Guangzhou is the sprawling capital of Guangdong Province and the historic heart of Cantonese culture, sitting on the Pearl River in southern China. For more than 2,000 years it has been one of China's great trading ports — the starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road and, in later centuries, the only Chinese port legally open to Western trade. Today it is a hypermodern megacity of glass towers along the Pearl River, wrapped around an old town of Lingnan-style ancestral halls, colonial-era Shamian Island, and some of the best Cantonese food anywhere on earth, from dim sum teahouses to street stalls serving wonton noodles and roast goose.
Best souvenirs
Authentic items worth bringing home.
Guangxiu (Cantonese embroidery) silk pieces
Hand-embroidered silk items, from small handkerchiefs to large wall hangings, using the intricate Cantonese embroidery style once reserved for imperial court garments.
Price: CNY 50-2000+ (approx $7.00-281.60+) depending on size and complexity
Where: Specialty craft shops on Beijing Road and the Guangdong Folk Art Museum (Chen Clan Ancestral Hall) gift shop
Shiwan ceramic figurines
Glazed stoneware figurines from the nearby Shiwan kilns in Foshan, depicting folk characters, animals, and mythological figures in a style unique to the Pearl River Delta.
Price: CNY 80-1500+ (approx $11.30-211.20+)
Where: Antique and craft shops on Wende Road, and the Guangdong Museum gift shop
Dried Cantonese seafood and preserved goods
Vacuum-packed dried scallops, shrimp, and fish maw suitable for travel, used in Cantonese soups and banquet dishes back home.
Price: CNY 30-500+ (approx $4.20-70.40+) per retail pack
Where: Yide Road Dried Seafood Wholesale Market
Guangzhou-style tea ware and Fenghuang Dancong tea
Small clay teapots and cups paired with Guangdong-grown Fenghuang Dancong oolong tea, a favorite souvenir for tea drinkers.
Price: CNY 40-600+ (approx $5.60-84.40+)
Where: Tea shops around Fangcun Tea Market (Liwan District) and Beijing Road
Cantonese opera masks and figurines
Painted masks and small figurines representing characters from Cantonese opera, a distinctive regional performing art.
Price: CNY 30-300 (approx $4.20-42.20)
Where: Craft stalls near Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and Beijing Road souvenir shops
Traditional markets
Where locals shop and travellers find treasures.
Beijing Road Pedestrian Street
Historic pedestrian shopping street with exposed ancient roadway layers and mainstream fashion retail
Where: Yuexiu District
Hours: Pedestrian street always open; shops generally 10:00 AM-10:00 PM
Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street
Historic qilou-arcade shopping street with Cantonese snacks and traditional gold and jewelry trade
Where: Liwan District
Hours: Pedestrian street always open; shops generally 9:30 AM-10:00 PM
Taikoo Hui
Upscale mixed-use mall with international luxury retail and a flagship Apple Store
Where: Tianhe District
Hours: Daily 10:00 AM-10:00 PM
Guangzhou IFC (International Finance Centre)
Luxury mall at the base of the Guangzhou IFC (West Tower) skyscraper
Where: Zhujiang New Town, Tianhe District
Hours: Daily 10:00 AM-10:00 PM
Yide Road Dried Seafood Wholesale Market
Historic dried seafood and dried goods wholesale street, in continuous operation since the Qing dynasty
Where: Yuexiu District
Hours: Early morning to late afternoon; many shops close by 5:00 PM
Wende Road Calligraphy and Antiques Street
Calligraphy supplies, ink paintings, and antiques street known as 'Guangzhou Gallery'
Where: Yuexiu District
Hours: Generally 9:00 AM-6:00 PM; some shops open later into the evening
Zhongda Fabric Market (Guangzhou International Textile City)
One of the world's largest textile and fabric wholesale markets
Where: Haizhu District
Hours: Generally 8:00 AM-6:00 PM; many stalls close earlier on Sundays
Canton Tower Plaza
Shopping and dining plaza at the foot of Canton Tower with a mix of fashion, dining, and entertainment
Where: Haizhu District
Hours: Daily 10:00 AM-10:00 PM