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...
Photograph · Severin.stalder · CC BY-SA 3.0
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
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.
Checked 2026-08-25
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
Seasonal closures come from recorded opening hours.
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
16 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
澳門旅遊塔 Macau Tower
Macau Tower is a prominent waterfront landmark on the Macau peninsula, combining observation, dining, entertainment and telecommunications in one tall structure.
疊石塘山 Alto de Coloane
Alto de Coloane is the highest point on Coloane Island in Macau, standing as a natural landmark within the southern reaches of the Macau Special Administrative Region.
七娘山
Qiniang Mountain, or 七娘山, is a natural landmark in Shenzhen and a destination for visitors who want a demanding outdoor experience rather than an urban attraction.
大南山
Dananshan Mountain, or 大南山, is an urban green hill in Shenzhen’s Nanshan District near the Shekou peninsula. Its trails lead through subtropical vegetation to elevated viewpoints over Shenzhen, Shenzhen Bay, and the surrounding built-up landscape.
翠华山
Cuihua Mountain, also known locally as 翠华山, is a natural mountain destination in the Xi'an area of Shaanxi. The mountain belongs to the Qinling landscape south of the city and offers a change from Xi'an's dense urban streets.
陆家嘴环形天桥
Lujiazui Circular Pedestrian Bridge is the elevated pedestrian structure officially identified in Chinese as 陆家嘴环形天桥. Shanghai's 2026 planning report also calls this circular bridge the Pearl Ring, or Mingzhu Ring.
卢沟桥
Marco Polo Bridge, also called Lugou Bridge, is a historic stone crossing over the Yongding River in Beijing’s Fengtai District.
骊山
Mount Li, known locally as 骊山, is a prominent mountain located near Xi'an in Shaanxi Province, China. It rises on the northern edge of the Qinling mountain range and overlooks the Wei River valley.
焦山
天马山
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.
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