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The best — and most unforgettable — experiences in China

From the Forbidden City's 500 years of imperial rule to Harbin's ice castles and Terracotta Warriors guarding China's first emperor

China has mesmerized visitors for millennia with its art and architecture, commerce and culture. In the twenty-first century, the country’s stunning landscapes, historical landmarks and soaring skylines continue to captivate travelers, and China genuinely offers a unique mix of ancient heritage and modern endeavors within a single trip covering thousands of years of history.

The world’s largest network of high-speed trains connects bustling cities throughout China, making it easier than ever for visitors to experience the country’s diverse geography, ethnic groups and cuisines. China now also offers a visa-free transit policy for citizens of more than 50 countries, allowing entry through designated airports and ports for up to 10 days. Though a language barrier will likely come up during a visit, locals’ warmth and friendliness consistently shine through regardless of where a specific trip leads.

The eight experiences below appear in Lonely Planet, covering top things to do throughout China. They range from imperial palaces in Beijing to ice festivals in China’s far north, giving travelers considerable range across both geography and season. Fast, reliable high-speed rail connects most of these destinations, meaning travelers can realistically combine several stops on this list within a single well-planned itinerary instead of treating each region as a separate trip entirely. Provinces such as Sichuan and Gansu reward travelers specifically interested in nature and ancient trade history. In contrast, cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Xi’an offer considerably denser concentrations of major historic and cultural landmarks within walking or short subway distance of one another. Travelers $TRV -0.43% should budget genuinely realistic time between each stop, since China’s considerable overall geographic size genuinely means even the very fastest high-speed trains still genuinely require several hours to cover the distances between some of these specific regions covered throughout this particular list.

1. Beijing anchors China’s imperial history

zhang kaiyv / Unsplash

China’s world-class capital serves up a slew of sights that no savvy traveler should miss. The crown jewel of China’s imperial palaces, the Forbidden City, served as the seat of Ming and Qing dynasty emperors for more than 500 years, giving visitors genuine insight into centuries of imperial rule within a single sprawling complex. Jingshan Park and the Drum and Bell Towers offer a panoramic view of the city’s palaces and old quarters from above.

The Temple of Heaven, where emperors once prayed for a good harvest, stands as another genuine architectural gem worth exploring. With its lakes, pavilions, palaces and bridges, the Summer Palace ranks as a masterpiece of Chinese landscape design, rewarding visitors with hours of exploration across its considerable grounds.

Wandering through the former Legation Quarter and hútòngs, the traditional alleyways lined with courtyards and residences, offers a genuine window into the past, even though many have given way to modern development throughout the surrounding city. This blend of preserved historic neighborhoods and rapid modernization gives Beijing genuine range for travelers interested in both old and new China simultaneously.

No visit to Beijing would be complete without a walk along the Great Wall specifically. While Badaling ranks as the most famous section, Mutianyu sees considerably fewer tourists and stays accessible by foot and cable car, and the site even features a toboggan track visitors can ride down after reaching the top. Beijing’s subway system offers travelers a genuinely efficient way to move between these major sites, since the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace all sit reasonably close to dedicated subway stations. Travelers $TRV -0.43% should book Forbidden City tickets online in advance specifically, since the site limits daily visitor numbers and popular dates can sell out during peak domestic travel seasons. Comfortable walking shoes genuinely matter throughout a Beijing visit, given how much ground sites such as the Forbidden City and Summer Palace actually cover. A portable phone charger also helps considerably given how much navigation a full day between these spread-out sites genuinely requires.

2. Shanghai blends colonial architecture with modern art

Yifan Cong / Unsplash

The Bund showcases the genuine contrast between Shanghai’s historic colonial architecture and its iconic modern skyline, positioned just across the Huangpu River from one another. The tree-lined streets of the former French Concession, a foreign enclave from 1849 until 1943, stay dotted with European and old Shanghainese-style shíkùmén buildings, which today host trendy cafés and boutiques frequented by a genuinely fashionable crowd.

Shanghai has emerged as a genuinely world-class city for the arts, with the Yuz Museum, the Long........

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