Foshan

Hometown of Wong Fei-hung and Ip Man, with the Ancestral Temple, Nanfeng Ancient Kiln and Lingnan Tiandi, plus Shunde, a UNESCO City of Gastronomy – a food and martial arts trip next door to Guangzhou.

Foshan sits in the heart of the Pearl River Delta, merging seamlessly with Guangzhou. It is a key birthplace of Lingnan culture, known as the 'home of martial arts', 'home of Cantonese opera' and 'home of ceramics', and both Wong Fei-hung and Ip Man came from here. Its Shunde District is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, famous for double-skin milk pudding, raw fish (yusheng), Jun'an steamed pork and Lunjiao cake.

Areas to explore: Chancheng District is the old town core – the Foshan Ancestral Temple (with the Wong Fei-hung Memorial Hall and Ip Man Hall, plus free daily martial arts and lion dance shows) and the adjacent Lingnan Tiandi historic district (the restored Donghuali and Jian Family Villa area, with dining and nightlife) can be linked on foot, and Liang Garden and the Nanfeng Ancient Kiln in Shiwan are nearby. In Shunde, Daliang has Qinghui Garden and the Huagai Road food street, while Leliu and Xingtan have Lingnan water towns such as Fengjian. In Nanhai District, Mount Xiqiao is a renowned Lingnan mountain and a sacred site of southern-style kung fu.

Seasons: The climate is subtropical monsoon; Oct–Apr is best, while summer (Jun–Sep) is hot with frequent thunderstorms and occasional typhoons. Folk events such as the Tongji Bridge walk and the Autumn Colors parade bring lively crowds around Chinese New Year.

Getting there: Guangzhou South Station is right on Foshan's edge, and the Guangfo Metro, Foshan Metro Line 2 and other lines link Chancheng, Nanhai and Guangzhou; for Shunde, take the Guangzhou–Zhuhai Intercity Railway to Shunde or Shunde College stations, or Metro Line 3. Suggested stay: 2–3 days – 1 day in Chancheng (Ancestral Temple, Lingnan Tiandi, Liang Garden, Nanfeng Ancient Kiln), 1 day in Shunde (Qinghui Garden, Huagai Road, Fengjian Water Village, mostly eating), and half a day to a full day on Mount Xiqiao. Ticket guide: the Ancestral Temple is about ¥20 for adults and the Nanfeng Ancient Kiln about ¥30; Mount Xiqiao has recently been free with online reservation; check each site's official announcements.

