East China Travel Guides
Source-checked city travel guides in East China: attractions, itineraries, local food, and practical tips.
East China is the Yangtze Delta and the old Jiangnan circuit: gardens, canals, and the port cities most English-language first trips mean by "east of Shanghai." High-speed rail ties Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Nanjing into one loop you can ride without flying.
West of the lake cities, Huangshan is the mountain add-on in Anhui. North along the coast sit Qingdao and Jinan. The city pages below are for the stops, not a substitute for a visa or a train ticket — they tell you what is on the ground and how the days fit.
Anqing Travel Guide: Yingjiang Temple, Pagoda and Tianzhu
Anqing travel guide: Yingjiang Temple and the Ming Zhenfeng Pagoda on the Yangtze, Tianzhu Mountain, Huangmei opera, local food, and a two-to-three-day route.
Bengbu Travel Guide: Longzi Lake and Huai River Hub
Bengbu travel guide: Longzi Lake park loops, Huai River rail connections toward Hefei and Chuzhou, museum rain plans, food tips and a realistic 1–2 day stop.
Binzhou Travel Guide: Yellow River Bridges and Wei Manor
Binzhou travel guide: Yellow River bridge viewpoints, Wei Manor as a Qing merchant-house detour, plain-city pacing and a realistic 1–2 day stop.
Bozhou Travel Guide: Huaxilou and Medicine Capital
Bozhou travel guide: Huaxilou opera tower, Chinese medicine market streets, Cao Cao underground tunnels, plain-city food and a clear 2–3 day Anhui plan.
Changzhou Travel Guide: Tianning Temple and Canal City
Changzhou travel guide: Tianning Temple’s towering pagoda, Jiangsu canal-city walks, theme-park trade-offs on the Shanghai–Nanjing corridor and a practical.
Chizhou Travel Guide: Jiuhua Mountain Pilgrimage
Chizhou travel guide: Mount Jiuhua temple circuits, Baisui Palace overlook, where to sleep on the mountain versus in town, and a clear 2–3 day pilgrimage plan.
Chuzhou Travel Guide: Langya Mountain and Zuiweng Pavilion
Chuzhou travel guide: Zuiweng Pavilion literary stop, Langya Mountain park loops, Ouyang Xiu context without homework, and a realistic 1–2 day Anhui plan.
Dezhou Travel Guide: Canal Walks and Braised Chicken
Dezhou travel guide: South Canal park walks, canal-town pacing, famous braised chicken, and a practical two-day Shandong stop.
Dongying Travel Guide: Yellow River Estuary and Delta
Dongying travel guide: how to plan a Yellow River estuary day, when birds and the red Suaeda flats peak, where to sleep, and what the oil city is good for.
Fuyang Travel Guide: West Lake and Shaying River
Fuyang travel guide: Yingzhou West Lake walks, Shaying River city pacing, northern Anhui food, and a practical two-day plan.
Fuzhou Jiangxi Travel Guide: Fuhe and Linchuan
Jiangxi Fuzhou travel guide: Fuhe river walks, Linchuan Tang Xianzu culture, optional Liukeng village, clearly not Fujian Fuzhou.
Fuzhou Travel Guide: Three Lanes, West Lake, Drum Mountain
Fuzhou travel guide: Sanfang Qixiang walking order, West Lake park time, Drum Mountain and Yongquan Temple, with Min cuisine tips and a three-day plan.
Ganzhou Travel Guide: Song Wall, Bajing, Tongtianyan
Ganzhou travel guide: Song city wall and Bajing Pavilion walks, Tongtianyan grotto day, and a practical southern Jiangxi plan.
Hangzhou Travel Guide: West Lake, Lingyin and 3 Days
Hangzhou in two or three days: walking West Lake's causeways, booking free Lingyin entry 7 days ahead, Leifeng at sunset, Liuhe and the Qiantang, and what to eat.
Hefei Travel Guide: Lord Bao, Baohe, Sanhe Town
Hefei travel guide: Baogong Park and Baohe visit order, Sanhe ancient town day trip, Qingfeng Pavilion views, with Anhui capital food tips.
