Northern Hubei

The northern Hubei region of Xiangyang and Suizhou is known for Three Kingdoms culture, the ancient city of Xiangyang, and relics of the Yan Emperor and the Marquis Yi of Zeng chime bells.

The Northern Hubei region comprises Xiangyang City and Suizhou City. It lies between the middle reaches of the Han River and the Tongbai and Dahong mountains, and is Hubei's gateway to Henan and southern Shaanxi. In the 'four regions of Hubei' scheme, it ranks alongside Western Hubei, the Jianghan Plain, and Wuhan and Eastern Hubei. Xiangyang is a nationally famous historic and cultural city, with its city wall and wide moat well preserved, so the saying 'Xiangyang is made of iron' lives up to its name. Gulongzhong is said to be the place where Zhuge Liang lived in seclusion and farmed, a must-see for Three Kingdoms fans, and there are also the Mi Fu Shrine, Xijia Pond and the Tang City film base. The ancient mountain fortress clusters of Nanzhang and the mountain scenery of Baokang are good for self-drive exploring. Suizhou is regarded as the hometown of the Yan Emperor Shennong, and the discovery of the tomb of the Marquis Yi of Zeng tied Suizhou closely to chime-bell culture. Mount Dahong is an important mountain scenic area in northern Hubei. The classic trip centers on Xiangyang, taking two days for the ancient city, Gulongzhong and the Han River night view, then adding one day to trace roots in Suizhou or to head south to the Nanzhang mountains. Getting there: Xiangyang Liuji Airport has several routes, the Zhengzhou–Chongqing and Wuhan–Shiyan high-speed railways cross at Xiangyang, and Suizhou is also on the Wuhan–Shiyan line, so you can arrive quickly by high-speed train from Wuhan. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit. Summer temperatures are high, so tour the ancient city early in the morning or in the evening. Xiangyang beef noodles are the local breakfast classic.

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Itineraries