Pingyao
Pingyao is the best-preserved walled town in China, a grid of grey courtyards inside a six-kilometre wall. Sleep inside the walls and the evenings are yours.
- Region
- Shanxi, North
- Best
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Airports
- Via Taiyuan (TYN)
- Stay
- 1–2 days
Overview
Pingyao was the banking capital of Qing China, and the money is still visible in the courtyard mansions and the draft banks that are now museums. The whole town is the sight: walk the wall, wander the lanes, sit on a rooftop terrace.
Day-trippers arrive from Taiyuan at ten and leave at four. Before and after, the streets belong to the people who live here and the few who stayed the night.
Winters are cold and dry; summers hot. It is a courtyard town, so pack for the season.
Getting there
High-speed trains from Taiyuan take about 30 minutes to Pingyao Ancient City station, a short taxi from the walls; from Xi'an about three hours, from Beijing around four. The old Pingyao station is closer but serves slow trains.
Rail tip. Your passport is your ticket. Book on 12306 or Trip.com, then go straight to the gate. See Getting around. The Trip.com link earns us a small commission at no cost to you (how that works).
Stay online. Google, WhatsApp and Instagram are blocked on Chinese networks; a travel eSIM that roams gets around it. Install one before you fly — Saily takes US$5 off a first plan with the code CHINA. See Staying online. The code earns us the same amount in Saily credits, at no cost to you (how that works).
Where to stay
Book on Trip.comInside the walls
古城内Courtyard guesthouses, kang beds, rooftop terraces. The only choice.
Stay off South Street, the main tourist lane, and the nights are silent. Ask for a room with a heated kang in winter.
Booking. Compare hotels in Pingyao on Trip.com, filtered to its China travel essentials list: English-speaking staff, foreign cards, guest rating 8 or higher. See Where to stay. Booking through this link earns us a small commission at no cost to you (how that works).
Things to do
City Wall
平遥城墙Six kilometres around, with views over every courtyard roof.
Rishengchang Draft Bank
日昇昌China's first draft bank, in the courtyard where it started.
Wang Family Compound
王家大院A vast Qing merchant estate an hour away. Bigger than the town's own mansions.
Shuanglin Temple
双林寺Painted clay sculptures from the Ming, in a fortified temple outside town.
Eat
Shanxi is noodle country: knife-cut noodles (daoxiaomian), cat's ear pasta, and the local Pingyao beef. Everything comes with black vinegar, the province's pride. Courtyard guesthouses do good home cooking.
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