Luoyang, the Divine Capital: A Complete 3-Day, 2-Night In-Depth Travel Guide

📍 Luoyang · 👁 4 reads · ❤️ 70 likes

A millennium-old imperial capital, the city of peonies. Nowadays, Luoyang in Henan is gaining increasing popularity online. With the short holiday approaching, and this year's May Day being a five-day break, I've specially compiled a travel guide for Luoyang's urban area. If you need it, please save it.

Recently, many friends have asked me: Are there still peonies in Luoyang during May Day? Yes! But there are really not many left. So, the following city attractions do not include peony gardens; please take note.

Day 1: Longmen Grottoes, Guanlin Temple, Luoyi Ancient City

Longmen Grottoes have always been the highlight of Luoyang tourism and a signature of Henan tourism. When visiting Luoyang, the Longmen Grottoes, one of the four major grottoes, should be seen first. The Longmen Grottoes consist of the West Hill Grottoes, East Hill Grottoes, Xiangshan Temple, and Bai Garden. The grottoes were built over more than a thousand years, with over 110,000 statues, most of which were commissioned by royalty and nobility, making it the largest royal grotto complex in the world.

Must-see attractions: Fengxian Temple, Vairocana Buddha, Binyang Three Caves, Jiang Song Villa, Bai Garden, etc.

Admission: 90 yuan, scenic area shuttle: 20 yuan, visiting time: about three hours.

It is strongly recommended to hire a guide, rent an audio guide, or scan QR codes for audio commentary; otherwise, you'll just be joining the crowd.

Luoyang Guanlin Temple is one of the three major sites in the world for worshipping Lord Guan. Among all places dedicated to Lord Guan, only Luoyang's Guanlin Temple can be called a 'Lin' (forest). Guanlin Temple holds great influence among Chinese people at home and abroad, not only because of Lord Guan's representation of loyalty, courage, and righteousness, but also because Lord Guan is the embodiment of the Martial God of Wealth. Thus, the incense at Guanlin Temple has always been very strong.

Of course, aside from that, Guanlin Temple is also one of the few ancient architectural complexes in Luoyang. The evergreen cypress and pine trees create a quiet and serene environment all year round, making it highly recommended.

Admission: 40 yuan, visiting time: about one hour.

In the evening, you can visit Luoyi Ancient City. The reason for placing Luoyi Ancient City on the first day is mainly because there is a Wenfeng Pagoda light show at night. You can stay overnight in the park, enjoying a one-stop experience of shopping, eating, and accommodation in the ancient city, which is very convenient.

Sleep in at Luoyi Ancient City, then stroll into the East and West Main Streets for breakfast, and experience the lively everyday life of Luoyang. These streets are rare nationwide, seamlessly blending tourist commerce with local living, so the prices of goods are generally affordable.

For lunch, you can try the Water Feast at Guanjia, Xinghua Village, or Sima Shuixi (Sima Water Feast). Then climb Lijing Gate to look north at the Nine-Dragon Tripod and east at the Drum Tower, letting the thousand years of ancient capital history drift by like smoke and clouds.

Lijing Gate climbing admission: 30 yuan. Viewing time: half an hour. East and West Main Streets: one hour.

Food recommendations: Guanjia Water Feast, beef soup, hutu noodles, jiang noodles, etc.

In the afternoon, you can visit Luoyang's most expensive attraction: Mingtang and Tiantang (Sui-Tang Luoyang City National Heritage Park). This was the place where Empress Wu Zetian worshipped Buddha and held court. The two main buildings in the park were built on the original ruins. The lower building is Mingtang, the main hall of Luoyang's Ziwei Palace, also known as the Hall of All Spirits. The taller building to the north is where Wu Zetian worshipped Buddha. Both buildings feature various small performances. You can check the show schedule at the entrance to avoid missing them.

Admission: 120 yuan, visiting time: two hours. Highlights include the various exhibitions inside Mingtang and the small performances.

After visiting Mingtang and Tiantang, I personally feel that as Luoyang's most expensive attraction, it is more suitable for photography. Also, as dusk falls, watching the Yingtian Gate light show from Mingtang is the best spot. The Yingtian Gate light show lasts about half an hour, with dazzling and colorful lights presenting various Luoyang elements on the building, making you feel as if you've returned to the Tang Dynasty.

When in Luoyang, the White Horse Temple is a must-see. With a history of over 1,900 years, it is the first officially established temple in China and holds an extremely high historical status. The White Horse Temple offers plenty to see, including the 23 dry lacquer statues from the Yuan Dynasty in the Mahavira Hall, the International Buddhist Temple District (perfect for taking photos), and the Qiyun Pagoda complex.

Admission: 35 yuan, visiting time: 1.5 hours.

Luoyang Museum is a must-visit when in Luoyang. It is a national first-class museum with a vast collection of fine artifacts. I have recommended it many times before, and I have visited it three times myself, each time feeling I haven't seen enough.

To the west of Luoyang Museum is the Luoyang Planning Exhibition Hall. Here, you can touch the history of Luoyang and look forward to its future.

Regarding admission: Except for Mingtang and Tiantang, prices for other attractions are quite reasonable. The Longmen Grottoes have also responded to calls and reduced their prices.

Regarding accommodation: During the Luoyang Peony Festival (including May Day), hotel prices are higher. A four-star hotel that usually costs around 300 yuan will double in price, and budget hotels will adjust to around 300 yuan. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to book in advance and confirm by phone.

Regarding transportation: As a tourist city, Luoyang's Metro Line 1 is now open, and public transportation to various attractions is very convenient, with mobile payment supported.

Regarding food: Luoyang has a wide variety of cuisines, with soups being particularly famous. The Water Feast is all about soups and broths, with distinctive flavors, and can be ordered by the dish. There are also beef soup, meatball soup, donkey meat soup, tofu soup, and more—must-tries when in Luoyang.

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Travel Notes Directory

1. Day 2: Lijing Gate, East and West Main Streets, Mingtang and Tiantang, Yingtian Gate Light Show

2. Day 3: White Horse Temple, Luoyang Museum, Planning Exhibition Hall

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