Three Days in Luoyang City: Admire Peonies, Visit Longmen Grottoes, See the Heaven and Bright Halls, Stroll the Ancient City, and Enjoy Soup and Water Feast

Luoyang is an ancient capital of thirteen dynasties and one of China's historical and cultural cities, known as the 'Millennium Imperial Capital, City of Peonies.' Every April, Luoyang holds its annual Peony Culture Festival. During this time, you can come to Luoyang to see the peonies, visit cultural classics within the city, and taste Luoyang cuisine: beef soup, lamb soup, donkey soup, tofu soup, meatball soup, bufan soup, hulatang, water feast, etc. Experience the charm of the ancient city, enjoy life, starting now.

You can arrive in Luoyang by train, high-speed rail, or self-driving. Luoyang is currently in a period of subway construction. Once the subway opens, it will be very convenient to admire peonies and visit scenic spots. However, during the Peony Culture Festival, additional tourist buses are provided, making it easy to reach various attractions.

Day 1: Arrive at Longmen High-Speed Rail Station — Sandan Lamb Soup for breakfast — Longmen Grottoes — Check into a hotel in the city — Luopu Park — Shangyang Palace

The high-speed rail station is a bit far from the city center but very close to the Longmen Grottoes. After getting off the train, quickly search for Sandan Lamb Soup on the map. Sandan Lamb Soup is famous far and wide, definitely one of the best among Luoyang's many lamb soups. Luoyang's beef, lamb, and tofu soups are generally open in the morning. There is a long line at Sandan Lamb Soup, and you might need to wait about an hour to get some, but the taste is worth the wait.

Longmen Grottoes, with an admission fee of 120 RMB, is a World Cultural Heritage site and one of the four major grottoes with a long history. The scenic area is divided into East Mountain and West Mountain, with most statues on West Mountain. There are many large and small grottoes in the area, but a significant number have been damaged, which is regrettable. From the entrance, walk all the way to the Lushena Buddha statue. After climbing high steps and looking up at the 17.14-meter-tall Lushena Buddha, you will be amazed and admire the carving skills of the ancients.

Since we planned to see peonies the next day, we chose a hotel not far from Wangcheng Park and booked online. It is essential to book rooms in advance because accommodations during the flower festival are very tight and expensive. In the evening, take a stroll in Luopu Park, which also has some peonies (though fewer in number). Enjoy the breeze from the Luo River and walk to Shangyang Palace, where Empress Wu Zetian worked and lived in her later years. These are all free. Shangyang Palace is beautifully lit at night, great for photos. For dinner, we had spicy hot pot at Malu Bianbian on Zhujiang Road, which is a food street with all kinds of eats!

Day 2: Wangcheng Park — Lijing Gate — Luoyi Ancient City — Cross Street — Guanji Water Feast

Accommodation can remain the same, as the attractions to visit are relatively close. In the morning, we went to Lixin Road and had tofu soup at Li Ji. It was delicious, with many people and reasonable prices. Then we headed straight to Wangcheng Park, admission 30 RMB. Mid-April is truly the best time to see peonies; the flowers are huge. We saw rare varieties like bean-green and black peonies. Wangcheng Park has many varieties of peonies and has been planted for a long time. It is highly recommended for first-time peony viewers. Of course, the China National Flower Garden is also recommended. If you want to see peonies for free, Xiyuan Park is a good choice, though the variety and quantity of peonies may not be as abundant.

Lijing Gate is free to enter, but if you want to go up the city wall, you need a ticket. Inside, there are various local specialties for sale, and Cross Street is within the Lijing Gate area, offering many snacks. We had the water feast at Guanji in the evening; there were many people. If you want to try water feast or bufan soup, those within Lijing Gate are all quite authentic, and you don't have to go specifically to Guanji.

Luoyi Ancient City is also free to enter with a valid ID. Inside, there are various cultural heritages, such as sugar-blowing figurines, and you might encounter performances.

Day 3: Emperor's Six-Horse Chariot Museum — Heaven and Bright Halls — Return trip

In the morning, we had beef soup at Brother Liang. We started drinking right away and forgot to take a photo. A bowl costs 10 RMB with plenty of beef and flavorful broth. Then we took a bus to the Emperor's Six-Horse Chariot Museum. This museum has great significance as it proves that the emperor indeed traveled with a six-horse chariot. Admission is 30 RMB.

The Heaven and Bright Halls scenic area includes the Heaven Hall and the Bright Hall, with an admission fee of 120 RMB. This was an important venue for Empress Wu Zetian to govern, worship Buddha, and live. The Bright Hall is the main hall, while the Heaven Hall is the imperial worship hall. The interiors are truly magnificent. A previous movie about Di Renjie was filmed here. There are also performances, and it is great for photos at night.

Peonies are truly worth seeing.

Luoyang's soups are indeed famous: beef soup, lamb soup, donkey soup, tofu soup, hulatang, bufan soup, water feast, etc.

Luoyang is a famous cultural tourism city with many other classics, such as the White Horse Temple, which we haven't visited yet. I will definitely go when I have the chance in the future.

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