Heze Travel Guide: Peony Season, Caozhou Garden and Food
Heze travel guide: when the April peonies peak, booking Caozhou Peony Garden, Heze East trains, Shanxian lamb soup, off-season options and a 2-day plan.
Huai'an Travel Guide: Zhou Enlai's Hometown and Canal
Huai'an travel guide: Zhou Enlai's former residence, Zhenhuai Lou, Hexia and the Grand Canal, Huaiyang food, Xuyi crayfish, trains and a 2-day plan.
Huaibei Travel Guide: Xiangshan, Nanhu and Grand Canal
Huaibei travel guide: the Sui-Tang Grand Canal museum and Liuzi dig site, Linhuan's stick-tea teahouses, Xiangshan park, Nanhu wetland and a 1–2 day plan.
Huainan Travel Guide: Bagongshan, Tofu and Shou County
Huainan travel guide: Bagongshan's legends and trails, the tofu origin story, beef soup breakfasts, Shou County's Song-era walls, rail links and a 2-day plan.
Huangshan Travel Guide: Mountain, Hongcun, Xidi and 3 Days
Plan Huangshan: Mount Huangshan tickets and cable cars, Hongcun and Xidi villages, Tunxi Old Street and Shexian's Xuguo Arch, Hui food and a three-day route.
Huzhou Travel Guide: Nanxun Water Town, Taihu, Moganshan
Huzhou travel guide: Nanxun's silk-merchant mansions and canals, fast trains from Shanghai, Lake Tai, Moganshan and Anji bamboo, food and a 2-day plan.
Ji'an Travel Guide: Bailuzhou, Jinggangshan, Jizhou Kiln
Ji'an travel guide: Bailuzhou Academy and old Luling, the Jizhou kiln, Qingyuan Mountain, a Jinggangshan overnight, trains, food and a 3-day plan.
Jiaxing Travel Guide: South Lake, Wuzhen and Xitang
Jiaxing travel guide: South Lake and the Red Boat, choosing between Wuzhen and Xitang, the Qiantang tidal bore at Haining, zongzi, fast trains and a 3-day plan.
Jinan Travel Guide: Baotu Spring, Daming Lake, 3 Days
Jinan travel guide: Baotu and Black Tiger springs, Daming Lake, Qianfo Mountain, the Shandong Museum and Four Gates Pagoda, with timing, food and 3 days.
Jingdezhen Travel Guide: Kilns, Studios and Porcelain Markets
Jingdezhen travel guide: the 2026 World Heritage porcelain sites, Ancient Kiln, Taoxichuan's weekend market, Yaoli and Gaoling, trains, food and a 3-day plan.
Jinhua Travel Guide: Caves, Hengdian Studios, Zhuge Village
Jinhua travel guide: lying flat in a boat into Shuanglong Cave, Hengdian World Studios by high-speed train, Zhuge Village, Jinhua ham, Yiwu and a 3-day plan.
Jining Travel Guide: Qufu Confucius Sites, Canal, Mencius
Jining travel guide: Qufu's Temple, Mansion and Cemetery of Confucius, Zoucheng's Mencius Temple, Taibai Tower on the Grand Canal, trains and a 2-3 day plan.
Jiujiang Travel Guide: Mount Lu, Xunyang Tower and Poyang
Jiujiang travel guide: a night on Mount Lu at Guling, the villas and fog, Xunyang Tower on the Yangtze, Poyang Lake cranes in winter, trains and a 3-day plan.
Lianyungang Travel Guide: Huaguoshan, Liandao, Kongwang Shan
Lianyungang travel guide: the Monkey King's Huaguoshan and Jiangsu's highest peak, Liandao's beaches and sea wall, Kongwang Shan's Han carvings, and 3 days.
Liaocheng Travel Guide: Guangyue Tower, Dongchang Lake, Canal
Liaocheng travel guide: the Ming Guangyue Tower in the walled old city, the moat lake around it, the Shanshaan Guild Hall of canal merchants, and a 2-day plan.
