Welcome to the Southern Scenery—Guangzhou

Explore Guangzhou with just 1,000 RMB per person in 2 days! Visit Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, stroll through Shamian Island, enjoy morning dim sum, cruise the Pearl River, savor authentic snacks, and fully experience Lingnan culture…

This time, I’m taking you to a city that gets more addictive the more you eat—Guangdong Guangzhou.
It’s not Sanya, but it boasts evergreen southern scenery all year round; it’s not as modern as Shanghai, yet it remains a thriving commercial hub for thousands of years;
It’s not a social media hotspot, but a bowl of shrimp dumplings, chicken feet, and rice rolls can keep you eating from morning till night!

With 2 days and 1 night, and a budget of 1,000 RMB per person, I’ve designed a high-value itinerary combining culture, food, city strolls, and night views. Round-trip high-speed rail, metro travel, shared accommodation for two—take you to Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, walk around Shamian Island, check out Beijing Road, cruise the Pearl River at night, and savor the true taste of “Eating in Guangzhou” between everyday life and poetry.
📍 Itinerary Overview
Duration: 2 days 1 night (weekends available)
Budget: 1,000 RMB per person (including round-trip transportation, accommodation, tickets, and meals).
Recommended departure cities: Shenzhen / Changsha / Nanning / Fuzhou (convenient high-speed rail).
Start and end points: Shenzhen North Station → Guangzhou South Station → Guangzhou South Station → Shenzhen North Station.
Itinerary route:
Day 1: Shenzhen → Guangzhou South Station → Chen Clan Ancestral Hall → Shamian Island → Beijing Road Pedestrian Street (lunch + leisure) → Pearl River Night Cruise → Stay at a guesthouse in Yuexiu District.
Day 2: Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street → Xiguan Mansion → Yongqingfang (Bruce Lee’s former residence) → Enjoy Cantonese morning dim sum → Return to Shenzhen.

Day 1: Lingnan charm flows between arcade buildings and churches.
Transportation: Shenzhen North Station → Guangzhou South Station (second-class high-speed rail ticket about 74.5 RMB, 30 minutes). After exiting, take Metro Line 2 then transfer to Line 1 to Chen Clan Ancestral Hall Station (6 RMB, 40 minutes).
Morning: Chen Clan Ancestral Hall (Guangdong Folk Art Museum) (ticket 10 RMB)
A pinnacle of Lingnan architecture, built during the Qing Guangxu era, featuring carved beams and painted rafters, a masterpiece of wood carving, brick carving, and pottery sculpture.
Highlights: Photograph the symmetrical layout of the “Three Entrances and Three Corridors,” closely observe the “Shiwan Pottery Sculptures” on the roof ridge telling stories, and learn about Cantonese ancestral hall culture and intangible heritage crafts. Recommended stay: 1.5 hours.
Then take the metro to Shamian Island (free entry), a century-old concession with European-style charm, shaded by green trees, dotted with churches, consulates, and old bank buildings.
Activities: Photograph the Gothic twin towers of the Sacred Heart Cathedral (Stone House), walk along vintage iron rail balconies, and check in at the “Starbucks Retro Store” and “Victory Hotel” historic buildings. Recommended stay: 2 hours.
Lunch: On Shamian / 623 Road at “Wu Caiji Noodle House” or “Ling Ji Lai Fen.”
Recommended dishes: Wonton noodles, beef brisket tossed noodles, lai fen (rice noodle rolls), fried wontons. Average cost: 35 RMB per person.
Afternoon: Metro to Beijing Road Pedestrian Street, a thousand-year-old ancient road and modern commercial area, with Song Dynasty “thousand-year-old road” ruins hidden underground.
Activities: Visit old brands: Taipingguan (century-old Western restaurant), Tao Tao Ju (Cantonese dim sum). Buy souvenirs: Huang Shang Huang preserved meats, Lian Xiang Lou chicken biscuits, photograph the “Beijing Road Thousand-Year-Old Road Glass Cover.”
Recommended stay: 2 hours.
Evening: Pearl River Night Cruise (ticket 88 RMB per person).
✅ A must-do in Guangzhou! Enjoy the dazzling night views along both sides of the Pearl River by boat.
Highlights: Watch the Guangzhou Tower “Little Waist” light show, pass under Liede Bridge, Haixinsha Asian Games Park, and capture stunning “city skyline + reflection” photos.
Recommended duration: 70 minutes.
Accommodation: Economy guesthouse in Yuexiu District old town, shared double room, near Beijing Road, convenient for travel, about 180 RMB per person per night.
Dinner: Beijing Road at “Yin Ji Rice Rolls” or “A Po Beef Offal.”
Recommended dishes: Fresh shrimp rice rolls, beef brisket noodles, radish beef offal.
Average cost: 30 RMB.
Daily expenses: Transportation 90 (high-speed rail + metro) + Tickets 98 + Meals 65 + Accommodation 180 = 433 RMB.

