Every place I recommend is somewhere I've been myself — many of them multiple times. Here's my honest take on 35 cities across China.
History, culture, and food that'll change how you think about China
Beijing's elegant neighbour — European architecture, street food, and a relaxed riverside vibe
China's best-preserved ancient walled city — step back into the Ming Dynasty
China's winter wonderland — ice festivals, Russian architecture, and the best cold-weather food
A seaside escape in northern China — Russian architecture, beaches, and fresh seafood
The Manchurian capital — imperial palaces, vibrant street food, and Northeast China's beating heart
China's most dynamic city — futuristic skyline meets old-world charm
The legendary city of West Lake — tea plantations, classical gardens, and poetic beauty
The Venice of the East — classical gardens, silk heritage, and ancient canals
Where Chinese history breathes — six dynasties, Ming grandeur, and leafy boulevards
The mountain that inspired a thousand paintings — China's most beautiful peak
Where China's literary giants were born — canals, rice wine, and scholars' heritage
Home of the Terracotta Warriors and some of China's best street food
The ancient capital of 13 dynasties — Longmen Grottoes and peonies in spring
The crossroads of China — Yangtze river views, breakfast culture, and resilient spirit
China's most flavour-obsessed city — spicy food, fiery energy, and a night that never ends
The ancient town straight out of a Chinese painting — stilted houses, misty rivers, and Miao magic
The birthplace of dim sum and China's window to the world for 2,000 years
China's future, today — a tech metropolis built from nothing in 40 years
The landscape that inspired Chinese paintings — rice paddies and karst mountains
The postcard landscape you can climb, cycle, and raft through
China's most laid-back coastal city — colonial charm, island escapes, and sea breezes
Pandas, hotpot, and the most laid-back city in China
The mountain city — futuristic skyline, spicy hotpot, and Yangtze river nights
The Spring City — year-round perfect weather, ancient stone forests, and the gateway to Yunnan
A UNESCO Old Town, Naxi culture, and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain — the soul of Yunnan
Ancient town by Erhai Lake — Bai culture, cycling paths, and Yunnan's slowest pace of life
Gateway to Guizhou — mountain scenery, Miao and Dong cultures, and one of China's most underrated food scenes
Where the Silk Road met the desert — 1,000 years of cave art carved into sand
China's rainbow mountains — a landscape painted by nature over 24 million years
China's hottest city — where grapes, Uyghur culture, and ancient ruins meet the desert
The most 'Central Asia' city in China — a living Silk Road bazaar at the foot of the Pamir Mountains
The real-life Avatar mountains — China's most surreal landscape
China's most beautiful fairyland — turquoise lakes, waterfall cascades, and autumn colours that defy belief
The roof of the world — Tibet's spiritual heart at 3,650 metres above the sea