Xiangyang

"Iron-clad Xiangyang", with its ancient city and China's widest moat, Gulongzhong and the Tang City film base – recently a trending city for evening strolls in hanfu and old-style scenery.

Xiangyang lies in northwestern Hubei on the middle reaches of the Han River, with Xiangyang on the south bank facing Fancheng on the north. A hub where "boats from the south meet horses from the north" and roads lead to seven provinces, it was long a fiercely contested strategic stronghold. It is also a heartland of Three Kingdoms culture – Zhuge Liang farmed in seclusion at Longzhong and Liu Bei paid his famous "three visits to the thatched cottage" here – while Jin Yong's novel The Return of the Condor Heroes, in which Guo Jing and Huang Rong defend Xiangyang, made it a household name.

The climate is subtropical monsoon with four distinct seasons. The best times are March–May and September–November; summers are hot (often above 35°C in July–August) and winters damp and cold, with occasional snow.

Areas to explore: ① Xiangyang Ancient City – the city walls, the moat (among the widest in China), Linhan Gate, North Street, Zhaoming Tower and the Mi Fu Memorial Temple; spend a day cycling or walking, and the gate towers look lovely lit up at night. ② West of the city – Gulongzhong Scenic Area; half a day to a day. ③ The Xianshan area south of the city – the Tang City film base (popular for evening shows), Xijia Pond and the new Xiangyang Museum. ④ Yuliangzhou, a large ecological island park in the Han River, ideal for cycling.

Getting there: Xiangyang East Station is the junction of the Zhengzhou–Chongqing and Wuhan–Shiyan high-speed railways – about 1.5–2 hours to Wuhan, about 2 hours to Zhengzhou and about 3 hours to Chongqing. Xiangyang Station (conventional trains) is in Fancheng, and Liuji Airport is east of the city. Buses and taxis are convenient, and renting a bike is the best way to get around the ancient city. Allow 2–3 days.

Food: Xiangyang beef noodles (eaten with yellow rice wine in the local "morning drink" tradition), datou cai (pickled mustard root), Xiangyang chanti (rolled pork knuckle) and Yicheng prawns. Show times at Tang City and North Street's lighting hours vary by season; check the latest notices from each site.

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Itineraries