Summer in Dalian: More Romantic Than Abroad

You must visit Dalian this summer! Travel guide part three: today, explore Dalian's history and culture and experience its unique charm. Among all the domestic cities I've been to, Dalian truly knows romance best.

First stop in the morning: Zhongshan Square, the most iconic spot in Dalian. It's one of the city's busiest areas and a must-visit for tourists.

Surrounding Zhongshan Square are ten buildings in various European styles, such as Gothic and Romanesque, exuding a rich cultural atmosphere and perfect for photo shoots. Most of these structures are over a century old, still in use, primarily by banks, making this area one of Dalian's financial centers.

Adjacent to Zhongshan Square is Friendship Square, famous for its central crystal ball weighing 117 tons and 15 meters in diameter. At night, it glows and changes into brilliant colors, with a rotating effect. So if you have time, visiting Friendship Square in the evening offers a better view.

Then head from Zhongshan Square to the Russian Style Street. This street is a taste of exoticism in Dalian, the city of romance. It is China's first street featuring 19th- and 20th-century Russian architectural styles, located northwest of Shengli Bridge in Liaoning Province. Also known as Tuanjie Street, it preserves 38 original buildings from the Far Eastern White Russian period, over a century old.

The architecture along this street is unique, with a strong Russian flavor that makes you feel like you're on a Moscow street. Here, tourists can buy authentic Russian foods and souvenirs, such as Russian chocolate, matryoshka dolls, Russian wine, and ice cream.

Dalian's Russian Style Street is a charming exotic tourist destination where visitors can experience Russian culture and artistic ambiance. It's a must-visit spot in Dalian and free to enter!

To help tourists take photos, the street provides props like flower baskets and hand-painted walls, making photos look great—a thoughtful touch.

Through the old Russian buildings in the alley, you can also see Dalian's current tallest skyscraper, creating a striking contrast between old and new.

In the afternoon, head to Tiger Beach Ocean Park. How can you visit Dalian without going to Laohutan? This is Dalian's most representative scenic spot. Here you can watch lively sea lion performances; the venue is packed with spectators drawn by the sea lions.

The sea lions perform stunning water stunts, rivaling highly intelligent humans. There are also other performances that repeatedly excite the audience. Truly impressive—'one minute on stage, ten years of practice off stage' is no empty saying.

After the show, there's an interactive session where one audience member is selected to go on stage and follow the host's prompts for a series of interactions. I won't spoil it, but if you're interested, especially if you have kids, you must come to Dalian to experience it in person!

How can you explore the ocean world without finding polar bears, penguins, and dolphins?

At the Polar Animal Pavilion, you'll find gentle beluga whales, clever dolphins, adorable polar bears, charming walruses, elegant penguins, and over a hundred polar animals along with thousands of fish, all gathered in a joyful ocean.

Amid a golden whirlwind, a mermaid princess gracefully appears; under a dreamy water curtain, high-difficulty water stunts and polar animal shows blend perfectly. Beautiful foreign performers and handsome trainers join the polar ocean spirits to present a romantic oceanic romance!

There's also an 'Ocean Tunnel' where you can see many marine animals, interact with them through glass, and watch marine animal shows. Tiger Beach is perfect for a family outing.

After visiting Tiger Beach Ocean Park, go straight to the adjacent Fisherman's Wharf. This is my favorite spot in Dalian, bar none. It's so comfortable—seagulls, fishing boats, and a café facing the sea.

As evening falls, the setting sun shines on the sea, and seagulls circle round and round, like the peaceful, idyllic scene depicted in fairy tales. Sitting by the sea at dusk, my heart is calm, and I know the view is beautiful.

After the tide recedes, many people head to the beach and rocks to collect shells and catch crabs—a worthwhile experience for those who don't live by the sea.

If you want to see Fisherman's Wharf from a different angle, go to Lingjiao Bay on the opposite pier. It's directly across from Fisherman's Wharf and a new tourist attraction. From here you can see the European-style buildings of Fisherman's Wharf, row upon row, very picturesque.

This is also a dock for sea tours of Dalian; you can buy tickets for a boat ride to see Dalian from a different perspective.

The sky is blue, the water is clear—doesn't Dalian make your heart skip a beat?

In the evening, head to the city center for 'Huomu' (火木)—a popular restaurant in Dalian that combines Sichuan-style spicy stir-fry with seafood barbecue. The environment is nice, clean, and the service is good. Barbecue and seafood are their specialties.

The seafood is very fresh—no wonder this is a coastal city; everything tastes better than inland. Every dish is delicious, worth trying when you visit Dalian, and the prices are really not expensive.