The Great Wall of China in Beijing
In the eyes of most travelers, you haven’t been to China unless you’ve climbed the Great Wall. Indeed, this wall is one of the country’s iconic symbols. The Great Wall is the longest wall in the world. This is an impressive feat of ancient defensive architecture. Its winding path over steep mountains offers stunning scenery. It therefore deserves its place among the “New Seven Wonders of the World.” It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Terracotta Army in Xi’an
The Terracotta Army has been buried underground for over 2,000 years. However, in 1974, farmers digging a well discovered one of the world’s largest archaeological sites. In 1987, it became a World Heritage Site.
The Forbidden City in Beijing
Once upon a time, there was a “city of palaces” where ordinary people were forbidden to enter. An extravagant display of ancient Chinese architecture. More than 8,000 rooms with gilded roofs. Elegantly designed and painted in red and yellow. This is how the Forbidden City is described.
Indeed, the Forbidden City was the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties for 560 years until 1911. Twenty-five emperors lived there. This world cultural heritage site is now known as the “Palace Museum” among the Chinese. It is an unparalleled treasure trove of Chinese cultural and historical relics.
The Bund in Shanghai
The Bund is one of Shanghai’s most recognizable architectural landmarks. It is known for its European colonial buildings and skyscrapers across the Huangpu River. The latter is home to one of the world’s most important business districts.
The Bund was the most prosperous area of Shanghai in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. When the first British company opened an office on the Bund in 1846, it became a symbol of elegance.
The Li River in Guilin
The karst landscape along the Li River has captured the hearts of artists. Generations of Chinese painters and poets have been inspired by the beauty of nature, using their pens and brushes to capture breathtaking natural landscapes.
Today, it’s an ideal destination for photography. When Chinese travelers look for a place of natural beauty, they first think of the Li River and Yangshuo.
The 83-km section of the Li River connecting Guilin to Yangshuo is the most beautiful. The river landscape stretches endlessly, with a backdrop of stunning hills, steep cliffs, and farming villages.
Giant pandas in Chengdu
The giant panda is deeply loved not only by the Chinese, but also by many foreigners, and not just children. While there are many zoos in China and elsewhere where you can see a giant panda, the best place to see them is Chengdu—the “hometown” of the giant panda.
You can see pandas up close: Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center, Dujiangyan Panda Valley and Bifengxia Panda Base.
The Yellow Mountains
In eastern China, near Shanghai and Hangzhou, the Yellow Mountain Scenic Area captivates travelers with its Five Wonders. Sunrises, seas of clouds, strangely shaped rocks, twisted pine trees, and hot springs.
The Yellow Mountains are China’s most famous peaks. They are also one of China’s top three national parks. The other two are Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Jiuzhaigou National Forest Park.
West Lake in Hangzhou
Hangzhou is known as China’s “paradise on earth” due to its beautifully designed landscape. West Lake was created out of the Chinese love of garden-style parks.
West Lake is a place of tranquility where the city becomes a silhouette on the northeast horizon and mountains, near and far, surround it on three other sides. The occasional pagoda and Chinese-style arched bridge add a special atmosphere to the tree-lined walkways, verdant islands, and hills.
