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.
417 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
香港視覺藝術中心 Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre
The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre is a visual arts facility in Hong Kong. It operates under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Hong Kong government.
上海中心大厦
Shanghai Tower is a landmark skyscraper in the Lujiazui financial district of Pudong, Shanghai. It is among the tallest buildings in the world by architectural height.
荷李活道公園 Hollywood Road Park
Hollywood Road Park is a public green space on Hollywood Road in Central, Hong Kong. It offers a small outdoor pause within a dense historic and commercial neighbourhood known for antique shops, galleries and older urban character.
大明宫国家遗址公园
Daming Palace National Heritage Park is a major archaeological site and heritage park in Xi'an, China. It preserves the remains of Daming Palace, which served as the imperial palace complex of the Tang Dynasty.
毛主席纪念堂
Chairman Mao Memorial Hall is the state memorial at the southern end of Tiananmen Square. Its public route normally passes through security and the memorial chambers in a controlled one-way flow.
上海博物馆
Shanghai Museum is the People’s Square museum of Chinese art in central Shanghai, identified here as way/161090899.
衞生教育展覽及資料中心 Health Education Exhibition and Resource Centre
The Health Education Exhibition and Resources Centre is a public health education facility in Hong Kong. Its Chinese name is 衞生教育展覽及資料中心. The centre serves as a venue for promoting health awareness and providing educational resources to the public.
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.
香港教育博物館
Hong Kong Museum of Education focuses on the history and development of education in Hong Kong. Its subject reaches beyond classrooms to teaching practice, learning, educational policy and the institutions that shaped society.
地坛公园
Ditan Park, known in Chinese as 地坛公园, is a historic imperial altar complex located in Beijing.
钟楼
Xi'an Bell Tower stands at the symbolic center of the old city, where the main north-south and east-west axes meet. The Ming-dynasty landmark combines a monumental upper structure with tiered roofs and traditional decorative details.
大炮台 Fortaleza do Monte
Fortaleza do Monte, also called 大炮台 (Da Pao Tai), is a historic military fortification on a hill in central Macau. Jesuits began building it in the early seventeenth century, and the fort later became part of Macau’s defensive system.
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.
淺水灣泳灘 Repulse Bay Beach
Repulse Bay Beach is a public bathing beach located on the southern coast of Hong Kong Island. It is one of the most famous beaches in Hong Kong, situated in an affluent residential area.
東方基金會會址 Casa Garden
Casa Garden, known locally as 東方基金會會址, is a historic residence on the Macau peninsula and the headquarters of the Orient Foundation.
東望洋炮台 Fortaleza da Guia
Guia Fortress and Lighthouse is a historic military and navigational complex situated on Guia Hill, the highest point of the Macau Peninsula.
中国国家博物馆
The National Museum of China stands on the east side of Tiananmen Square in central Beijing. It occupies a vast building that merged the former Museum of Chinese History and the Museum of the Chinese Revolution.
恭王府
Prince Gong Mansion, known locally as 恭王府, stands as one of Beijing's most significant surviving aristocratic residences from the Qing dynasty era. The complex represents a prime example of traditional Chinese princely architecture and garden design.
外滩
The Bund is Shanghai's historic waterfront promenade along the western bank of the Huangpu River. It features a concentration of early 20th-century colonial-era buildings representing various European architectural styles, including Neoclassical, Art Deco, and Beaux-Arts.
香山公园
Fragrant Hills Park is a historic imperial garden and public park in the Haidian District of northwestern Beijing. The site occupies a forested hillside area and has served as a retreat and scenic destination for centuries.
戒台寺
Jietai Temple, known locally as 戒台寺, is a historical Buddhist temple situated in the western outskirts of Beijing. The temple holds significant religious and cultural importance within China's Buddhist heritage.
宛平城
Wanping Fortress, known locally as Wanping Cheng, is a historic walled settlement in Beijing's Fengtai District. Constructed during the Ming Dynasty as a military garrison, it served as a strategic defensive position guarding the western approaches to the capital.
