Save it now! Here is the guide for a two-day, one-night trip to Yangzhou!

Chengdu (Sichuan dialect international phonetic alphabet: /tsʰən˨˩tu˧sɿ˨˩˧/), also known as "Rongcheng", "Jinguancheng", "Jincheng", abbreviated as "Rong" and "Jin", is located in the central part of Sichuan Province, China, in the hinterland of the Chengdu Plain in the west of the Sichuan Basin. It is the capital of Sichuan Province, a sub-provincial city, and a national central city. It is the logistics, trade, finance, science and technology, culture, education center and transportation and communication hub in western China. It is also the location of the Joint Operations Command of the Western Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army of China [5] and a national pilot zone for coordinated urban and rural comprehensive supporting reforms. [6] The total permanent population of Chengdu is 21.403 million (2023 data) [7], and the Municipal People's Government is located at No. 2 Jinyue West Road, High-tech Zone. Chengdu is one of the cities in China that was developed earlier and has continued to prosper for a long time. According to the excavation records of the Jinsha Ruins, the history of Chengdu can be traced back to 3,200 years ago. [8] Chengdu was once the capital of nine regimes: Ancient Shu, Chengjia, Shu Han, Cheng Han, Qiao Shu, Former Shu, Later Shu, Li Shu, and Daxi. It is rich in the culture of the Three Kingdoms. Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, Chengdu has been famous for its prosperous agriculture, handicrafts and culture. It has been an important city in the political, economic, cultural and military center of southwest China. In the Han Dynasty, Chengdu was listed as one of the five major metropolises along with Luoyang. In the Tang Dynasty, commerce flourished and it was as famous as Yangzhou, known as "Yangzhou One and Yizhou Two" [9][10]. Chengdu has many famous places of interest such as Dujiangyan, Wuhou Temple, Du Fu Thatched Cottage, and Jinsha Ruins. It is one of the first national historical and cultural cities and one of the ten ancient capitals [11]. In 2007, it was named "China's Best Tourist City" by the National Tourism Administration of the People's Republic of China and the World Tourism Organization. [12][a] In 2009, the World Center for Excellent Tourism Destination Cities awarded Chengdu the title of "World Excellent Tourism Destination City". Chengdu is the first city in Asia to receive this honor. [13] In 2010, UNESCO approved Chengdu to join the UNESCO Global Creative Cities Network and awarded Chengdu the title of "Food Capital", making it the first "Food Capital" in Asia. [14] In 2021, the total GDP ranked second among the provincial capital cities in China, second only to Guangzhou, reaching 1,991.698 billion yuan. [15] According to the global city ranking analysis released by GaWC, Chengdu has been promoted to the "Beta+" echelon of global cities. [16] After the 2021 Summer World University Games [17] was held in Chengdu, the 2025 World Games will also be held in Chengdu.

Lianyungang, formerly known as Haizhou, is a prefecture-level city in Jiangsu Province, China. Located on the central coast of China, it borders the Yellow Sea to the east and connects to Xuzhou and Suqian to the west. The city covers a land area of 7,615 square kilometers and a sea area of 7,516 square kilometers. As of 2024, Lianyungang has a permanent population of 4.5817 million. The city is known for its coastal scenery and has two national 5A-level scenic spots: Liandao and Huaguo Mountain, along with 14 4A-level scenic areas.

Zhangjiajie City, formerly known as "Dayong", is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Hunan Province. It is one of the most important tourist cities in China, a national key ecological functional area, and an important ecological barrier in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The city has two districts and two counties under its jurisdiction, namely Yongding District, Wulingyuan District, Cili County, and Sangzhi County, with a total area of ​​9,533 square kilometers. [51] At the end of 2024, the permanent population of Zhangjiajie City was 1.4869 million. [90] Zhangjiajie City is located in the northwest of Hunan Province, in the middle and upper reaches of the Lishui River, and belongs to the hinterland of the Wuling Mountain Area. [1] It is the birthplace and central area of ​​the Hunan-Hubei-Chongqing-Guizhou Revolutionary Base. It was built for tourism. It is the window of Hunan's opening up, the living room for welcoming guests, the leader of all-region tourism, and the beautiful business card of Beautiful China. It is known as "an enlarged bonsai and a shrunken fairyland". [51] In September 1982, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park became China's first national forest park. In August 1988, Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan Scenic Area was listed as a national key scenic spot. In 1992, the Wulingyuan Scenic Area, which consists of three major scenic areas including Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, was listed in the World Natural Heritage List by UNESCO; in February 2004, it was listed in the world's first batch of World Geoparks; in 2007, it was listed in China's first batch of national 5A-level tourist attractions. [2] In 2017, Zhangjiajie City was awarded the honorary title of "National Forest City". [3] In 2024, Zhangjiajie City achieved a regional GDP of 65.44 billion yuan, an increase of 3.9% over the previous year.

