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Skyline of Canton.

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Overview

Guǎngzhōu (广州), once better known internationally as Canton, has been China's busiest trading centre for centuries. Despite breakneck redevelopment up to and after the 2010 Asian Games, much of the metropolis still hums along at a pleasantly sedate pace, where narrow, leafy streets conceal temples and mosques, pockets of colonial-era heritage, traditional dim-sum eateries, distinctive qílóu shophouses and Lǐngnán architecture. Equally, you can embrace modernity via the 21st-century architectural landmarks of the showpiece Zhūjiāng New Town, such as the late Zaha Hadid's Opera House and the slim-waisted Canton Tower, rising up over the Pearl River, which cuts a lazy swathe through the city.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Shamian Island

    Shamian Island

    Guangzhou

    Don't depart Guangzhou without an amble through the concession-era gem that is Shamian Island. The central east–west drag is a time-warp boulevard of…

  • Zaha Hadid's Guangzhou Opera House.

    Guangzhou Opera House

    Guangzhou

    Designed by Zaha Hadid, southern China's premier performance venue has transformed the area with its typically commanding, otherworldly aspect. Futuristic…

  • Statues at Chen Clan Academy, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, Asia

    Chen Clan Ancestral Hall

    Guangzhou

    An all-in-one ancestral shrine, Confucian school and ‘chamber of commerce’ for the Chen clan, this compound was built in 1894 by the residents of 72…

  • Qingping Chinese Medicine Market

    Qingping Chinese Medicine Market

    Guangzhou

    Just north of the channel that divides Shamian Island from the city, this tumbledown market is a sensory delight, with open-fronted vendors arranged…

  • Ancient chinese pavilion from the famous yuyin cottage (built in qing dynasty, around 1800) at guangzhou, guangdong, china.; Shutterstock ID 37706359; Your name (First / Last): Megan Eaves; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Destination page POI images

    Yuyin Mountain Villa

    Guangzhou

    One of Guangdong's four famous classical gardens, this graceful property on the outskirts of the city was built in 1871 by an official of the Qing court…

  • GUANGZHOU CHINA - NOVEMBER 14, 2016: Mausoleum of Nanyue King Museum. ; Shutterstock ID 585532841; Your name (First / Last): Megan Eaves; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Destination page POI images

    Mausoleum of the Nanyue King

    Guangzhou

    You'll feel like Indiana Jones/Lara Croft (select as preferred) as you descend the two-millennia-old steps into an actual Han dynasty tomb. This was the…

  • The Canton Tower as seen from the Four Seasons Hotel, IFC.

    Canton Tower

    Guangzhou

    Built for the 2010 Asian games, this 604m tall tower was designed to look 'female' by its Dutch architects, earning it the nickname 'slim waisted' (小蛮腰,…

  • 顿ō苍驳蝉丑ā苍

    顿ō苍驳蝉丑ā苍

    Guangzhou

    Tree-lined streets Xinhepu Lu (新河浦路), Xuguyuan Lu (恤孤院路) and Peizheng Lu (培正路) in the historic 顿ō苍驳蝉丑ā苍 area offer a welcome respite from the city. Here…

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