尤德觀鳥園 Edward Youde Aviary
Edward Youde Aviary is a walk-through aviary located within Hong Kong Park in the Central district of Hong Kong Island. Named after Sir Edward Youde, a former British Governor of Hong Kong, it occupies a forested valley setting.
西安鼓楼博物馆
Xi'an Drum Tower is a Ming Dynasty landmark in the centre of Xi'an's walled city. It stands opposite the Bell Tower and is one of the city's defining historic buildings.
首都博物馆
The Capital Museum is a major cultural institution in Beijing, China, dedicated to preserving and exhibiting artifacts related to the city's history and culture. Its local name is 首都博物馆.
国子监
The Imperial College, or Guozijian, was the highest state educational institution and education administration of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.
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.
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.
仁慈堂大樓 Santa Casa da Misericórdia
The Holy House of Mercy, or 仁慈堂大樓, is a historic charitable institution beside Senado Square in Macau. Founded in 1569 by Macau's first bishop, it became associated with care for orphans, widows and people in poverty.
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.
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.
中华艺术宫
China Art Museum, known locally as 中华艺术宫, is a dedicated art-museum stop at 205 Shangnan Road in Shanghai’s Pudong New Area. Its visitor purpose is a focused encounter with Chinese art exhibitions rather than a brief landmark photograph.
嘉道理農場暨植物園 Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden
Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden is a conservation and education centre in the New Territories of Hong Kong.
上海科技馆
Shanghai Science and Technology Museum is a major public science museum located in Shanghai, China. Its local name is 上海科技馆. The museum serves as a prominent cultural and educational institution within the city, dedicated to science popularization and technological exhibition.
鄭家大屋 Casa do Mandarim
Mandarin’s House, also known as Zheng Guanying’s former residence, is a historic mansion in Macau’s Historic Centre. It was the ancestral home of the Zheng family and is associated with the thinker Zheng Guanying.
盧家大屋 Casa de Lou Kau
Casa de Lou Kau, locally called 盧家大屋, is a preserved merchant residence in Macau’s Historic Centre.
港務局大樓 Quartel dos Mouros
Moorish Barracks, locally known as 港務局大樓, is a historic building in Macau’s Historic Centre. Its design combines Islamic-influenced details with neoclassical elements, reflecting the layered architectural culture created during Portuguese administration.
上海城市规划展示馆
Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center is a civic museum devoted to explaining how Shanghai has developed as a city.
路氹歷史館 Museu da História da Taipa e Coloane
The Museum of Taipa and Coloane History, known locally as 路氹歷史館, is a cultural institution in Macau dedicated to preserving and presenting the historical development of the islands of Taipa and Coloane.
国家大剧院
The National Centre for the Performing Arts, known locally as 国家大剧院, is a major performing arts venue in Beijing. Located near Tiananmen Square, this distinctive building features a dome-shaped design that has made it a notable landmark in the capital.
文武廟 Man Mo Temple
Sheung Wan Man Mo Temple, known locally as 文武廟 Man Mo Temple, is a historic Taoist temple complex situated in the Sheung Wan district of Hong Kong Island.
陕西历史博物馆
Shaanxi History Museum is a major museum in Xi'an, a city shaped by the history of successive Chinese capitals. Its collections span prehistoric communities, the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang dynasties, and archaeological discoveries from Shaanxi.
伯多祿五世劇院 Teatro Dom Pedro V
Dom Pedro V Theatre is a historic performing arts venue in Macau's St. Lawrence Parish district, situated on Calçada de S. Lourenço. Built in the mid-19th century during the Portuguese colonial period, it represents one of Asia's earliest Western-style theatres.
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.
中国科学技术馆
China Science and Technology Museum is Beijing's national-scale institution for public science education, located beside Olympic Green. Its main exhibition programme explains fundamental science, engineering, life, environment and technological development through large interactive galleries rather than a traditional object-only collection.
国家自然博物馆
The National Natural History Museum of China is Beijing's principal museum for zoology, palaeontology, botany and human origins. Located at Tianqiao, it combines specimen collections, scientific research and public education, with dinosaur skeletons among its best-known displays.
