Harbin, China Guide & Hotel Reservations from Cheap Hotels Worldwide

Visiting Harbin will put you right in the middle of a city of 5.4 million people. It is hard to tell from looking at this sprawling modern city that it was once a small village. Known as the Oriental St. Petersburg, it is one of the most exciting places in China where you can see classic examples of unique architectural elegance showing European influences.

Take a walk along Zhong Yang Street to see just how business has developed here. It still shows the remnants of business facilities dating back to the turn of the 20th century. The street, itself is 1.4 km long and is a veritable museum of buildings. Here you will find facades from the Baroque and Byzantine eras as well as Jewish architectural styles. Drop into the French fashion boutiques, have a snack in American food outlets or dine on Japanese food.

When in Harbin, you just have to visit St. Sophia, the Russian Orthodox Church that took nine years to complete. This church has been made into a museum and showcases the multi-cultural lifestyle of the city. It is very easy to see the Russian influence here in the food. The city is still an important center for trade with Russia. For many tourists, Harbin is the place to go for original Russian vodka. The bakeries are famous for their bread and the sausages served in the restaurants are more European flavoured than Chinese.

If you want to see some of the best snow and ice sculptures in the world, then Harbin has what you need. The annual Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival runs for a full month each year. You can take one of the tours to see the ice lanterns in the park or take part in one of the many other winter activities. These include such events Yabuli Alpine skiing, winter swimming and snow carving events.

If you decide to visit Harbin during the winter, be prepared for frigidly cold temperatures. Summer temperatures are quite comfortable with the mercury reaching about 20?. There are services from Harbin to most other cities in China and the airport is only one hour away by bus. There are many reasonably priced as well as luxury accommodations for you to choose from. Your budget may determine where you stay and dine, but the memories will last forever.