长沙市

Why this place

Changsha is the capital of Hunan, and it holds one of the greatest archaeological finds in China — the Mawangdui tomb of Lady Dai, preserved so well that her body, food and silk were all intact after 2,000 years. It is also a city of hot, sour, smoked food and of the early revolutionary history that made it important.

What to see

• Hunan Museum — the Mawangdui galleries, with the silk banner and the lacquerware
• Yuelu Academy and Yuelu Mountain, with the old university and the pavilion over the Xiang River
• Orange Isle (Juzizhou) and the Xiang River promenade
• The Communist Party's early sites, and the Changsha window of the 1938 fire
• Tianxin Pavilion and the old city lane

What to eat

• Hunan food is hotter and sourer than Sichuan's — try the chopped chilli fish head (duojiao yutou)
• Stinky tofu (chou doufu) fried black, the Changsha street classic
• Rice noodles with chilli and pickles; cured and smoked meats

How to plan

Two days: the museum and Yuelu Mountain, then the old city and the food.

Best time

March–May and October–November

Practical tips

• If you cannot handle chilli, say so explicitly and repeatedly — Hunan kitchens are not shy