襄阳市

Why this place

Xiangyang is one of the great fortress cities of China — the Han River made it a natural strongpoint, and its walls held out sieges for years at a time. The Song defence against the Mongols lasted six years, and the city appears in the Three Kingdoms stories as well.

What to see

• The Xiangyang city wall and moat — one of the widest moats in the country
• The ancient Longzhong, where Zhuge Liang lived before joining Liu Bei, with his thatched hut site
• The Han River and the old ferry crossings
• The Lumen Mountain and the temples of the surrounding hills

What to eat

• Hubei beef noodles (Xiangyang niurou mian) — the city's signature breakfast
• River fish and the local braised dishes

Best time

March–May and October–November