閣廟 Templo de A-Ma
A-Ma Temple is a historic Chinese temple complex in Macau dedicated to Mazu, the goddess of seafarers. Its traditions predate Portuguese colonisation and connect the site with Macau's maritime heritage and long-standing local religious life.
玉佛禅寺
Jade Buddha Temple is one of the first ten publishable places in Shanghai’s current curated ranking. Its clearest visitor purpose is the active Buddhist temple complex and its devotional spaces.
静安寺
Jing'an Temple, known locally as 静安寺, is a historic Buddhist temple located in Shanghai's Jing'an District. The temple stands as one of Shanghai's most recognizable religious landmarks, situated in a prominent urban position amid modern commercial development.
上海城隍庙
The Shanghai City God Temple, known locally as 上海城隍庙, is a historic Taoist temple complex located in Shanghai's old city district. It serves as a cultural and religious center dedicated to the city's protective deity.
佘山进教之佑圣母大殿
Sheshan Basilica, known locally as 佘山进教之佑圣母大殿, stands as a significant Catholic pilgrimage site on Shanghai's western outskirts. Perched atop Sheshan Hill, this landmark represents one of China's most prominent surviving ecclesiastical structures from the pre-1949 era.
玫瑰聖母堂
St. Dominic's Church is a historic Catholic church in Macau, known locally as 玫瑰堂.
龙华寺
Longhua Temple, known in Chinese as 龙华寺, is a Buddhist temple and historic religious complex at 2853 Longhua Road in Shanghai’s Xuhui District.
舊基督教墳場 Cemitério Protestante
The Protestant Cemetery is a historic burial ground within Macau’s Historic Centre, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
聖老楞佐堂 Igreja de S. Lourenço
St. Lawrence's Church is a historic Catholic church in Macau, one of the territory's oldest religious structures. The local name is 聖老楞佐教堂. It stands as a significant monument within the Historic Centre of Macau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
大三巴哪吒廟 Templo de Na Tcha, junto às Ruínas de S. Paulo
Na Tcha Temple, or 哪吒廟, is a small Chinese folk-religion temple dedicated to Na Tcha, a child deity associated with protection and exorcism. Its position beside the Ruins of St.
聖若瑟修院大樓及聖堂 Igreja e Seminário de São José
St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church is a historic religious complex in Macau’s Historic Centre and part of the city’s UNESCO World Heritage setting. The seminary was founded in 1728 and the church was consecrated in 1758.
大慈恩寺
Da Ci'en Temple is a Buddhist temple complex in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China. The site is historically significant as the place where the monk Xuanzang translated Buddhist scriptures upon his return from India during the Tang Dynasty.
聖奧斯定教堂 Igreja de Santo Agostinho
St. Augustine’s Church, 聖奧斯定教堂, is a historic Catholic church in Macau’s Historic Centre. Founded by Augustinian missionaries, it represents the religious architecture that developed during the Portuguese presence in Macau.
香积寺
Xiangji Temple, known locally as 香积寺, is a Buddhist temple in Xi'an, Shaanxi. The temple adds a religious and architectural dimension to a city better known internationally for imperial history and archaeological sites.
草堂寺
Caotang Temple, known locally as 草堂寺, is a Buddhist temple in the Xi’an region. Its identity is tied to Buddhist scripture translation and the early development of Buddhist thought in China.
大兴善寺
Daxingshan Temple is a historic Buddhist temple in Xi'an, China, known locally as 大兴善寺. It remains a religious institution and a destination for visitors interested in Buddhist history, Chinese temple culture, and the long cultural history of Xi'an.
广仁寺
Guangren Temple, or 广仁寺, is a Tibetan Buddhist temple in Xi’an. It adds a distinct religious and cultural dimension to a city often introduced through imperial history and Han Chinese heritage.
蓮峰廟 Templo Lin Fung
Lin Fong Temple, also called 蓮峰廟 and Templo Lin Fung, is a living Chinese place of worship on Macau Peninsula.
