Guangzhou has a few beautiful and legendary nicknames, huacheng (the Flower City), Yangcheng (the Goat City) and Suicheng (the Rice-ear City).

Guangzhou is a civilized ancient city. It is 2,100 years old, the same age as the world-renowned ancient cultural city Rome of Italy. A modern city in China, Guangzhou is the political, economic, educational, cultural as well as scientific and technological center in South China. It is also a tourist city. Being a big city, Guangzhou totals 7547 square kilometres with a population of some 6.56 million. Under its administration are four county-level cities of Huadu, Conghua, Zengcheng and Panyu and eight districts: Yuexiu, Dongshan, Haizhu, Litchi, Tianhe, Fangcun and Whampu. It is a well-known hometown of the overseas Chinese. About 500,000 countrymen from here are residing in some 90 countries and regions abroad.

Guangzhou is situated in the south of China with the Baiyun Hill in the north and the Zhujiang (the Pearl River ) Delta Plain in front. Three rivers, the Dongjiang, Xijiang and Beijiang converge here. The Zhjiang passes through the city. With rivers and mountains, its geological location is very advantageous.

The favorable geological environment has helped create the distinctive Lingnan culture and with rich and colorful contents this culture has made Guangzhou a well-known cultural city. Cantonese dishes have won the reputation of "Eating in Guangzhou". Guangdong (Cantonese) music is acclaimed as "glass music". And Guangdong (Cantonese) Opera is reputed as "the love pea in south China." The school of painting and potted landscape of Lingnan as well as Guangdong acrobatics are all full of strong local flavor.

Guangzhou boasts a lot of festivals. The festive activities are various and colorful. With rich contents, unique style and strong local flavour of Lingnan, they are of high artistic level and worth appreciation. Guangzhou's festivals have embodied both history and reality. With the natural scenery as the background, and the folk culture as the carrier, they lay stress on participation so as to create a joyous and harmonious atmosphere. The popular festivals are the Spring Flower Fair, Lantern Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Lotus Festival, Litchi Festival, Chongyang or Double-Ninth Festival (a festival for the aged, falls on the 9th day of the 9th month on the Chinese lunar calendar), China Tourism Art Festival & Guangdong Merry-making Festival, as well as Guangdong International Cuisine Festival.

Guangzhou also boasts rich tourist resources with a great number of famous scenic spots and historic sites. In 1996, on the basis of former "Eight Sites of Guangzhou", were chosen. They are the Temple Commanding the Whole of Guangdong (the Academy of the Chen Clan), Yunshan Embroidery (Baiyun Hill Scenic Region), Suishi Xinglou (the five-goat Stone Statue and the Five-Storey Tower), Light of 1911 (huanghuagang Cemetery of 72 Martyrs), Lianhua (Lotus) Scenery (the Lotus Mountain), the Grand World Scenery Park, the Dancing Golden Snake (the Flying Dragon World Amusement City), Orient Amusement Park, Xiguan Commercial Arcade (the Shangxiajiulu Commercial Streets and the Flower Pagoda pedestrian Streets),and the Flower Pagoda in the Six-Banyan Temple. The Spaceflight Wonders, Panyu Wildlife Zoo and Guangzhou Ocean Museum, which have been set up in recent years, have made Guangzhou more attractive.

It is very convenient to go to Guangzhou. You can choose whatever means of transportation you'd like to, either by sea or on land. It will take you only two hours to go from Hongkong to Guangzhou by car.

You'll find your visit to Guangzhou very rewarding