Guangzhou overview

Guangzhou, or Canton to westerners, is the first stop in mainland China for most overland travellers. Shrouded in a perpetual blanket of smog and neon, the city typifies the rampant urbanisation seen in neighbouring Hong Kong. First impressions tend to be buried by traffic and glitz, but underneath the modernity, if you can find it, is a distinctly cosmopolitan urban centre. Behind the big city aesthetic assault lie colonial mansions, quaint backstreet lanes, cute villas and picturesque churches, notably around Shamian Island. Guangzhou has recently embarked on a city makeover after years of consumerism that resulted in chaotic energy and colour, so visitors can witness the evolution from concrete to glass, rubbish to parklands. The best part is the food, with the home of Cantonese cuisine housing China’s largest number of restaurants per capita.