Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei travel circuit offers host of attractions

Tianjin

Ancient Cultural Street

The street sits in Nankai district of Tianjin, which is roughly 30 minuets away from Beijing by highspeed rail. It opened in 1986, and has attracted tons of visitors for its special architectural styles and classic cultural elements. The street depicts business in the Qing Dynasty, with splendid replicas of classical architecture. It's a great choice for those who are interested in traditional Chinese handicrafts, since the street is home to hundreds of stores selling a wide variety of folk handicrafts, such as classic paintings and painted sculptures. Jade and pottery are also available. At the end of the tour, one might as well get to sample local delicacies by trying Goubuli steamed dumplings, fried glutinous cakes and tea soup on the street.

Tianjin Eye

Tianjin Eye, also known as the Tientsin Eye, is a ferris wheel built on a bridge over the Haihe River. The Tianjin Eye was completed in 2008. It is 120 meters tall and has become one of the landmarks of Tianjin. It is the only ferris wheel built above a bridge. One can ride it to get a bird's-eye view of Tianjin or simply appreciate it from afar from the Jingang Bridge, about 800 meters away to the south.

Five Great Avenues

Five Great Avenues lie in the south of downtown Tianjin and have one of the best-preserved villa cluster in the country. Along the sides of those avenues, there are more than 2,000 villas featuring various Western styles. One can find British, Italian, French and Germany elements in those buildings, which were built in the 1920s and 1930s. The area used to be the British Concession, and is widely considered an expo of worldwide building styles, where one can also spot a sense of Renaissance, Baroque and the integration of traditional Chinese and Western styles.