Nihau, Guangzhou! A guide to the ancient city of South China

At first sight, Guangzhou does not make any special impression on a tourist. There are a lot of people here, which is normal for a Chinese city. And a lot of greenery, which is normal for a southern city. But before you get disappointed in the capital of Guangdong province, look in a historical guidebook or at the worst in a travel guide. Guangzhou is an ancient city. It is more than 2,000 years old, and it is from here that the Great Silk Road started. This region has managed to retain an exceptional flavor despite the fact that it has long become a world center of trade and industry.

What to see in Guangzhou
The attentive tourist will find hundreds of artifacts and natural monuments in Guangzhou, and all of them will be strikingly different from each other. The city stands on the clear, full-flowing Pearl River, which, strangely enough, blends harmoniously into the urbanized landscape. The banks of the waterway are connected by 10 bridges - at nightfall they are illuminated with neon lights. So having fun on cruise ships and strolling along the waterfront is better in the evening.

Even on the banks of the Pearl River there are many attractions, and one of them is the Canton TV Tower. Its height reaches 600 meters! The TV Tower is popular primarily because of the Ferris wheel, which is located at the top of the structure. From here you can enjoy a marvelous view of the city.

On the waters of the river drifts the famous island of Shamian, recognized as an object of cultural significance. There is no Chinese architecture here - it is solidly built up with colonial mansions. After the Second Opium War, Shamian was given to the French and British allies and remained their possession for about 80 years. When the island returned under the Chinese government, nothing was changed on this territory.

Baiyun Mountains are located 15 km from the center of Guangzhou. Business-minded Chinese even here managed to organize a tourist complex with Buddhist temples, observation decks and a cable car. By the way, the Baiyun Mountains have been a climatic resort for an indecently long time - people came here for vacation as far back as the 5th century BC.

Those who love architecture, there is also something to see in Guangzhou. The Temple of Five Spirits is a monumental embodiment of the legend about the origin of the city. It is said that God knows when there was a small village on this land, whose inhabitants suffered from hunger. One day, five spirits descended from heaven to earth. Each of them sat on a goat and held a bundle of rice. The divine beings gave the stalks to the people and promised that their area would now become prosperous. And so it did. In gratitude to the gods, Cantonese people erected a temple of the Five Spirits, and the statue of five goats became the symbol of the city. You can admire the stone sculpture in the picturesque Yuseyu Park. It is funny to say, but Guangzhou even publishes a newspaper called "Goat City Evening".

The Temple of Six Banyan Trees is another religious attraction in the city. Tourists are attracted by its octagonal flower pagoda, by the way, the tallest in Guangzhou. Inside the temple, you can see ancient wood carvings decorated with gold and red paint.

Shopaholics will appreciate the city's main shopping hotspot, Beijing Pedestrian Street, which is at least 700 years old. Everything from antiques to modern electronics are sold here. When it comes to clothing, the only things you won't find in local stores are goods from the world's luxury brands. You should hunt for them in large shopping centers.

If you want to get acquainted with the history of Guangzhou, be sure to visit the Mausoleum of King Nanyue. The building itself was built not so long ago, but the exhibits on display are more than 2,000 years old. The tomb of King Zhaomei, the ruler of Nanyue, was discovered in 1983, at which time the excavations revealed valuable objects of Chinese culture. Unique furnishings, the oldest screens, a burial suit made of jadeite - about 1,000 items Zhaomei ordered to be buried with him. Now these ancient treasures are on public display.

Tourists with children should visit the entertainment park complex Chimelong Paradise & Waterpark, which consists of an amusement park, water park, safari park and circus. Those who have been there, assure: Guangzhou circus is not worse than Dusolei. It is better to visit the complex on a weekday - the queues are smaller than on weekends.

What to eat in Guangzhou
Have you ever noticed that Chinese restaurants in Europe most often serve Cantonese cuisine? This is because it is insanely popular not only among the Chinese, but also outside the country. In Guangdong province, in addition to meat, it is customary to eat offal, as well as insects, snakes, snails and other creatures of God.

Cantonese culinary philosophy preaches careful attitude to the natural flavor of products, so in local restaurants they are steamed or quickly fried. In addition, they don't use spicy spices; dishes are based on ginger, soy sauce, green onions, starch and oil. Mind you, Cantonese cuisine may seem bland to you.

But that's not a problem - there are plenty of European establishments in Guangzhou. The most luxurious ones, of course, are in five-star hotels. If traditional food is to your liking, there will be no problems with eating. Throughout the city are scattered hundreds of round-the-clock eateries, where you can eat to your heart's content for pennies. And for those who want to tickle their nerves, we advise you to go to the "Snake Restaurant". Here they serve dishes with snakes, including poisonous ones.

Where to stay in Guangzhou
If you count well, Guangzhou has more than 1,000 hotels - after all, it is a major economic and cultural center of China. Businessmen, managers, tourists and students constantly come here. The city is full of both five-star hotels and budget hostels. But be warned, if you go to Guangzhou at the time of any exhibition, you will have to pay three times as much for accommodation.

How to get around Guangzhou
Guangzhou is usually traveled by subway and buses. The subway network consists of 8 lines, and the fare depends on the distance. As for ground transportation, the bus network covers the entire city. On certain routes, you can even go to the suburban county of Foshan. Another popular mode of transportation among tourists is a cab. However, most drivers do not speak English.