Sightseeing in Guangzhou - what to see. Complete travel guide

In terms of population, Guangzhou is one of the largest cities in China. It is a modern scientific-technical, educational, and cultural center. Thus, it is incredibly popular among travelers. The city's name is associated with numerous controversial stories. Just a few decades ago, residents of European countries called this city Canton. It is believed that the modern name of the city has appeared because of an incorrect interpretation of the Cantonese dialect. It is noteworthy that nowadays some Europeans officially use the old name of Guangzhou - Canton.

It's hard to imagine that the stylish and large metropolis is one of the oldest cities in the world. In fact, Guangzhou is more than 2,000 years old. According to the historical records, it was founded in 862 BC as a trading port. At that time, this small town was the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road. The strategic location of the city largely contributed to its rapid development. Notably, during its long history, the city has always been an important center of shopping.

At the present time, Guangzhou is also known as a major center of trade. It is famous for its ultra-modern shopping malls and colorful markets. It attracts not only shoppers but also adherents of excursion tourism. The city has managed to preserve its priceless historical monuments that belong to different eras. The territory of Guangzhou is home to more than 120 historical monuments of the national level. Besides that, tourists certainly love to attend modern convention centers and galleries. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

A huge number of attractive restaurants and cafes is another distinctive feature of modern Guangzhou. Charming dining venues can virtually be found at every step. No doubt, it is easy to find all major cuisines of the world in this wonderful old city.

The majority of foreign guests prefer to visit Guangzhou during festivals because the city is famous for its rich cultural life. The Festival of flowers, which is held annually on January 28th, remains one of the most interesting and symbolic festive events. As one can guess from the name, the event is dedicated to wonderful flowers. During the celebration, all central streets of the city are miraculously transformed and converted into a spacious fragrant garden. Gourmets will be interested in visiting Guangzhou during the festival of the national cuisine. Renowned chefs from all over the world participate in this event. Actually, interesting festivals and cultural events take place in the city almost every month. Therefore, admirers of event tourism will find something interesting in Guangzhou regardless of the time of the year.

The amazing city with the rich history has its own symbol – Yuexiu Park , more precisely, the statue of Five Goats located in its territory. These cute animals have been the symbol of the city for more than two thousand years. The origins of such an unusual symbol are connected with an interesting legend. At the dawn of its existence, the small city was very poor. Hunger remained the main threat to its residents. Almighty gods decided to help local people and came down from the heaven as five people sitting on goats. Each goat kept five rice ears in its mouth, and gods gave the grain to people. After that, locals planted fields with rice, and that event marked the start of their prosperous and peaceful life. The symbolic statue, located in the large park, is still one of the most sacred city's monuments. Locals treat it with great reverence.

The large territory of the city is divided into ten districts, and all of them are appealing to tourists and very interesting to explore. Yuexiu and Liwan are the most popular and crowded tourist districts of Guangzhou. They are rich in cultural landmarks and historical sights. It is a great place to admire gorgeous temples, relax in magnificent landscaped gardens, and take pictures of symbolic monuments.

In order to enjoy some shopping, head to the district of Tianhe. It is a large area almost completely occupied by various markets, shopping centers, and shops that offer items of all kinds. This is also the location of the longest shopping streets in the city. Without a doubt, it is the best place to search for inexpensive clothes and shoes, fabrics and electronics, trendy accessories, cosmetics, and jewelry. That said, the district is not deprived of historical landmarks. Tourists shouldn’t forget to visit the Opera House and the Museum of the Guangdong Province that exhibits a large collection of precious items. Haizhu District is also an interesting place to walk and explore landmarks of the city. This is also the location of the famous Guangzhou Tower. There is an observation deck on one of the top floors of the tower, and everyone is welcome to visit it and enjoy the breathtaking view.