Just 125 kilometres southeast of Beijing, Tianjin stands as one of China’s most historically cosmopolitan cities. It has been a meeting point of East and West for over a century. This year, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Tianjin Summit 2025 has once again drawn the attention of tourists to this vibrant port city.
The SCO Tianjin Summit 2025, also known as the 25th Heads of State Council meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the largest one in history, took place in Tianjin from 31 August to 1 September 2025. Leaders from more than 20 countries met at the Tianjin Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center and thereby renewed the international interest in the city, known as Beijing’s smaller brother, yet home to no less than 14 million inhabitants.
Located on the Haihe River, Tianjin is currently China’s largest artificial deep-water harbour. Due to its position, it has been playing an important role in connecting China with the rest of the world for years. Intense relationships with colonial powers in the West eventually led to the Battle of Tientsin (Tianjin) in 1900, one of the most important battles during the Boxer Rebellion. In the century that followed, Tianjin gradually grew bigger, with European nations governing neighbourhoods or “concessions” in Tianjin, leaving behind a mismatch of European-style architecture in an otherwise very modern cityscape. And that’s just one of the 10 reasons why to visit Tianjin.
1. Stroll through the Five Great Avenues district
Most of Tianjin’s historical buildings and 20th-century concessions have been demolished over the years. However, by walking through the Five Great Avenues district, it is still possible to get a taste of what the city used to look like before skyscrapers became so prominent. The Tianjin Concert Hall, built in 1922, is a destination in itself, and Prince Qing’s Mansion from the 1920s has since been turned into a luxury hotel. While the 1926 Minyuan Stadium now functions as a public space, it is perfect to stop for a piece of local street food.
2. Look out over the city at the Eye of Tianjin
When visiting a new city, searching for a place to get an overview of it all from above is always a great idea. The Tianjin Eye Ferris wheel stands 120 meters above the Haihe River at the Yongle Bridge, allowing visitors to enjoy the view over the city, the lovely riverbank, and the surrounding area. In order to beat the often very large crowds, arriving before the Ferris wheel opens is preferable.
3. Try not to break anything at the Porcelain House
Chinese porcelain is internationally renowned. With an over 3,000-year history, it is no wonder that museums dedicated to the subject can be found all throughout the country. However, Tianjin’s Porcelain House is no ordinary museum. While great antiques can be found on the inside, many tourists come to marvel at its exteriors. When local businessperson and art collector Zhang Lianzhi bought the French-style residence from the 1920s in 2002, he renovated the building by covering it with millions of fragments of porcelain, making it a spectacular sight to see.
4. Visit the Dule Temple
The origins of the Dule Temple, also known as the Temple of Solitary Joy, are thought to date back all the way to the early Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618 – 907). However, none of those earliest structures have survived, making the Shanmen and the Guanyin Pavilion the oldest structures on-site (984 AD) and some of the most ancient surviving wooden buildings in China. The Buddhist temple was added in 1961 to the National Priority Protected site list and is well worth the detour.
5. Feel like you’re somewhere else at the Italian Style Town
In the Hebei District of Tianjin City, the Italian Style Town offers one of the most peculiar experiences in town. It makes for the best preserved of Tianjin’s European concessions, and when walking through the tiny streets, it is hard to imagine being in China. The terraced houses with Italian-style balconies have mostly been transformed into restaurants and shops, where you can find anything ranging from German-style beer to Spanish tapas.
6. Taste the Jianbing Guozi
Making jianbing guozi has been included in the municipal intangible cultural heritage list of Tianjin since 2017, and the thin mung bean pancakes are some of the most typical street food dishes to enjoy in the city. Inside, eggs, fried dough sticks, sweet bean sauce, diced green onion, and chilli sauce to taste make for a pleasant surprise.
7. Learn about the city’s history at the Tianjin Museum
With its 50,000 square meters, the Tianjin Museum is the city’s largest museum and one of its most iconic buildings, resembling a swan spreading its wings. Inside, visitors learn about Tianjin’s rich history through a large range of cultural and historical relics. From calligraphy over ceramics to jadeware: the list of items on show is almost never-ending and also gives an overview of Tianjin’s development into a modern city from the Opium Wars onward.
8. Be amazed at the Tianjin Binhai Library
Architecture lovers might already with acquainted with the Tianjin Binhai Library, and if not, it is about time to get to know the iconic building. The library, nicknamed The Eye, was developed by the Rotterdam-based architectural firm MVRDV and features floor-to-ceiling, terraced bookshelves, arranged in an awe-inspiring design.
9. Catch a stand-up comedy show
Stand-up comedy is one of Tianjin’s main attractions as far as national tourism is concerned. Throughout the town, stand-up comedians show some of their greatest work in traditional teahouses, where one can enjoy the show while sipping on a cup of delicate jasmine tea. While it is necessary to know some of the Chinese language and culture to understand their humour, if this is the case, it is a sight not to be missed.
Drama Gathers in Tianjin.From flash mobs on the street to small theaters in shopping malls,
— Tianjin Today🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳 (@TianjinToday) October 9, 2025
from revitalized old playhouses to boundary-breaking productions—experience the magic of drama in every corner of Tianjin. pic.twitter.com/yerrK8ptPC
10. Marvel at the Huangya Great Wall
This last must-see might be somewhat decentralised but at a two hours’ drive from Tianjin, the Huangyaguan Great Wall is a military marvel not to be missed by history fanatics.
With its origins dating back to the Northern Qi dynasty (A.D. 550-577) and significant changes being made during the Ming dynasty (A.D. 1368-1644), this small section of the Great Wall of China is less visited than some, but therefore not less impressive.
