7 Days in Zhongshan

Start where Sun Yat-sen was born on 12 November 1866. The 1892 house, the museum halls, the village lanes and the film backlot next door fill a full day; entry is free with an online reservation.

1. zhongshan sun yat sen former residence
2. zhongshan cuiheng village
3. zhongshan film city

The arcade street renamed for Sun Yat-sen in 1925, the merchant-history museum in a restored arcade building, and the seven-storey pagoda of 1608 above the rooftops on Yandun Hill.

1. zhongshan sunwen west road
2. zhongshan xiangshan commercial museum
3. zhongshan yandun hill pagoda

Morning at Qijiang Park, the shipyard turned park that took a 2002 ASLA design award, then Zimaling's lakeside paths and the city museum's Xiangshan rooms.

1. zhongshan qijiang park
2. zhongshan zimaling park
3. zhongshan city museum

Zhan Garden, billed as the largest private classical garden in Lingnan, then the hot-spring resort opened in December 1980, and the short Luosanmei climb where Deng Xiaoping spoke of not turning back in 1984.

1. zhongshan zhan garden
2. zhongshan hot springs
3. zhongshan luosanmei mountain

A morning loop in the Wugui range, whose main peak reaches 531 metres, through the Xiaoyao Valley; late afternoon in Yakou, the coastal village that still farms its rice fields in common rows.

1. zhongshan wugui mountain
2. zhongshan xiaoyao valley
3. zhongshan yakou village

A neighbouring-city day, labelled as such — half an hour south, Lovers' Road curves about 28 kilometres past the 8.7-metre Fisher Girl of 1982 and the 2017 shell-shaped opera house.

1. zhuhai

North-west to Xiaolan, the chrysanthemum town with autumn shows and a grand gathering every 60 years, the latest in 2014; a farewell pigeon lunch in Shiqi, then the intercity rail.

1. zhongshan xiaolan chrysanthemum
2. zhongshan shiqi food streets