Xuzhou 48-Hour Gourmet Travel Check-in Guide

Traveling to Xuzhou from Beijing and Shanghai, the high-speed train takes only a minimum of 2.5 hours, making it suitable for weekend trips. Most attractions in Xuzhou do not charge an entrance fee, and there is a 2000-year-old barbecue culture, with the average cost per person in restaurants rarely exceeding 70 yuan. Many people have already regarded it as a budget travel destination, but it has not yet become as popular as Harbin or Tianshui. Must-visit spot 1: Guishan Han Tomb, the most magnificent discovered among the tombs of the kings of Chu, with a total of 15 tomb chambers and an area of over 700 square meters, almost hollowing out the entire mountain. The ticket price of 80 yuan is not cheap. The scenic area also includes two additional attractions, the Imperial Edict Museum and the Dianshi Garden, which houses a large collection of stone carvings and steles. Although the collections are decent, there is a suspicion of padding. Must-visit spot 2: Han Dynasty Relief Stone Art Gallery, free of charge. It displays nearly 600 pieces of Han Dynasty relief stone masterpieces, recreating various aspects of life during the Han Dynasty, including cattle farming, weaving, chariot travel, feasting and drinking, music and dance, myths and legends, etc., known as the 'Epic on Stone'. If time is limited, you can choose to only visit the newly built South Hall. Must-visit spot 3: Xuzhou Museum, free of charge. Hundreds of Han tombs are scattered around Xuzhou, and the unearthed artifacts such as gold-threaded, silver-threaded, and copper-threaded jade garments, as well as jade dragons, pottery figurines, and lacquer coffins inlaid with jade, are all on display here. As a must-visit for tourists, it is best to make a reservation in advance to ensure entry on the day. Other attractions are optional, including: Baolian Temple near Xuzhou East Station, built in 2009, where the internet-famous pastries need to be purchased early in the morning and are quickly sold out after lunch, free admission; Xima Terrace, newly built in 1985, where the exhibition hall is used to tell the story of Xiang Yu from birth to defeat in battle, free of charge; Hubu Mountain under Xima Terrace, where several famous residences are located, which compared to the thousands of ancient streets across the country, are not particularly distinctive, free of charge; Huilongwo next to Hubu Mountain subway station, which was once known for its low-lying terrain and difficulty in draining rainwater, has now become a commercial street constructed with antique buildings, free of charge. Regarding Han tombs, Shizishan Han Tomb (also known as Han Culture Scenic Area), Beidongshan Han Tomb Exhibition Hall (to be opened in 2024), and Baiji Han Tomb are also quite famous and worth considering. Eating in Xuzhou: Most barbecue restaurants open after 4 p.m. and close around 1 or 2 a.m. The barbecue restaurant Lvdi Sanzhiyang in the city center is particularly popular, with many people still waiting for a table even after 11 p.m. If you really want to try the barbecue, it is recommended to go when they open in the afternoon or to visit shops that are not in the city center. If you go during meal times, be prepared to queue for two hours. Xuzhou has several food streets, including the 1818 Night Market, Fuguo Street, and Fengchu Street. Among them, Fengchu Street offers the best experience, with shops selling shaved ice, Bazirou (pork belly), rice noodles, steak, chicken strips, etc., all crammed into a short street, with waiting times not being exaggerated. If you want to eat Xuzhou cuisine, you should look for restaurants that serve dishes like clay pot chicken and garlic burst fish. The differences between those old restaurants that have been open for decades are not significant. If any internet-famous restaurant requires waiting for more than an hour, I would suggest checking out other shops. For breakfast, you can consider the time-honored brand Lianglai Feng's beef potstickers, pan-fried buns, and spicy soup with egg.