Linyi Travel Guide: Wang Xizhi Residence, Art of War Slips
Linyi travel guide: Wang Xizhi's boyhood home and inkstone pond, the Yinqueshan museum of Art of War bamboo slips, Mount Meng in the Yimeng hills, and 2 days.
Lishui Travel Guide: Yunhe Terraces, Xiandu, Longquan Celadon
Lishui travel guide: the 700-level Yunhe rice terraces, Xiandu's Dinghu Peak, Longquan celadon kilns, Songyang villages, the new airport and a 3-day plan.
Longyan Travel Guide: Yongding Tulou and Hakka Courts
Longyan travel guide: Yongding Hakka tulou clusters, Hongkeng and Gaobei pacing, Guanzhai mountain as a separate day, and a 2–3 day Fujian plan.
Lu'an Travel Guide: Tiantangzhai, Dabie Mountains, Guapian Tea
Lu'an travel guide: Tiantangzhai's waterfalls and ridges in the Dabie Mountains, Wanfo Lake, Liu'an Guapian tea country, Hefei–Wuhan trains and a 3-day plan.
Ma'anshan Travel Guide: Caishi Rock and Li Bai
Ma'anshan travel guide: Caishi Rock Yangtze cliffs, Taibai Tower poetry stop, Santai Pavilion option, and a 2–3 day Anhui river plan beside Nanjing.
Nanchang Travel Guide: Tengwang Pavilion and Gan River
Nanchang travel guide: Tengwang Pavilion river views, Bayi Square history stop, Qiushui Square evening lights, and a 2–3 day Jiangxi capital plan.
Nanjing Travel Guide: Purple Mountain, Qinhuai and 3 Days
Nanjing travel guide: Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Ming Xiaoling, the Presidential Palace, Xuanwu Lake, Fuzimiao and Old South Gate, with tickets, food and 3 days.
Nanping Travel Guide: Mount Wuyi Raft and Tianyou
Nanping travel guide: Mount Wuyi UNESCO bamboo raft on Nine-Bend Stream, Tianyou Peak climb, Da Hong Pao tea framing, and a 2–3 day Fujian plan.
Nantong Travel Guide: Wolf Hill, Hao River and Getting Around
Nantong travel guide: reach Wolf Hill on Metro Line 1, walk the Hao River moat, use Nantong West for Shanghai trains, and plan one or two easy days.
Ningbo Travel Guide: Tianyi Pavilion and Port City
Ningbo travel guide: Sanjiangkou, Tianyi Pavilion, Old Bund, Baoguo Temple, Dongqian Lake and Tiantong Temple, with a 3-day itinerary and Yongbang food tips.
Ningde Travel Guide: Xiapu Mudflats and Taimushan
Ningde travel guide: Xiapu tide-table photography, Taimushan mountain-sea day in Fuding, east Fujian seafood logistics, and a 2–3 day coast plan.
Pingxiang Travel Guide: Wugong Mountain Meadows by Bus
Pingxiang travel guide: bus from Pingxiang North to Wugong Mountain, the two cable cars to Jinding, hiking versus riding, summit nights and an Anyuan side trip.
Putian Travel Guide: Meizhou Island Ferry and Mazu Temple
Putian travel guide: bus K09 to Wenjia pier, the year-round Meizhou ferry timetable, a Mazu ancestral temple visit, island coast walks and festival crowds.
Qingdao Travel Guide: Old Town, Beer and a 3-Day Plan
Plan a Qingdao trip: Zhanqiao Pier and the German old town, Badaguan villas, the beer museum, May Fourth Square and Mount Lao, with a three-day route.
Quanzhou Travel Guide: Old Town, Luoyang Bridge, Chongwu
Quanzhou travel guide: walk Kaiyuan Temple, West Street and Tumen Street, add Qingyuan Mountain and Luoyang Bridge, and Chongwu via Quanzhou East.
Quzhou Travel Guide: Jianglang, Longyou Grottoes, Nanzong
Quzhou travel guide: book the free Southern Confucius Temple, take bus 202 from Jiangshan to Jianglang Mountain, see the Longyou Grottoes, in two or three days.
