A photograph of China

Country guide

Places to visit in China — page 6

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

39,927 Places
6Cities

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

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

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

Planning a visit

Seasonal closures come from recorded opening hours.

  1. January: seasonal closure recorded
  2. February: seasonal closure recorded
  3. March: seasonal closure recorded
  4. April: seasonal closure recorded
  5. May: seasonal closure recorded
  6. June: seasonal closure recorded
  7. July: seasonal closure recorded
  8. August: seasonal closure recorded
  9. September: no seasonality data recorded — this month
  10. October: seasonal closure recorded
  11. November: seasonal closure recorded
  12. December: seasonal closure recorded

Top things to see

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

  1. Health Education Exhibition and Resources Centre Health Education Exhibition and Resources Centre
    107 1 hr 30 min

    Health Education Exhibition and Resources Centre

    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.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  2. Great Mosque of Xi'an Great Mosque of Xi'an
    108 30 min

    Great Mosque of Xi'an

    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.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Xi'an
  3. Hong Kong Museum of Education Hong Kong Museum of Education
    109 1 hr 30 min

    Hong Kong Museum of Education

    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.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Hong Kong
  4. Temple of Earth Temple of Earth
    110 1 hour

    Temple of Earth

    地坛公园

    Ditan Park, known in Chinese as 地坛公园, is a historic imperial altar complex located in Beijing.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Beijing
  5. Bell Tower of Xi'an Bell Tower of Xi'an
    111 45 min

    Bell Tower of Xi'an

    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.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Xi'an
  6. Fortaleza do Monte Fortaleza do Monte
    112 45 min

    Fortaleza do Monte

    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.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Macau
  7. Shun Hing Square Shun Hing Square
    113 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
    • Shenzhen
  8. Repulse Bay Beach Repulse Bay Beach
    114 1 hour

    Repulse Bay Beach

    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.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Hong Kong
  9. Casa Garden Casa Garden
    115 45 min

    Casa Garden

    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.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Macau
  10. Guia Fortress Guia Fortress
    116 45 min

    Guia Fortress

    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.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Macau
  11. National Museum of China National Museum of China
    117 1 hr 30 min

    National Museum of China

    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.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Beijing
  12. Prince Gong's Mansion Prince Gong's Mansion
    118 1 hr 30 min

    Prince Gong's Mansion

    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.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Beijing
  13. The Bund The Bund
    119 45 min

    The Bund

    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.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Shanghai
  14. Fragrant Hills Fragrant Hills
    120 1 hour

    Fragrant Hills

    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.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Beijing
  15. Jietai Temple Jietai Temple
    121 45 min

    Jietai Temple

    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.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Beijing
  16. Wanping Fortress Wanping Fortress
    122 45 min

    Wanping Fortress

    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.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Beijing
  17. Edward Youde Aviary Edward Youde Aviary
    123 1 hr 30 min

    Edward Youde Aviary

    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.

    • Must see
    • Family attraction
    • Hong Kong
  18. Drum Tower of Xi'an Drum Tower of Xi'an
    124 1 hr 30 min

    Drum Tower of Xi'an

    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.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Xi'an
  19. Capital Museum Capital Museum
    125 1 hr 30 min

    Capital Museum

    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.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Beijing
  20. Guozijian Guozijian
    126 45 min

    Guozijian

    国子监

    The Imperial College, or Guozijian, was the highest state educational institution and education administration of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Beijing
  21. Kingkey 100 Kingkey 100
    127 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
    • Shenzhen
  22. Che Kung Miu Che Kung Miu
    128 30 min

    Che Kung Miu

    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.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Hong Kong
  23. Yonghe Temple Yonghe Temple
    129 30 min

    Yonghe Temple

    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.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Beijing
  24. Santa Casa da Misericórdia Santa Casa da Misericórdia
    130 45 min

    Santa Casa da Misericórdia

    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.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Macau
  25. Macau Tower Macau Tower
    131 20 min

    Macau Tower

    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.

    • Must see
    • Viewpoint
    • Macau

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to China be?

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.

What entry documents are needed for China?

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.

What is the best way to travel around China?

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.

When is a practical time to visit China?

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.

What money and payment basics apply in China?

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.

What practical safety details should I save for China?

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.