徐州市

Why this place

Xuzhou was the power base of the Han ruling house, and the hills around it are full of Han tombs — including a tomb cut into a mountain with 51 separate chambers, and a terracotta army of a different kind, smaller but equally striking. This is the Han dynasty's answer to Xi'an's Qin figures.

What to see

• The Han Terracotta Warriors pit at Shizishan — smaller figures, but a genuine army
• The Guishan Han tomb, hollowed out of a limestone hill with 51 chambers
• The Xuzhou Museum, which holds the jade burial suit of the Chu king
• Yunlong Lake and the Han culture park

What to eat

• Xuzhou is famous for its mutton soup and its spicy, northern-style cooking
• Guokui flatbread and the local barbecue tradition

Best time

April–May and September–October