Top sights

• Foshan Ancestral Temple & Wong Fei-hung Memorial Hall – A Northern Song–era Beidi Temple and the finest example of Lingnan ancient architecture. The grounds hold the Wong Fei-hung Memorial Hall…
• Nanfeng Ancient Kiln – A dragon kiln built during the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty, where kiln fires have burned for more than 500 years. Known as a “living re…
• Qinghui Garden – The foremost of the Four Great Gardens of Lingnan, the former residence of Huang Shijun, a Ming-dynasty top scholar. Its exquisite architec…
• Huagai Road, Daliang – An old-street pedestrian lane in Daliang, Shunde, where the signature snacks of the “World Food Capital” gather: double-skin milk, ginger m…
• Fengjian Water Village – A typical Lingnan water village with criss-crossing waterways, stone bridges, ancient banyan trees, and many ancestral halls. Visitors can…
• Lingnan Tiandi – A historic district restored beside the Ancestral Temple, from Donghua Lane. Wok-eared houses, ancestral halls, restaurants, and bars blend…
• Liang Garden – One of the Four Great Gardens of Lingnan, a Qing-dynasty private garden built by the Liang family and renowned for its rockwork and water f…
• Mount Xiqiao – A famous Lingnan mountain and national 5A-rated scenic area, with a giant Guanyin statue of the South Sea, a waterfall cluster, and the Won…
• Qiandeng Lake Park – A lakeside park on the central axis of Nanhai's new city. Rows of lamp posts and reflections of high-rises make it Foshan's best-known city…
• Shunfeng Mountain Park & Qingyun Pagoda – A large mountain-and-water park in Daliang, Shunde, with a giant granite memorial archway, the Ming-era Qingyun Pagoda, and the Baolin Temp…
• Bijiang Golden House – A Qing-dynasty study in Bijiang Village, Beijiao, its interior full of gilded wood carvings, surrounded by ancestral halls and residences t…
• Chencun Flower World – One of South China's largest flower trading markets, with bonsai, orchids, and New Year blooms in abundance. The flower markets are livelie…
• He Art Museum – A circular exposed-concrete art museum designed by Tadao Ando. Its central spiral staircase is highly photogenic, and it collects Lingnan…
• Changlu Tourist Resort – A comprehensive family park in Shunde, combining a farm, amusement rides, a water park, and animal shows. There's more than one day's worth…
• Bruce Lee Ancestral Home & Paradise – The ancestral house of Bruce Lee and a memorial park in Shangcun Village, Junan, Shunde, with a Bruce Lee museum and a giant bronze statue…
• Kang Youwei's Former Residence – The birthplace of Kang Youwei in Sucun Village, Danzao Town, Nanhai. The residence preserves the ancestral house “Yanxiang Old House” and a…
• Sanshui Lotus World – A large water park themed around lotus flowers. In summer, hundreds of lotus varieties bloom at the same time, and there are water recreati…
• Daqitou Ancient Village – A Qing dynasty ancient village in Sanshui with a comb-shaped Lingnan layout. Rows of wok-ear houses face a pond and a literary pagoda, and…
• Pingzhou Jade Street – One of China's largest jadeite processing and trading hubs, with shops and workshops lining the streets. Visitors can watch jadeite livestr…
• Renshou Temple – A Ming dynasty temple on Zumiao Road. Its seven-story Ruyi Treasure Pagoda is a landmark of the old town of Chancheng, and the temple is bu…
• Tongji Bridge (Foshan) – A Ming dynasty bridge in Foshan, home to the folk custom known as “Xing Tongji, Wu Biyi,” in which the whole city walks across the bridge o…
• He Garden (Beijiao) – A newly built large Lingnan garden in Beijiao, with pavilions, waterside halls, and fine lime sculptures and wood carvings. It sits next to…
• Songtang Village – The “Hanlin Village” at the foot of Xiqiao Mountain. Many jinshi scholars and Hanlin academicians came from here in the Qing dynasty, and a…
• Yanqiao Ancient Village – A water-town ancient village in Jiujiang Town, with small bridges, banyan trees, and Ming and Qing ancestral halls by the creek. It is quie…
• Yunyong Forest Park – A national forest park in Gaoming District with high forest coverage, forest trails, and viewing platforms. It is a popular weekend hiking…
• Zaomu Mountain – The highest peak in Foshan, at about 800 meters above sea level. Grassy meadows and rows of wind turbines stretch across the summit, making…
• Xujiang Ancestral Temple – A nationally protected cultural relic site in Lubao Town, Sanshui. This group of ancient temples along the North River combines Confucian…
• Sanshui Forest Park – A hill and forest park beside the Sanshui urban area, with a lakeside greenway, hilltop viewing pavilions, and large lawns, ideal for cycli…
• Yingxiang Eco-Park – A family-friendly eco park in Gaoming with animal encounters, farm picking, and play facilities. It is a popular weekend destination for fa…
• Xishan Temple (Shunde) – A Ming dynasty temple at the foot of Fengshan Hill in Daliang, dedicated to Guandi. Its stone lions and wood carvings are exquisite. Togeth…

Where to eat

• Minxin Laopu (Double-Skin Milk Museum Branch) – A historic double-skin milk brand on Huagai Road in Daliang, made with buffalo milk, featuring a double-skin milk museu…
• Songji Hotpot (Ronggui Hexiang Road) – An iconic residential-style eatery in Ronggui opened in 1988, famous throughout Shunde for its plain water hotpot with…
• Tianhai Restaurant (Shengping Road) – A historic Foshan restaurant tracing its roots back to the 1913 Yinan Lou, beloved by locals for its morning tea and si…
• Jinyuan Restaurant (Funing Road) – A neighborhood restaurant near the Ancestral Temple that still preserves traditional pushcart morning tea, famous for i…
• Yingji Noodle House (Funing Road) – A China Time-Honored Brand founded in 1936, serving traditional bamboo-pressed noodles with thin-skinned, plump wontons…
• Nanji Congee & Late-Night Food Stall (Weiguo Road) – A popular late-night congee spot for Chancheng locals, featuring fresh pork offal congee paired with high-heat stir-fri…
• Zhuroupo Private Kitchen (Ronggui Main Branch) – A famous Lingnan garden-style Shunde private kitchen in Ronggui, renowned for its signature roast goose and pan-fried g…

Itineraries

• Guangzhou, Foshan & Shunde: Cantonese Cuisine & Lingnan Culture – A short urban getaway connecting Guangzhou's old town, Foshan's Ancestral Temple, and Shunde's water towns, centered ar…
• Greater Bay Area Foodie Route: Hong Kong, Macao, Shunde & Guangzhou – Cross the bridge from Hong Kong to Macao, then head north to Shunde, Foshan, and Guangzhou to savor Cantonese cuisine a…
• Guangzhou City, Kaiping Watchtowers and Yingxi Karst Peaks – Three classic days in Guangzhou, then Kaiping watchtowers, Yingxi karst peaks and Gulong Gorge, ending with a day in Fo…
• Greater Bay Area: 6-City Highlights Tour – A seamless, one-way journey through the Greater Bay Area covering Guangzhou, Shunde, Zhuhai, Macao, Hong Kong, and Shen…