Experience the best of Nanning

Nanning is the capital of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, in southern China, and is nicknamed the Green City for its lush subtropical trees. It became an economic centre of the Zuo and You river system during the Ming dynasty. People's Park sits in the centre, with the Zhenning Fort inside it, and the Guangxi Museum covers the region's history and peoples.

Mount Qingxiu is a forested hill park on the edge of the city, and Yangmei Ancient Town preserves old streets and shops. Thirty-five ethnic groups live in Nanning, among them the Zhuang, China's largest minority, who also fill the countryside around it. The border with Vietnam lies about 160 kilometres to the south-west.

Laoyou rice noodles, a sour, spicy bowl topped with pork, fermented beans and chilli, are Nanning's most famous dish, and lemon duck is another local invention. Tropical fruit fills the markets. Winter is mild and dry, which makes it the easiest time to walk the city's parks.