The central area of Beijing, with many historical sites and cultural attractions. Dongcheng District, under the jurisdiction of Beijing, is located in the eastern center of Beijing. It borders Chaoyang District to the east and north, Fengtai District to the south, and Xicheng District to the west. It lies between 116°22′17″-116°26′46″ east longitude and 39°51′26″-39°58′22″ north latitude. The maximum distance from east to west is 5.2 kilometers, the maximum distance from north to south is 13 kilometers, and the total area is 41.84 square kilometers [57] [60]. As of October 2022, Dongcheng District has 17 sub-districts under its jurisdiction [34]. As of the end of 2023, Dongcheng District has a permanent population of 703,000. [46] Dongcheng District is the area with the most cultural relics and historical sites in Beijing. There are 16 national-level cultural relics protection sites in the district, accounting for 37% of Beijing; 60 municipal-level cultural relics protection sites, accounting for 24% of the city; and 57 district-level cultural relics protection sites. Among the famous 16 new Beijing scenes, the "Tian'an Beautiful Sun" and "Forbidden City Sunset", the ancient and mysterious Lama Temple, the Imperial Academy, the highest institution of learning in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, the "left ancestor and right community" Taimiao and Sheji Altar, the Beijing Ancient Observatory that explores the mysteries of the sky, the bell and drum tower of the Mingjin Leigu Time-telling Platform, the Wen Tianxiang Temple with its righteous spirit, and the Peking University Red Building have long been famous at home and abroad. In addition, there are a number of former residences of celebrities such as Mao Zedong, Mao Dun, Lao She, and Soong Ching Ling. In addition, there are Beijing residential courtyards. [60] In 2024, the GDP of Dongcheng District will increase by about 4.5% year-on-year; the district-level general public budget revenue will reach 19.5 billion yuan; the fixed asset investment will reach 27 billion yuan; the per capita disposable income of residents will increase by about 3% year-on-year; and the energy consumption per unit of GDP will decrease by about 5%. [76]

Harbin (Manchu: ᡥᠠᠯᠪᡳᠨ, Mulinde transliteration: Halbin), also known as Habu[5] or Hashi, is located in the northern part of China's Northeast Plain. It is the capital of Heilongjiang Province, the People's Republic of China,[6][7][8], a sub-provincial city, and an important regional center city in Northeast China.[7] Harbin is the political, economic, cultural and foreign-oriented center of northern Northeast China. It is also the largest city in China with the third largest registered population among provincial capitals.[9][8] The city's administrative area covers an area of ​​10,198 square kilometers.[10] The municipal government is located at No. 1 Century Avenue, Songbei District. It has 45 ethnic minorities and a variety of religious cultures. It is the only city in China where Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism, Orthodoxy, Christianity, and Islam coexist. [11] Harbin is located in the southern part of Heilongjiang Province. It has a temperate continental monsoon climate with an average annual temperature of only 5.2℃. The winter is cold and long, and the summer is warm and short. It is a winter ice and snow tourism and summer resort. It is famous for its annual International Ice and Snow Festival and its strong European style. It is also one of the first batch of excellent tourist cities in China[12] and a famous historical and cultural city in China[13]. Due to its geographical location, Harbin was a bridgehead for Tsarist Russia and the Soviet Union to connect with China and the Far East in the first half of the 20th century. It is also an important international trade city in northern China and one of the earliest international cities in China in the 1920s[14]. Harbin's urban architectural style is still deeply influenced by it. Various European-style buildings brought by early Russian, Eastern European, Jewish and other immigrants are scattered throughout the city. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it was gradually transformed into a central city with both industry and commerce. Today, Harbin still occupies an important position in international trade[15] and is the permanent rotating host city of the China-Russia Expo[16]. Harbin is known as the pearl of the Eurasian Continental Bridge and is an important hub of the First Eurasian Continental Bridge and the Sky Corridor[8]. According to the "Plan for Border Development and Opening-up in Northeastern Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia" approved by the State Council in 2013[17], Harbin is the center of the border development and opening-up channel, a regional central city in Northeast Asia[18], and also the core city in the northern part of the Harbin-Changchun urban agglomeration. The 9th Asian Winter Games will be held in Harbin in 2025[19].

