-LRB- Travel + Leisure -RRB- -- China can seem as impenetrable as it is imposing . Consider the numbers : it 's the world 's most populous nation -LRB- 1.3 billion -RRB- , where more than 100 cities have populations over a million . Fifty-six ethnic groups are spread across 22 wildly distinct provinces and five autonomous regions , in a landmass slightly larger than the U.S. . The Tiananmen Gate at the entrance to the Forbidden City in Beijing Its history seems limitless and its traditions just as deep . But here and now , change is the only real constant -- and it is accelerating at a dizzying pace . -LRB- One thousand new cars hit the streets of Beijing every day . -RRB- How do you begin to fathom a country of such extremes ? The futuristic cities glittering above timeworn villages ; the great rivers and vast empty deserts ; the radical new architecture juxtaposed with millennia-old monuments ; the ceaseless push-and-pull between Confucianism , Communism , and commerce . Where do you even begin ? Have no fear . Start here with Travel + Leisure 's suggestions for where to go and what to see . Beijing : 2 -- 3 days China 's political , historical and cultural capital demands at least three days -- for the familiar landmarks of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City , and also for Beijing 's 21st-century architecture , such as the `` Bird 's Nest '' Olympic National Stadium by Herzog & de Meuron and the glass-and-titanium dome that is the National Grand Theater . China 's contemporary art scene finds its nexus in the galleries and cafés of the Dashanzi Art District , home to the new Ullens Center for Contemporary Art . Travel + Leisure.com : Tips for flying to China Beijing 's atmospheric hutong , or traditional alleyways , are fast disappearing ; explore the bustling ones off Nanluoguxiang , near the 13th-century Drum and Bell towers . Then check out the Legation Quarter , a high-end restaurant , entertainment and cultural development set within the former American Embassy compound . And save a morning to stroll the manicured , 660-acre grounds of the Temple of Heaven , site of the circular Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests , the 15th-century apogee of Chinese ritual architecture . Travel + Leisure.com : Chinese taxi trips The Great Wall Numerous stretches of the Great Wall are easily accessible from Beijing -LRB- ask your hotel to arrange a car or bus tour -RRB- . But avoid the tourist trap of Badaling and head to the slightly less trammeled Mutianyu section , a 90-minute drive northeast of the Forbidden City . Early morning is best ; try Asia 1 on 1 for day trips . Travel + Leisure.com : Where to stay in China Shanghai : 2 -- 3 days First stop : the riverfront promenade known as the Bund , with its Art Deco , Neoclassical , and Beaux-Arts façades , bars and shops , and views of the space-age towers of Pudong . In People 's Park you 'll find the Shanghai Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art . Weekdays are the best time to wander among the pine trees and ponds of the 16th-century Yuyuan Gardens . Xintiandi was the birthplace of the Chinese Communist Party ; now this restored two-block district is defined by upscale shops and restaurants . The leafy , rustic French Concession is the favored destination for cutting-edge fashion and designs for the home . Shanghai 's latest secret ? Lane 248 , a gritty , narrow street now inhabited by artsy cafés and intimate boutiques , hidden behind Taikang Road . Travel + Leisure.com : China shopping tips and strategies Guilin : 2 days -LRB- Two hours by air from Shanghai . -RRB- With its sheer limestone peaks jutting up from the Li River , Guilin is straight out of a traditional Chinese landscape painting , and remains one of China 's most breathtaking sights . Take in the view from Solitary Beauty Peak and marvel at the formations of the Reed Flute Cave . Spring and fall are best ; avoid the heat of July and the crowds of the holiday seasons . Xi'an : 2 days -LRB- Two hours by air from Beijing . -RRB- China 's ancestral capital is renowned for its `` terra-cotta army , '' created during the Qin dynasty -LRB- 221 -- 207 B.C. -RRB- : thousands of life-size clay warriors stand in formation as part of the funerary complex of China 's first emperor , with much more yet to be excavated . You 'll need at least two days here to take in the warriors , see the Shang dynasty bronze relics at the Shaanxi History Museum , walk along the Old City walls , and visit the Da Mai market . Datong : 2 days -LRB- One hour by air or six hours by scenic train ride from Beijing . -RRB- Majestic Qing dynasty frescoes are the standout in the celebrated temple district . Nearby excursions include the awesome Buddhist sculptures in the Yungang Grottoes and the Hanging Temple of Mount Hengshan , which clings precipitously to the side of a cliff . Not far away are some especially beautiful eroded mud-brick ruins of the Great Wall . Hangzhou : 2 days -LRB- Two hours by bullet train from Shanghai . -RRB- Fabled West Lake is the major draw here , with its elegant causeways , pavilions , gardens , and arched bridges . Hangzhou is also renowned as a culinary capital : local specialties include stuffed-beggar 's chicken and fatty dongpo pork ; sample both at the great Louwailou restaurant . Travel + Leisure.com : Must-try Chinese food Suzhou : 1 day -LRB- 45 minutes by train from Shanghai . -RRB- Famous for its Ming - and Qing-dynasty gardens -LRB- do n't miss the Garden of the Master of the Nets and the Humble Administrator 's Garden -RRB- , Suzhou was once called the Venice of the East for its canals . But smart travelers know the most picturesque waterways -- fringed by whitewashed houses and 1,000-year-old humpbacked bridges -- are in the village of Tongli , a 50-minute drive away . Kunming : 1 day -LRB- Three hours by air from Shanghai . -RRB- This city is one of China 's most pleasant , in climate-blessed Yunnan province . Visit the 15th-century Bamboo Temple and the 17th-century Golden Temple , stroll the pavilions and bridges of Green Lake , and savor the raucous energy of the Kundu Night Market . Dali : 1 day -LRB- 45 minutes by air from Kunming . -RRB- Like nearby Lijiang , Dali has a strong ethnic-minority flavor , a walled Old City with cobblestoned streets , and striking mountain scenery -- but without the same tourist mobs . Explore on foot , peek at the Three Pagodas , or go for a boat ride on Erhai Lake . Taiyuan : 1 day -LRB- One hour by air from Beijing . -RRB- The capital of Shanxi province , Taiyuan is home to the Shanxi Provincial Museum , offering a superb survey of the region 's 5,000-year history , and the Jinci Temple weaves a thread between Taoism , Confucianism , and Buddhism . And 90 minutes southwest by car is Pingyao , a stunningly preserved walled city and veritable time machine that carries you back to the Ming and Qing dynasties . Planning a beach getaway ? Do n't miss Travel + Leisure 's guide to Affordable Beach Resorts .