哈尔滨市

Why this place

Harbin was built by Russia as the eastern hub of the Chinese Eastern Railway, so its central streets are full of early-20th-century European buildings — including the onion domes of Saint Sophia. In January the city builds entire structures out of ice blocks from the Songhua River, and the Snow and Ice Festival is now one of the largest winter events in the world.

What to see

• Saint Sophia Cathedral and the Central Street (Zhongyang Dajie) pedestrian boulevard
• Ice and Snow World, built from river ice and lit at night — enormous in scale
• The Songhua River and Sun Island in winter, when you can walk across the frozen river
• The Siberian Tiger Park, and the Jewish history museums that record Harbin's Russian-era communities

What to eat

• Harbin red sausage (hongchang) — a Russian-influenced smoked sausage, eaten cold
• Guobaorou — sweet-and-sour fried pork, the dish Harbin claims to have invented
• Russian-style bread and borscht in the old quarter; frozen pears sold on the street in winter

How to plan

Three days in winter: one for the ice festival at night, one for the city's architecture and museums, one for the river and surroundings.

Best time

December–February for ice; June–August for cool summers

Practical tips

• January temperatures fall below −20°C — boots, gloves and a real coat are not optional
• Book ice-festival hotels months ahead; prices triple in peak week