China has many large and famous cities. Below is a list of the nine most important to travelers in mainland China. Other cities are listed under their specific regional section. See the Dynasties and capitals section for a detailed list of China's many previous capitals.
Beijing (北京) — the capital, cultural center, and host of the 2008 Olympics
Guangzhou (广州) — one of the most prosperous and liberal cities in the south, near Hong Kong
Guilin (桂林) — popular destination for both Chinese and foreign tourists with sensational mountain and river scenery
Hangzhou (杭州) — famously beautiful city and major center for the silk industry
Kunming (昆明) — capital of Yunnan and gateway to a rainbow of ethnic minority areas
Nanjing (南京) — a renowned historical and cultural city with many historic sites
Shanghai (上海) — famous for its riverside cityscape, China's largest city is a major commercial center with many shopping opportunities
Suzhou (苏州) — "Venice of the East," an ancient city famous for canals and gardens just west of Shanghai
Xi'an (西安) — the oldest city and ancient capital of China, home to ten dynasties including the Han and the Tang, terminus of the ancient Silk Road, and home of the terracotta warriors
You can travel to many of these cities using the new fast trains. In particular, the Hangzhou - Shanghai - Suzhou - Nanjing line is a convenient way to see these historic areas.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about China
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in China - updated Mar 2024
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China Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.