Xi'an, formerly known as Haojing, Chang'an, Jingzhao, Xijing, and Yongzhou, is the capital city of Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China. It is located in the central part of China, in the south-central part of Shaanxi Province and in the middle of the Weihe Plain. It is a megacity, a national central city, and the core city of the Guanzhong urban agglomeration. Xi'an is a sub-provincial city and the political, economic, cultural, transportation, medical, and educational center of Shaanxi Province and even the northwest region[4][5][6][7]. The total permanent population is 12.9959 million. The Municipal People's Government is located in Weiyang Square, Fengcheng 8th Road, Weiyang District. Xi'an is a famous cultural and tourist city in China and even in the world. It has a very profound historical and cultural heritage and is well-known at home and abroad. It is the first city in Chinese history to be called Jing. It has a history of more than 3,100 years of city construction[8][9] and more than 1,070 years of capital history. In history, many prosperous dynasties, including Zhou, Qin, Western Han, Sui, and Tang, had their capitals here [10], which made Xi'an witness the peak period of openness, extroversion, martial spirit, and prosperity in Chinese history, and left a huge amount of relics. Xi'an currently has two of the six world cultural heritage sites and is also the starting point of the Silk Road [Note 1]. The main urban area of ​​Xi'an still retains the complete Ming Dynasty city walls and gates, moats and bridges, corner towers, urn cities, arrow towers and other facilities. In and around the city, there are a large number of ancient cultural relics such as the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang, the Han Yang Mausoleum, the ruins of the Han Chang'an City, and the ruins of the Tang Daming Palace, which are of extremely high archaeological research value. In terms of geography and transportation, Xi'an is located in the middle of the Weihe Plain in Guanzhong. The Weihe River, the largest tributary of the Yellow River, flows from the north of the city from southwest to northeast. There are also rivers such as the Chanhe River, the Bahe River, and the Jinghe River in the north and west. It is known as "Eight Rivers Surrounding Chang'an", all of which are ecological protection areas. It is adjacent to the northern slope of the Qinling Mountains in the south and is also close to the intersection of the climates of northern and southern China. Due to its geographical location in the center of the country, Xi'an is a gateway city and an important transportation hub for the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region to the northwest and southwest. It is also a must-go place for the northwest region to go to the eastern and southern regions of the country. Xi'an Railway Station is located on the Longhai Railway and is a hub station with huge transportation volume. Xi'an currently has the 4F-level Xi'an Xianyang International Airport and domestic high-speed rail transportation hubs such as Xi'an North Station. In terms of urban transportation, Xi'an currently has 11 operating subway lines with a total mileage of 403 kilometers. It also operates the Xihu Line of the urban rail and the tram Gaoxin Yunba. Xi'an is one of China's national central cities, an important city in the Silk Road Economic Belt, the New Eurasian Continental Bridge and the Yellow River Basin, and the economic, technological, educational, energy, financial, cultural and commercial center of the Guanzhong Urban Agglomeration. Its Yanliang District is an important aviation industry base in China. In 2009, the State Council approved the "Development Plan for the Guanzhong-Tianshui Economic Zone", proposing to build Xi'an into an important national science and technology research and development center, a regional trade, logistics, exhibition center, a regional financial center, a world-class tourist destination, and an important national high-tech industry and advanced manufacturing base, and strive to build Xi'an into an international metropolis. In 2013, the State Council approved the establishment of Xixian New Area, becoming China's seventh national new area. Most of the areas under the jurisdiction of the China (Shaanxi) Pilot Free Trade Zone established in 2017 are located in Xi'an. In February 2018, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development issued the "Development Plan for the Guanzhong Plain Urban Agglomeration" to support Xi'an in building a national central city, an international comprehensive transportation hub, and an international metropolis with historical and cultural characteristics. In terms of administrative divisions, it currently has jurisdiction over 11 districts and 2 counties and fully administers Xixian New Area, with a total area of ​​about 10,700 square kilometers (including Xixian New Area), and several officially designated economic management zones such as the High-tech Zone, Qujiang New Area, and Economic Development Zone. The Xi'an Municipal Party Committee, Municipal Government and other party and government agencies are located in the administrative center of Weiyang District.

