Travel highlights
Located in the south-central part of Guangdong Province and the core hub of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Guangzhou is a historic millennial commercial city and a dynamic international metropolis in China. Boasting more than 2,200 years of profound history and splendid Lingnan culture, the city perfectly integrates traditional ancient charm and modern urban vitality. It features well-preserved historic relics, exquisite Lingnan architecture, diverse traditional folk customs, authentic Cantonese cuisine, and prosperous urban landscapes, attracting numerous tourists and scholars from all over the world throughout the year.

1. Canton Tower

Canton Tower, commonly known as the "Xiaomanyao", is a landmark supertall skyscraper situated along the Pearl River in Guangzhou. With a unique twisted waist design and a total height of 600 meters, it ranks among the most iconic modern architectures in southern China. As a comprehensive sightseeing, entertainment and cultural venue, the tower offers a panoramic bird’s-eye view of Guangzhou’s urban scenery and the winding Pearl River. Visitors can enjoy high-altitude sightseeing, experience extreme amusement projects, and appreciate gorgeous night light shows. It is the most representative urban symbol of modern Guangzhou and a must-visit attraction for global tourists.

2. Shamian Island

Shamian Island is a historic and elegant riverside island located in the Liwan District of Guangzhou, serving as an important witness of the city’s Sino-Western cultural integration. Covering a quiet and exquisite area along the Pearl River, the island preserves a large number of well-built European-style architectures dating back to the 19th and early 20th centuries, including Gothic, Baroque and neoclassical styles. Lush banyan trees line the clean roads, forming a peaceful and romantic urban oasis. Different from the bustling downtown area, Shamian Island features tranquil scenery, exotic architectural styles and profound historical heritage, perfectly interpreting the inclusive and diverse cultural temperament of old Guangzhou.

3. Chen Clan Academy (Chen’s Ancestral Hall)

The Chen Clan Academy is a classic masterpiece of traditional Lingnan architecture and a key national cultural relic protection site in China. Built in the late Qing Dynasty, the ancient complex adopts a rigorous symmetrical layout, consisting of numerous halls, corridors and courtyards. It is famous for its exquisite three major decorative arts: brick carving, wood carving and pottery sculpture, with vivid and delicate patterns reflecting the unique aesthetic and folk culture of Lingnan region. Serving as a traditional ancestral hall and folk art museum, it fully displays the splendid traditional craftsmanship, architectural wisdom and cultural heritage of ancient Guangzhou, and is hailed as the "Pearl of Lingnan Ancient Architecture".

4. Baiyun Mountain

Baiyun Mountain, known as the "First Mountain of Guangzhou", is a national AAAAA-level scenic spot and the core ecological landscape of Guangzhou urban area. Located in the northern suburb of Guangzhou, the mountain is covered with dense vegetation all year round. It is famous for its lingering white clouds and mist in rainy and sunny days, hence its name. The scenic area integrates natural mountain scenery, forest ecology, cultural relics and leisure tourism, with multiple functional scenic spots. It not only provides citizens and tourists with a quiet natural resort away from urban noise, but also carries a wealth of historical poems and cultural stories, being a symbolic natural landscape of Guangzhou.

5. Pearl River Night Cruise

The Pearl River is the mother river of Guangzhou, witnessing the city’s thousands of years of development and changes. The Pearl River Night Cruise is the most classic tourism experience in Guangzhou. Along the golden waterway of the Pearl River, visitors can cruise through the core urban area, enjoying the dazzling night scenery including Canton Tower, Haixinsha Stadium, Pearl River New Town CBD and other landmark buildings. The brilliant urban lights, flowing river water and cross-river bridges complement each other, presenting a prosperous and gorgeous night landscape of modern Guangzhou, which is highly praised by tourists at home and abroad.

6. Beijing Road Pedestrian Street

With a history of more than 2,000 years, Beijing Road Pedestrian Street is the oldest and most prosperous commercial street in Guangzhou, and the core birthplace of the city’s urban civilization. The street perfectly combines ancient historical relics and modern commercial fashion. The well-preserved ancient road ruins of successive dynasties are displayed in the core area, witnessing the vicissitudes of Guangzhou’s millennial business prosperity. Gathering a large number of time-honored Cantonese catering brands, specialty snacks and trendy shopping stores, it integrates culture, commerce, tourism and leisure, and is an iconic urban business and cultural landmark that embodies the integration of ancient and modern Guangzhou.