Harbin, the Ice City, Grants Me a Romantic Dream of Ice and Snow

When the north is covered by winter's desolation, the most beautiful thing in the world is the pure white snow.

In the Ice City Harbin, exquisite snow sculptures and ice lanterns, century-old buildings, and the Songhua River running through the city add a unique romance to this snow-covered land.

St. Sophia Cathedral is one of Harbin's landmarks.

With its Byzantine style, Russian onion domes, and bare red bricks, it looks beautiful from every angle.

When the sun just rises, it's dreamlike.

At night, the lights come on, the snow glows warm yellow, and the entire cathedral is bathed in a soft halo, intoxicating.

The night in Harbin is so romantic.

Central Street near the cathedral is a must-visit when traveling to Harbin.

This pedestrian street is like a century-old architectural art exhibition, where every building is steeped in history, and every turn reflects the passage of time.

As night falls, tranquility and romance flow under the colorful lights, leaving you drunk in a dream, feeling no chill on a winter outing.

On both sides of the street are ice sculptures of various shapes, crystal clear and lifelike.

Such scenes can only be seen here—ice and snow art is engraved in every corner of this city.

Don't miss the Modern Cold Drinks Hall here—it's said that eating a Modier ice pop in winter is the right way to experience Central Street~

Walking along Central Street to the end leads to the banks of the Songhua River.

At this season, the wide river is completely covered by ice and snow. Stalin Park stretches along the river, open and spacious, with trees adorned in frost and snow. You can take the steps down to the ice and snow playground on the river.

At the center of the park stands the famous Harbin Flood Control Monument, built to commemorate the flood fighting in 1957, a symbol of strength and wisdom in the hearts of Harbin people.

Strolling along the park, enjoying the warm winter sun, I was attracted by a beautiful iron bridge ahead.

This is the Harbin Chinese Eastern Railway Bridge, built during the Tsarist Russian period, over 100 years old, the first bridge across the river in Harbin. Step onto the glass walkway on the bridge, long iron tracks stretch into the distance, offering a panoramic view of the frozen Songhua River.

What is the most exciting activity in Harbin in winter?

I think it must be the Ice and Snow World—nothing else.

By day, it's a crystal ice and snow kingdom; by night, a colorful dream castle, as if you're in a fairy tale.

This year's Ice and Snow World is themed around Winter Olympics culture, paying tribute to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. The scenic area features various ingenious works, with the 42-meter-high main tower "Peak of the Sacred Flame" setting a historical record, and the 400-meter-long slide being the most popular queue attraction.

On beautiful Sun Island, the 34th Harbin Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo is underway.

The Sun Island Park Snow Sculpture Expo is hailed as "the world's largest ice and snow carnival." This year, with the theme "Winter Olympics Light, Dreamlike Snow Expo," it uses snow sculpture art to convey the Olympic spirit.

A must-see is the snow sculpture of the Winter Olympics mascot.

Ice and snow art is fully displayed here.

On the way back, I passed the recently very popular giant snowman at the Music Corridor of Qunli Music Park.

With a red scarf, a cute smile, heart-shaped buttons, it stands adorably by the Songhua River, spreading joy to everyone passing by.

If you're traveling with children, don't miss the Harbin Polar Park.

We visited the second phase of the Polar Pavilion. The venue is new and offers a great experience, perfect for family outings.

Right after entering, we caught a stunning Northern Lights performance, instantly feeling transported to the Arctic.

Seeing the huge polar bear up close was quite impressive, and the staff even made it perform a water dive for prey—very cute.

The pavilion houses various polar animals, and here we seemed to rediscover the joy of childhood.

The most famous is probably the "Heart of the Ocean" performance by beluga whales—the deep blue water and swimming belugas evoke an inexplicable melancholy.

The northern ice city of Harbin in winter is ancient and romantic. It doesn't need the titles "Little Paris of the East" or "Moscow of the East" to enhance its charm; its own allure is more than enough.

I hope to have another chance to return and experience the beauty of this city in every season.