北京动物园
Beijing Zoo is a zoological park in Beijing, China. Its local name is 北京动物园. The zoo occupies a significant area in the Xicheng District and represents one of the older established zoological institutions in the country.
永利皇宮 Palácio Wynn
Wynn Palace is a luxury integrated resort on Macau’s Cotai Strip. The complex combines a hotel, casino, restaurants, retail spaces and entertainment in one large destination.
上海犹太难民纪念馆
The Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum commemorates the approximately 20,000 Jewish refugees who found shelter in Shanghai during World War II, primarily in the Tilanqiao area of Hongkew.
百老匯電影中心 Broadway Cinematheque
Broadway Cinematheque is a cinema complex in Hong Kong operated by Broadway Circuit, a major local cinema chain. The venue serves as a cultural hub dedicated to art-house, independent, and world cinema, distinguishing itself from mainstream multiplexes.
大鹏所城
Dapeng Fortress, known locally as 大鹏所城, is a historic military fortification in Shenzhen's Dapeng New District.
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.
上海自然博物馆
Shanghai Natural History Museum is a science-focused museum at 510 West Beijing Road, inside Jing’an Sculpture Park in central Shanghai.
美獅美高梅 MGM Cotai
MGM Cotai is a major integrated resort on the Cotai Strip in Macau, operated by MGM China Holdings Limited. The property features a distinctive architectural design with a stack of glass boxes containing various facilities.
澳門巴黎人 The Parisian Macau
The Parisian Macao is a casino resort on the Cotai Strip in Macau, operated by Sands China. Its signature feature is a half-scale replica of the Eiffel Tower, visible across the resort grounds.
鲁迅博物馆
Beijing Lu Xun Museum is dedicated to the life, writing and cultural legacy of Lu Xun, one of modern China’s most influential authors.
宋庆龄故居
The Former Residence of Soong Ching-ling is a historic house museum in Beijing’s Shichahai area.
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.
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.
慕田峪长城旅游区
Mutianyu is a restored section of the Great Wall in Huairou District, north of Beijing.
后海公园
Shichahai is a historic scenic area in central Beijing, comprising three connected lakes: Qianhai, Houhai, and Xihai. The name literally means Ten Temple Sea, referencing temples that once bordered the water.
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.
上海大剧院
Shanghai Grand Theatre is a major performing arts venue in Shanghai, China. The building stands as a prominent cultural landmark in the city, designed for opera, ballet, symphony concerts, and other large-scale theatrical productions.
什刹后海
Houhai is the northernmost of the three lakes in Beijing’s Shichahai water area, alongside Qianhai and Xihai. Its name means “Back Sea,” reflecting its position north of the former imperial city.
798艺术区
The 798 Art District, known locally as 798艺术区, is a contemporary arts zone in Beijing's Chaoyang District. It occupies a former military factory complex built in the 1950s in the Bauhaus-influenced style of East German industrial architecture.
天主教藝術博物館 Museu de Arte Sacra e Cripta
Museum of Sacred Art and Crypt occupies the lower level of the Ruins of St. Paul’s in Macao’s historic center. It preserves religious art and architectural remains connected with the former Church of Mater Dei and College of St.
武康大楼
Wukang Mansion, known locally as 武康大楼, is a historic apartment building located in Shanghai's former French Concession area. The building stands at the intersection of multiple streets, creating a distinctive triangular footprint.
上海当代艺术博物馆
The Power Station of Art is a contemporary art museum in Shanghai, China. Its local name is 上海当代艺术博物馆. The museum occupies a converted former power station building, representing an industrial heritage adaptive reuse project.
澳門博物館 Museu de Macau
Macao Museum is a cultural institution located within the Mount Fortress complex in the historic centre of Macau, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The museum occupies a prominent position overlooking the city, integrated into the seventeenth-century Portuguese military fortification.
白鴿巢公園 Jardim Luís de Camões
Camoes Garden, also known locally as 白鴿巢公園, is a public park on Macau’s peninsula. Its mature vegetation, hillside setting, and connection with Portuguese literary heritage give it a character distinct from Macau’s busier commercial streets.
