Its reputation is as a city of business, but Guangzhou’s appeal as a buzzing leisure destination is rising to rival its supertall landmark, the Canton Tower. It’s still one of the world’s biggest manufacturing hubs, but this southern powerhouse in the Greater Bay Area is evolving into a city that juxtaposes cutting-edge modernity with thousands of years of cultural heritage.

Here’s our guide to the City of Five Rams, where every street corner has a story to tell and an amazing meal to be devoured.

Where to start

Surrounded by more than 40 glittering high-rises, ranging from multinationals to world-class hotels, Huacheng Square is where you’ll see Guangzhou’s architectural transformation at its finest. This pedestrianised hotspot is home to Zaha Hadid’s Guangzhou Opera House, Rocco Yim’s Guangdong Museum and Nikken Sekkei’s Guangzhou Library. Tourists and city-dwellers alike flock in droves after sunset for selfies against a backdrop of the rainbow-hued Canton Tower and the Pearl River. 

In the morning, make your way to Liwan District, the heartland of traditional Lingnan culture, to feel as though you’ve stepped into a bygone era. After a breakfast of oolong tea and char siu bao, check out the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, Liwan Museum and Lychee Bay, the latter evoking Venice with its age-old winding canals and nostalgic pavilions that dot the surrounding park. The pace of life slows as you cross one of four arched bridges to Shamian Island, where history, art, culture and architecture all meld in this quieter, tree-lined pocket of the city.

What to do

Start your shopping spree in the heart of Zhujiang New Town, where malls like IGC, GT Land Plaza, Mall of the World and Link Plaza present international and domestic brands aplenty. This area also features the mega-cool K11 Guangzhou , a game-changing shopping, cultural and art hub all rolled into one. Cantonese culture is front and centre on Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street, where you’ll find favourite snacks like double-skin milk pudding and dried seafood among jade and pearl trinkets.

Just 10 minutes away in Yuexiu District, the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and the Museum of the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King will contextualise the city’s past. Then, take a stroll through Yuexiu Park to see its majestic Statue of Five Rams, the city’s emblem, to help digest what you’ve learned.

Dongshankou, or Guangzhou’s old town, is an international, eccentric and vibrant corner of the city, which high-profile figures like Mao Zedong and Sun Yat-sen once called home. Grab a coffee as you people-watch wanghongs (internet celebrities) flock to its many cafés, art galleries and cute boutiques for selfies, patio soirées and retail therapy. Don’t miss hip cocktail hotspots like Hope & Sesame (number 39 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023). Can’t find the entrance? Hint: head inside a Cantonese corner shop and look for the brass door knocker.

What to eat

As an old Chinese saying goes, to enjoy life to the fullest, one should be “Born in Suzhou, live in Hangzhou, eat in Guangzhou, and die in Liuzhou”. Cantonese people take food very seriously, and dim sum is central to the region’s food culture. For 40 years, one-Michelin-starred Jade River at the White Swan Hotel has served handcrafted dumplings and elegantly presented delicacies to everyone from local families to Queen Elizabeth II. 

Nan Yuan Restaurant is a longstanding institution where folks in the know go for their fix of tea and inexpensive dim sum – though its landscaped garden makes it an elegant setting for wedding banquets, baijiu-fuelled business dinners or just a postprandial stroll.

Taian Table , now fêted with two Michelin stars, is wildly popular for its rotating, European-meets-Asian degustation menu which spotlights luxe ingredients like caviar and sea urchin. For a cheeky nightcap, head to SanYou , a stylish cocktail bar from the same team behind Hope & Sesame, which spins Chinese spirits and liquors into complex concoctions.

Where to stay

An architectural wonder in the clouds, the Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou offers sublime panoramic views of the city from luxurious rooms, a sky-lit atrium lobby on the 74th floor and seven dining and drinking venues, including Italian fusion restaurant Caffe Mondo.

Another testament to Guangzhou’s love of skyscraper hotels and blending old with new is the Rosewood Guangzhou , the world’s tallest five-star hotel, where high-end mod-cons and an observation deck complement bespoke Chinese art and textiles.

For the younger party crowd, there’s the trendy W Guangzhou , where pumping beats from in-house DJs, skilled mixologists and contemporary rooms attract influencers from far and wide who come to soak in this exhilarating city’s energy and optimism.

How to get there

Cathay Pacific runs daily flights between Hong Kong and Guangzhou, with a flight time of about one hour. You can also book our Direct Air+Sea combined flight and ferry ticket directly to Pazhou Ferry Terminal, part of downtown Guangzhou.* All you have to do is type in “Guangzhou, Pazhou Ferry Terminal (PFT)” as your final destination when you book your flights, and your baggage will be checked through to your final destination, as if you’re embarking on a connecting plane.  

You can also take a bus, private car or ferry from Hong Kong International Airport to Guangzhou.  As well as buses and private car services from Hong Kong, trains to Guangzhou depart several times a day from West Kowloon.

*Direct Air+Sea is available for selected routes on our website. For regions where this service is unavailable, please book via a travel agent. If you're departing from Taiwan China, please purchase your ferry tickets separately. We’ll arrange your bags to be checked through when you check in at your departing airport.