Qinhuangdao City, referred to as "Qin", also known as the Port City, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Hebei Province. It is a Type II large city [54]. It is located in the northeastern part of Hebei Province in North China, bordering the Bohai Sea to the south, Yanshan Mountain to the north, Liaoning to the east, and Beijing and Tianjin to the west. It is located at the junction of the two major economic zones of North China and Northeast China, and is located in the central area of ​​the Bohai Rim Economic Circle. It is an important functional area of ​​the capital economic circle [2-4] and one of the first coastal open cities. Qinhuangdao City is an important node city, a modern marine city, and a national comprehensive transportation hub city in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region approved by the State Council. It is a national coastal tourism destination [1] [95]. As of 2024, Qinhuangdao City has 4 districts and 3 counties under its jurisdiction, with a land area of ​​7,802 square kilometers, a sea area of ​​1,805 square kilometers, and a permanent population of 3.1114 million. [114] Qinhuangdao City was named after the emperor Qin Shi Huang, who sent people to the sea to seek immortality during his eastern tour. It is the only city in China named after an emperor. [97] It is 280 kilometers from Beijing, 240 kilometers from Tianjin, and 380 kilometers from Shenyang. [93] Five national railway trunk lines, namely the Beijing-Shanhai Railway, Beijing-Qinhuangdao Railway, Daqin Railway, Qinshen Railway, and Shenshan Railway, intersect here. The Tianjin-Qinhuangdao High-speed Railway, Beijing-Shenyang Expressway, Qinbin Expressway, Chengqin Expressway, Qinhuangdao-Shenyang Expressway, Beijing-Qinhuangdao Expressway, and Qintang Expressway run through the entire area. [102] Shanhaiguan District is a national historical and cultural city [5] [40] [58-59]. Qinhuangdao Port is the world's largest energy export port [86] and China's earliest independent trading port.

Guangzhou City (Guangzhou City, Canton [166]), referred to as "Sui", also known as Yangcheng, Huacheng, and Wuyangcheng, [162] is a prefecture-level city, provincial capital, sub-provincial city, national central city, megacity, [53] a world-class city under the jurisdiction of Guangdong Province. It is located in the south-central part of Guangdong Province and the northern edge of the Pearl River Delta [46] [81], with a total area of ​​7,434.40 square kilometers [1] [14]. The common languages ​​are Cantonese and Mandarin. [35] As of March 2025, Guangzhou City has 11 districts under its jurisdiction. As of the end of 2024, Guangzhou City has a permanent population of 18.978 million. [448] Guangzhou City has a significant marine climate, and both the ocean and the continent have a significant impact on Guangzhou's climate. [115] [116] Guangzhou City is a hilly area, with high terrain in the northeast and low terrain in the southwest. [34] As early as the Neolithic period six or seven thousand years ago, our ancestors lived and multiplied on this land. [82] The city of Guangzhou in the Qin Dynasty was named Renxiao City because it was built by the Qin general Renxiao. Its official name is Panyu City. [113] In the third year of Shunzhi in the Qing Dynasty (1646), Zhu Yuanzhang's descendants proclaimed themselves emperors in Guangzhou, with the reign title "Shaowu". This was known as the "Southern Ming" regime, which lasted only 40 days. [113] On October 14, 1949, Guangzhou was liberated and became a centrally administered municipality. In 1950, it was changed to the leadership of the Central South Military and Political Committee. In 1954, it was transferred to the leadership of Guangdong Province and became a provincial-level city. In 1994, it was upgraded to a sub-provincial city. [226] Guangzhou is the core city of the Guangzhou Metropolitan Area. It is an important central city, international trade center and comprehensive transportation hub in China approved by the State Council. [80] It is an international trade center, a national advanced manufacturing base, a comprehensive portal, and an important carrier of the international science and technology innovation center. [76] [169] [413] Guangzhou's main industries are shipping services, science and technology services, special finance, international trade, professional services and other productive services. [125] Guangzhou is one of the first national historical and cultural cities, one of the starting points of the Maritime Silk Road, and is known as the "Millennium Commercial Capital". It has been a place where Chinese and foreign cultures have blended since ancient times, one of the birthplaces of Cantonese culture, and the headquarters of China's Southern Theater Command. [170-171] In 2024, Guangzhou's GDP will be 3,103.25 billion yuan, an increase of 2.1% over the previous year at comparable prices.