Rizhao Travel Guide: Wanpingkou Beach, Lighthouse and Tea
Rizhao travel guide: bus K1 from Rizhao West to Wanpingkou Beach, the lighthouse headland, the ancient ginkgo at Fulai Mountain, green tea and a 2-day plan.
Sanming Travel Guide: Taining Golden Lake and Danxia Gorges
Sanming travel guide: trains from Fuzhou to Taining, shuttles to Dajinhu, Shangqing Stream and Zhaixia Canyon, the Ganlu cliff temple and a 2-day plan.
Shanghai Travel Guide: 3-Day Itinerary for a First Trip
Shanghai travel guide: a three-day plan for the Bund, Yu Garden, the French Concession, Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai Museum, with closing days and food.
Shangrao Travel Guide: Mount Sanqing Routes and Wuyuan
Shangrao travel guide: buses from Shangrao Station to Mount Sanqing's south and east cable cars, which gate to choose, where to sleep and a 3-day plan.
Shaoxing Travel Guide: Lu Xun's Home, Shen Garden, Lanting
Shaoxing travel guide: metro from Hangzhou and Shaoxing North, Lu Xun Native Place, Shen Garden, the Orchid Pavilion, East Lake, Keyan and the Yu Mausoleum.
Suqian Travel Guide: Luoma Lake and Grand Canal (2–3 Day Route)
Suqian travel guide: Luoma Lake sunset shores, Grand Canal city walks, Xiang Yu heritage parks, with a two-to-three-day northern Jiangsu itinerary.
Suzhou (Anhui) Travel Guide: Huangzangyu, Lingbi Stone, Pears
Suzhou, Anhui (not the Jiangsu garden city) travel guide: Huangzangyu forest in Xiao County, Lingbi stones, Dangshan pear blossom and Suzhou East station.
Suzhou Travel Guide: Gardens, Water Towns and 3 Days
Suzhou in two or three days: booking the Humble Administrator's Garden, Tiger Hill and Hanshan Temple, Pingjiang Road, a Zhouzhuang day trip and Suzhou food.
Tai'an Travel Guide: Climbing Mount Tai and the Dai Temple
Tai'an travel guide: how to climb Mount Tai (Red Gate route, buses, cable cars, night climbs), 2026 tickets, the Dai Temple, and where Qufu and Jinan fit.
Taizhou (Jiangsu) Travel Guide: Fengcheng River and Qinhu (2–3 Day Route)
Taizhou Jiangsu travel guide: Fengcheng River old-city walks, Qingfeng Pavilion views, Guangxiao Temple, Qinhu wetland day, with a two-to-three-day canal-city itinerary.
Taizhou (Zhejiang) Travel Guide: Tiantai, Guoqing, Shenxianju
Taizhou, Zhejiang travel guide: free Guoqing Temple on Mount Tiantai, Shenxianju's cliff walks and cable cars, Linhai's old city wall, trains and a 3-day plan.
Tongling Travel Guide: Copper Capital on the Yangtze
Tongling travel guide: 3,000 years of copper, bronzes in the free city museum, Tianjing Lake, the old river port of Datong and Heyuezhou island, and trains.
Weifang Travel Guide: Kite Museum, Shihu Garden, Yangjiabu
Weifang travel guide: the free World Kite Museum, the April kite festival, tiny Shihu Garden and its Zheng Banqiao works, Yangjiabu prints and chaotianguo.
Weihai Travel Guide: Liugong Island, Chengshantou, Seafood
Weihai travel guide: the Liugong Island ferry and 1895 Beiyang Fleet museum, sunrise at Chengshantou cape, bay walks, seafood, 2026 tickets and a 3-day plan.
Wenzhou Travel Guide: Jiangxin Island, Pagodas, and Ou River Pace (3-Day Route)
Wenzhou travel guide: Jiangxin Island temple and pagoda visit, Ou River ferry framing, city food stops, with a three-day Zhejiang coastal itinerary.
