From imperial Peking duck in Beijing to smoky street food in Xi’an, delicate crab roe noodles in Suzhou, legendary soup dumplings in Shanghai, and fiery mountain cuisine in Hunan, traveling through China became just as much a culinary journey as a cultural one. This blog explores how every region revealed its own history, traditions, and identity through food — one unforgettable meal at a time.

From hiking the wild ridgelines of the Great Wall to wandering through the ancient streets of Xi’an, this first chapter of my journey through China was filled with history, culture, and unforgettable experiences. Explore the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Terracotta Warriors, Xi’an’s Muslim Quarter, and multiple sections of the Great Wall while traveling through two of China’s most iconic cities during spring blossom season.