- China Destination Guide

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China travel and tour destination Tianjin

China Destination Guide - Tianjin 天津

Over shadowed by nearby Beijing, which is now only a 30 minute super high speed train ride away, Tianjin is often overlooked and is only really worth a visit as part of one of the ferry trips to and from Korea that leave from the port of Tanggu nearby. A concession port along with Shanghai and Canton (Guangzhou) there are still colonial buildings which are being restored and Beijing's building boom is also here with glass towers and a new football stadium.

What there is to see in Tianjin:

For colonial era buildings the Citibank Building opposite the former Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, dates from 1918. Other notables include the Jardine Matheson & Co and Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank buildings, now all Chinese banks.
The Old City is worth a wander and has good handicraft shopping opportunities. In the centre is the Drum Tower.
Also worth a shop is the Ming dynasty Confucius Temple which has a daily antiques market selling piles of books, propaganda posters and pamphlets from the Cultural Revolution.

Best time to visit Tianjin

April and May as well as September and October are the best months as with Beijing although the city can be visited year round.

Best reason to visit Tianjin

To catch the ferry to Korea or Japan!

Our last word on Tianjin

Not much of a tourist attraction but more an interesting entry and exit point for China if you are taking a ferry to Korea or Japan.