云居寺
Yunju Temple is a historic Buddhist temple complex located in Beijing's Fangshan District. The temple holds significant religious and cultural importance, particularly renowned for its association with the engraving of Buddhist sutras on stone tablets.
大学习巷清真寺
The Great Learning Lane Mosque, known locally as 大学习巷清真寺, is an Islamic place of worship in Xi’an’s historic urban fabric.
天后古廟 Tin Hau Temple
Tin Hau Temple is a traditional Chinese place of worship dedicated to Tin Hau, the Goddess of the Sea. Her presence reflects Hong Kong’s long relationship with fishing, sailing, and coastal communities.
普濟禪院 (觀音堂) Templo Kun Iam
Kun Iam Temple, known locally as 普濟禪院, is one of the oldest and most significant Buddhist temples in Macau. It serves as a major place of worship and cultural heritage site, reflecting the territory's deep-rooted Buddhist traditions.
赤湾天后宫
Chiwan Tianhou Temple, also called 赤湾天后宫, is a historic place of worship in Shenzhen dedicated to Tianhou, the sea goddess Mazu.
都城隍庙
Xi’an City God Temple is a Taoist temple complex in the historic city. Its name refers to the city god, a protective deity in traditional Chinese religious culture.
媽祖文化村 Aldeia Cultural de A-Ma
A-Ma Cultural Village is a hillside religious and cultural complex on Coloane Island devoted to A-Ma, the goddess associated with seafarers. The setting connects worship, traditional Chinese architecture and Macau’s maritime heritage.
北帝廟 Templo Pak Tai
Pak Tai Temple, known locally as 北帝廟, is a Taoist temple in Macau dedicated to Pak Tai, the Northern Emperor deity revered for his power over water and protection against evil.
北帝宮
Pak Tai Temple, also known locally as 北帝宮, is a Taoist temple in Hong Kong dedicated to Pak Tai, the Northern Emperor. Worshippers honour him as a protective deity associated with the power to subdue evil spirits and safeguard communities.
嗇色園可名別苑 Sik Sik Yuen Ho Ming Monastery
Sik Sik Yuen Ho Ming Monastery is a Buddhist religious site located within the grounds of Wong Tai Sin Temple complex in Kowloon, Hong Kong.
荐福寺
Jianfu Temple, known locally as 荐福寺, is a historic Buddhist temple complex located in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China. The temple is principally renowned as the original site of the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, one of Xi'an's iconic Tang Dynasty structures.
Xingjiao Temple is a Buddhist temple located in the southern suburbs of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China.
White Cloud Temple, or Baiyun Guan, is Beijing's principal Taoist monastery, an ancestral centre of the Quanzhen tradition and headquarters of the China Taoist Association.
赤柱清真寺 Stanley Mosque
青松觀 Ching Chung Koon
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·
Twelve to eighteen days can link Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai by high-speed rail, with Shenzhen as a southern extension. Hong Kong and Macao need separate border planning and should not be treated as ordinary domestic stops on the same timetable.
Entry rules differ between mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao, even within one journey. Check the official immigration authority for every border segment and match the permission to the passport, purpose, and exact itinerary.
High-speed rail and domestic flights cover mainland distances, while metros handle most urban journeys. Hong Kong uses Octopus and separate border controls, and Macao has its own formalities, so prepare payment and identity requirements for each jurisdiction.
April to May and September to October are only broad mainland planning windows. Beijing, Shanghai, the south, Hong Kong, and Macao have different heat, rain, and holiday pressures; the least flexible regional leg should set the dates.
Mainland China uses renminbi (CNY), while Hong Kong and Macao use HKD and MOP. Payment systems and card acceptance differ across those jurisdictions, so prepare the appropriate local method before crossing each border.
On the mainland, save 110 for police and 120 for medical help; Hong Kong and Macao use separate emergency systems. Mainland electricity is recorded as 220 V with Type A, C, and I sockets, while tap-water guidance is not recorded.
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