Day 2: Experience the Xiguan lifestyle deep in the arcade buildings while enjoying morning dim sum.
Morning: Metro to Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street + Xiguan Mansion area, representative of Lingnan arcade buildings, 1 km long, with blue bricks and black tiles, Manchu windows, full of Cantonese style.
Activities: Walk the arcade corridor, take photos of “vintage street scenes.” Visit Xiguan Mansion (free outside, 15 RMB inside optional), check in at “Tao Tao Ju Main Store” and “Nanxin Double-Skin Milk.” Recommended stay: 1.5 hours.
Then walk to Yongqingfang (free), Guangzhou’s version of “Little Kuanzhai Alley,” renovated from the old Enning Road neighborhood, blending art and local life.
Highlights: Visit Bruce Lee’s ancestral home (ticket 10 RMB), explore the “Cantonese Opera Museum” and “Arcade Bookstore,” enjoy a cup of “Liyuan Coffee” or “Lingnan Desserts.” Recommended stay: 1.5 hours.
Lunch: Near Yongqingfang at “Panxi Restaurant” or “White Swan Hotel Yutang Chun Nuan” (affordable options) to enjoy morning dim sum.
✅ The soul moment of Guangzhou—one bowl and two pieces!
Must-order: shrimp dumplings, siu mai, barbecue pork buns, chicken feet, rice rolls, egg tarts.
Average cost: 65 RMB (including tea charge).
Return: Metro → Guangzhou South Station → Shenzhen North Station (high-speed rail 74.5 RMB, recommended departure before 14:00).
Daily expenses: Transportation 86 (metro + high-speed rail) + Tickets 25 + Meals 65 + Emergency reserve 424 = 600 RMB.

Total cost summary (per person):
Item Cost
Transportation (round-trip high-speed rail + city metro) 74.5×2 + 92 = 241 RMB
Accommodation (1 night shared room) 180 RMB
Tickets 10 + 88 + 10 = 108 RMB
Meals (2 days) 65 + 65 = 130 RMB
Emergency reserve & souvenirs 341 RMB
Total: 1,000 RMB.
Precisely controlled within budget!

Helpful tips:
1. Best seasons: October to December, March to April, pleasant climate, not hot and humid.
2. Guangzhou metro is well-developed; it’s recommended to download the “Guangzhou Metro APP” for QR code rides.
3. Want to save money? Skip entering Xiguan Mansion (save 15 RMB) or choose ordinary tea houses for a more flexible budget.
4. Recommended souvenirs: Lian Xiang Lou chicken biscuits, almond cookies, Huang Shang Huang sausages, cured meats, Shahe rice noodles, Chencun rice noodles (vacuum-packed), herbal tea bags (heat-clearing and dampness-removing).
5. Guangzhou is hot and humid; remember to bring sunscreen, mosquito repellent, and comfortable shoes.

Guangzhou is a city that “turns life into poetry.” It’s the carved beams and painted rafters of Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, the exotic charm of Shamian Island, the thousand-year-old road of Beijing Road, and the slow-rising smoke and fire of a bowl of morning dim sum.
In 2 days and 1 night, with 1,000 RMB, you can not only visit the essence of this Lingnan city’s landmarks but also taste the warmth and rhythm of a city between arcade buildings and the fragrance of tea.
Wishing you a pleasant journey!
Please follow me (to be continued)!