Wuhu Travel Guide: Yangtze Bridges, River Parks, and Anhui Gate (3-Day Route)
Wuhu travel guide: Yangtze River Bridge views, riverside parks, city walking order, with a three-day Anhui itinerary.
Wuxi Travel Guide: 5 Stops on Taihu (3-Day Route)
Wuxi travel guide: Yuantouzhu, the Lingshan Grand Buddha, Jichang Garden, Qingming Bridge and Liyuan, with a three-day itinerary and Wuxi spare-rib tips.
Xinyu Travel Guide: Fairy Lake Islands and Wetland Walks (2-Day Route)
Xinyu travel guide: Fairy Lake island and boat day, Kongmu River wetland walks, compact steel-city logistics, with a two-day western Jiangxi itinerary.
Xuancheng Travel Guide: Jingting Mountain, Poetry Hills, and Anhui South (3-Day Route)
Xuancheng travel guide: Jingting Mountain paths, city overlooks, southern Anhui pacing, with a three-day itinerary.
Xuzhou Travel Guide: Yunlong Lake, Museums, and Jiangsu North Hub (3-Day Route)
Xuzhou travel guide: Yunlong Lake walking order, city museum stop, rail-hub framing, with a three-day Jiangsu itinerary.
Yancheng Travel Guide: Coastal Wetlands and Crane Season (2–3 Day Route)
Yancheng travel guide: Yellow Sea wetland pacing, Père David's deer reserves, winter crane framing, with a two-to-three-day Jiangsu itinerary.
Yangzhou Travel Guide: 6 Stops in the Canal City (3-Day Route)
Yangzhou travel guide: Slender West Lake, Geyuan, Heyuan, Dongguan Street, Daming Temple, and the Grand Canal Museum, with a three-day itinerary and food tips.
Yantai Travel Guide: Yantai Mountain, Coast, and Zhifu Bay (3-Day Route)
Yantai travel guide: Yantai Mountain lighthouse visit order, Zhifu coastal walks, Penglai day-trip framing, with a three-day Shandong seaside itinerary.
Yichun Travel Guide: Mingyue Cliffs, Hot Springs, and Jiangxi (Not Heilongjiang)
Yichun (Jiangxi) travel guide: Mingyue Mountain cliff walks, Wenquan hot-spring evenings, city parks, clarifying this is not Heilongjiang Yichun, with a three-day itinerary.
Yingtan Travel Guide: Mount Longhu Danxia and Taoist Towns (2–3 Day Route)
Yingtan travel guide: Mount Longhu danxia and Luxi River raft day, Shangqing Taoist town option, cliff tomb viewing, with a two-to-three-day northeastern Jiangxi itinerary.
Zaozhuang Travel Guide: Taierzhuang Ancient Town and Canal Water Days (3-Day Route)
Zaozhuang travel guide: Taierzhuang canal-town walking order, wartime memory framing, optional Weishan Lake water time, with a three-day Shandong itinerary.
Zhangzhou Travel Guide: Tianluokeng Tulou, City Base, and Coastal Options (3-Day Route)
Zhangzhou travel guide: Tianluokeng Tulou day framing, Zhangzhou urban base tradeoffs, Dongshan coast options, with a three-day Fujian itinerary.
Zhenjiang Travel Guide: Jinshan, Vinegar, and the River Hills (2-Day Route)
Zhenjiang travel guide: Jinshan Temple visit order, vinegar and river-hill framing, Beigu and Jiaoshan tradeoffs, with a two-day Jiangsu itinerary.
Zhoushan Travel Guide: Mount Putuo Pilgrimage Island (2–3 Day Route)
Zhoushan travel guide: Putuo island temple visit order, ferry pacing, Zhoushan city as hinge, with a two-to-three-day Zhejiang itinerary.
Zibo Travel Guide: Zhoucun Ancient Town, City Museum, and Qi Memory (3-Day Route)
Zibo travel guide: Zhoucun old street visit, Zibo museum stop, pottery heritage framing, with a three-day Shandong itinerary.