金蓮花廣場 A Praça Flor de Lótus
Lotus Square is an open civic plaza in Macau, known locally as 金蓮花廣場. Its centrepiece is the Golden Lotus, a large gilded bronze flower that represents Macau.
澳門藝術博物館 Museu de Arte de Macau
The Macao Museum of Art is the largest visual arts museum in Macau, dedicated to collecting, preserving, and exhibiting artworks. It occupies a purpose-built facility in the Macau Cultural Centre complex near the Outer Harbour.
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.
天文公園 Astropark
Astropark, also known as 天文公園, is an astronomy-themed public park in Hong Kong devoted to stargazing and astronomical education.
尖沙咀海濱花園 Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade
Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade is a waterfront pedestrian walkway along the southern tip of the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong.
梅赛德斯-奔驰文化中心
Mercedes-Benz Arena is a major indoor arena located in Shanghai, China. The venue serves as a prominent entertainment and sports complex on the Pudong side of the Huangpu River, within the Expo Park area developed for the Shanghai World Expo.
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.
中国铁道博物馆（东郊展馆）
The China Railway Museum is a national museum in Beijing dedicated to the history of Chinese railways.
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.
澳門漁人碼頭 Doca dos Pescadores de Macau
Macau Fisherman's Wharf is a waterfront leisure and entertainment complex on the Macau Peninsula, close to the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal.
通訊博物館 Museu das Comunicações
Communications Museum introduces the history and development of communication technology in Macao. Its subject reaches from postal services and telecommunications to broadcasting and the systems that connect people across distance.
莲花山公园
Lianhuashan Park is a central green space in Shenzhen’s Futian District, known locally as 莲花山公园. Its lotus-flower-shaped hill rises among the city’s dense urban development.
園圃街雀鳥花園 Yuen Po Street Bird Garden
Yuen Po Street Bird Garden is a traditional Chinese-style garden in Mong Kok, Kowloon, dedicated to songbird culture. Established in 1997, it occupies the site of a former landfill and provides a purpose-built environment where bird enthusiasts gather.
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.
北京市规划展览馆
Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall is a central exhibition venue focused on the capital’s urban form, development and future plans. Near Qianmen, it places Beijing’s immense scale into a visual format that visitors can understand through maps, models and diagrams.
华清宫
Huaqing Palace is a historic hot spring complex at the northern foot of Mount Li, approximately 30 kilometres east of central Xi'an.
田子坊
Tianzifang is a distinctive lane neighbourhood in Shanghai’s Huangpu District, entered at Lane 210 on Taikang Road and known for its close-grained mix of pedestrian passages, creative businesses and older urban surroundings.
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.
中国电影博物馆
China National Film Museum is a national institution devoted to the history, technology and culture of Chinese cinema.
澳門回歸賀禮陳列館 Museu das Ofertas sobre a Transferência de Soberania de Macau
Handover Gifts Museum of Macao presents commemorative gifts given to Macao by Chinese provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions after the 1999 handover. The museum turns a major political transition into a visual encounter with regional craft traditions.
上海宣传画艺术中心
The Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre is the English name used for Shanghai Yang Peiming Propaganda Poster Collection Art Museum (上海杨培明宣传画收藏艺术馆). Shanghai’s Changning District government identifies it as a private museum founded by Yang Peiming.
上海外滩美术馆
Rockbund Art Museum is a contemporary art institution located in Shanghai's historic Bund district.
石排灣郊野公園 Parque de Seac Pai Van
Seac Pai Van Park, or 石排灣郊野公園, is a country park on Coloane Island in Macau. It gives travellers a green hillside setting within a highly urban territory, combining wooded paths with a major panda-viewing facility.
深圳博物馆历史民俗馆
Shenzhen Museum is a municipal cultural institution in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, known locally as 深圳博物馆. It is a useful stop for travelers who want context for the city's transformation from a small fishing settlement into a major modern metropolis.
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.
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