From the discovery of Marco Polo to the present day, China continues to fascinate the world with its own great Wall, its mysterious Forbidden City, the futuristic megacities and its splendid landscapes ranging from the steppes to the Himalayas.
Colossal, dizzying and fiercely different, China is not easily comparable to any other part of the planet. Home to about a fifth of the human race, it dazzles, stuns and thrills.
The main tourist attractions are renowned around the world but it is this nation's out-of-the-ordinary scale and energy that leaves a lasting impression on all its visitors.
The economic push of recent times means that many of China's cities are shaped by modernity, but the flow of life is also somewhere supported by intensely ingrained customs and, despite the futuristic megalopolis there is not much left of their traditional neighborhoods of Beijing and Shanghai, gods still exist beautiful villages in the countryside.
I landscapes of China they unfold across the map in vast swaths of territory, and its sights, sounds, and endless oddities, when added together, create one of the most thrilling travel experiences in the world.
Also the food is fantastic and dealing with the different regional cuisines can be extremely enjoyable. A trip to China immerses the visitor in a mythical country and is able to amaze even the most experienced travelers.
What to see in China
A Beijing, capital of the Middle Kingdom, one marvels at the mysterious Forbidden City and the famous Piazza Tian An Men. In the vicinity you should not miss an excursion on the great Wall, as well as the visit of the 7 000 terracotta soldiers and horses of Xi'an, the famous buried army of Emperor Qin.
From the metropolis of Shanghai up to the ethnic minorities of Yunnan, the country presents its thousand faces. Fulcrum of trade between East and West, the legendary Silk Road, dotted with beautiful Buddhist sites, crosses North China from one side to the other.
One of your trips will take you in Tibet and in its secret monasteries. The Top of the World remains a place so loved by experienced hikers looking for thrills on the snow-capped Himalayan peaks.
At the foot of the Himalayas, Sichuan it is home to no less than seven sites listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
On the tropical island of Hainan, future tourist paradise, the beautiful white sand beaches, lapped by the warm waters of the South China Sea, have nothing to envy to the Caribbean.
China has one invaluable cultural wealthHead-spinning temples, museums, Ming tombs, Genghis Khan's mausoleum, giant Buddha statues, pagodas, palaces and summer residences of emperors.
To do
China caters for the tastes of all tourists who can choose between skiing in Yabuli, a cultural stay in the wonderful hills of Guilin, or bathe on a tropical island offshore Macau e Hong Kong.
A trip to China also gives the opportunity to walk through the amazing Kunming Stone Forest, admire the rice terraces, meet ethnic minorities, admire the mysterious mountains of Zhangye Danxia,
You can climb to the roof of the world ofHimalayas, walk the high sand dunes of the deserto di Gobi, explore Buddhist caves and laze on the pristine beaches of the tropical island of Hainan.
Finally, it would be a shame not to explore the legendaries Three Yangtze Gorges, the only canyon in the world that can be explored aboard large cruise ships. China is full of endless whims and contradictions, but that's half of its charm.
Visiting China - Tips
China is a huge country, the distances are enormous and before leaving you must choose the destination to visit well. Better to focus on one region in particular, such as Beijing and Shanghai, instead of doing a grueling week-long circuit to visit as many sites as possible.
Many times the "Grand Tours" of China offered in travel agency brochures are perhaps not the best way to discover this country. The numerous and quick visits to the temples, a long and exhausting transport and the frustration of not being able to walk freely are often the cause of disappointment.
Don't go to China in the first week of October: the official week of Chinese public holidays. The tourist resorts are crowded and the prices are very high! In winter, do not hesitate to attend the ice festival at Harbin, unique in the world!
