铜陵市

Why this place

Tongling means 'copper hill', and copper has been mined here for more than three thousand years, since before the Shang dynasty. It is a rare case of a modern industry sitting directly on top of its ancient original.

What to see

• The ancient copper mine sites, which go back over 3,000 years
• The Yangtze riverfront and the Tianjing Lake wetland
• Phoenix Mountain and the old towns of the southern counties

What to eat

• Anhui river fish
• Tongling ginger — a protected local product, used fresh and pickled

Best time

April–May and September–November