Yangzhou (Yángzhōu [扬州]), known as a city of gardens and alleys, is a destination that makes a trip to China unforgettable. Little known to most foreign travelers, Yangzhou is a proud retainer of ancient Chinese architecture, art, culture, traditional gardens and parks, cuisine, leisure, and commerce in a beautiful mixture of modernity with its rich 2,500 year history. The demolition sledgehammer has not made much headway here, leaving an increasingly harder to find view into the past. All in all, Yangzhou is the ideal place to experience unique aspects of Chinese culture, and is a relaxing break from other overly developed and commercialized urban centers in the region.

Fast Facts About Yangzhou

While travelling through the lush green countryside of Jiangsu province no tourist should hurry past the charming city of Wuxi (无锡,pronounced "woo-shee"). For those who enjoy lingering a bit longer Wuxi is a great city to settle down, to be involved with, or to work or invest in. In a nutshell it is full of opportunities and friendly people.

The city was originally called "Youxi" - meaning "with tin" - until the tin was all mined. Now it is "Wuxi"  - "without tin" - but maybe tin is the only thing that is missing from this modernized city with a long and interesting history.

The centre of Wuxi is a neat little city with busy streets and large department stores as well as a myriad of back streets and alleys full of tiny stalls, family businesses, and local people eager to please. A wealth of beautiful parks and peaceful gardens along with amazing scenery are just a short walk or brief bus ride away.

Fast Facts About Wuxi

Wuxi Tourist Attractions

In China everything has a statistical number attached to it. The sign will say it is the biggest, or oldest, or even that it is the third or eight or twelfth biggest or most wondeful in this particular city or province.

Well, Wuxi can boast some pretty hefty “Number 1s" (or at least 2s or 3s) in tourism.

Many places boast a “Big Buddha”, but Wuxi’s bronze Ling Shan Buddha stands 88 metres tall and is a “must see”, along with the other attractions around his feet.

Lake Tai, or “Tai Hu”, is another marvel to behold. There are a number of exquisite gardens and other sites on and around the lake. For something really different you may choose to visit one or all of the movie sets on the shores of the lake.

Along with the great Buddha and Lake Tai there are the many waterways weaving their way around and through Wuxi. The Grand Canal is particularly special as it passes through the city on its way from Hangzhou to Beijing. The history of the Grand Canal is something well worth looking into as it was an incredible project undertaken by the Chinese. There are many beautiful gardens such as Li Yuan and the Plum Garden which bring pleasure and tranquility to all who wander through. Even in the city centre visitors will notice the close-by mountain peak which is part of the scenic delights in Xihui Park.

Nanjing (Nánjīng[南京]) has been an important educational, political and economic center in China for thousands of years.

To the traveler, Nanjing is most famous for the cultural remnants left behind by Nanjing’s long and influential history as the capital of six dynasties, the Taiping Rebellion, and the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang [国民党]) . Tourist attractions aside, Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province(Jiāngsūshěng [江苏省]), is a well-balanced city that currently attracts visitors for much more than just tourism.

Nanjing’s foreign student population is already quite large and steadily growing. The amount of foreign businessmen in Nanjing is ever-increasing as well. To the delight of all those that love Chinese food, Nanjing is home to many delicious restaurants, maybe even too many. Local "Nanjingren (Nánjīngrén [南京人])" could never try them all in their entire lifetime. Start with a few, and build your repertoire from there.

Fast Facts About Nanjing

Nanjing's Tourist Attractions

Nanjing, a city with a long and profound history, is most famous for its many historical and cultural attractions. The most dramatic reminder of Nanjing’s past as the capital of several Chinese dynasties is the great city wall, much of which is still intact.

Although Nanjing’s parks are not the main draw for tourists, Purple Mountain and Xuanwu Lake are still two excellent examples of Nanjing’s vast public grounds.  Purple Mountain is home to several of the most commonly visited tourist attractions including Dr. Sun Yat Sen’s Mausoleum and the Ming Tomb.

Xinjiekou,Hunan Road and Fuzimiao (Confucious Temple) could be considered tourist attractions, shopping areas, or even "eating areas."

Nanjing's Food

Nanjing boasts so many tasty Chinese restaurants that it is impossible to list all of them.  To get started, head for Lion’s Bridge. This is a logical starting point as the area offers a large selection and variety of restaurants all packed into one small place.  However, wherever you are in Nanjing, you won’t need to travel far to find some excellent traditional Chinese Huaiyang cuisine.

When traveling in China, it is of utmost importance to sample the local famous snacks in every city.  In Nanjing, some of these snacks are local specialties while others have been imported from other cities.  Click here for a quick overview of Nanjing’s specialty foods.

Nanjing does have a wide selection of foreign restaurants, but it is hard to determine which ones are authentic until you have tried them.  For that reason, first consult the reviews on Synotrip.