Nansha/Guangzhou
Between modern and ancient
An MSC Cruise will guide you to discover China's hidden gems. Guangzhou is located in the south of the Country. Also known as Canton, this city lies on the delta of the Pearl River and, although it dates back to over 2.000 thousand years ago, today it's considered one of the most modern Chinese large cities.
Take a walk along the chaotic Beijing Lu pedestrian street, where, protected by glass, you can see the remains of the ancient Song dynasty (960-1279 AD).
With an excursion you can visit the Baomo and Qinghui Gardens. Baomo Garden is located in the village of Zini: built during the Qing dynasty (1644-1911 AD), the complex occupies about 100,000 square meters with a rich vegetation, streams and dozens of stone bridges and ceramic, stone and wooden sculptures.
Qinghui Garden, on the other hand, is located in the Shunde district of Foshan. It's one of the four most important gardens of the Qing dynasty. It's structured in the typical Lingnan style, and was Huang Jun’s residence during the Ming dynasty. At first, it covered an area of 7.000 square meters, but from 1966 onwards the surface was increased to 22.000 square meters to accommodate the great amount of tourists.
The garden is rich in woods and streams, crossed by small bridges.
The Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, or Guangdong Folk Art Museum, is located in the oldest part of the city of Guangzhou and it can be reached with an excursion. Commissioned by the 72 clans of the Chen family, it took twenty years to build it. Inaugurated in 1895, it is an academic temple consisting of 19 buildings with masterfully decorated roofs.
The Canton Tower, or Guangzhou TV & SightseeingTower, is 5957 meters high. The second highest building in China after the Shanghai Tower, it can be visited with an excursion. Built as an observation tower, it was used during the 2010 Asian Games.