As one of the earliest cities in China open to the world since 1978, the city of Wenzhou has attracted lots of attention as well as foreign visitors from the world. Thousands of foreigners are working and studying in Wenzhou, which was totally unexpected 30 years ago. Though not a city comparable to some large metropolitans like Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou etc., Wenzhou is a very unique and famous city in China for its people – Wenzhounese, its characteristic manufacturing and its wonderful sceneries.
Most foreign visitors come to Wenzhou to visit factories and buy products here. After more than forty years’ development, Wenzhou has created a unique economic model in China for its booming private economy and those world-famous light industrial products made in Wenzhou, such as shoes, garment, electrical equipment, optical glasses, locks, sanitary ware, auto parts, valves, playgrounds and toys, packaging machinery, packages and printing etc. For their high quality and competitive prices, these products have taken up a big market share and enjoyed a great reputation in China and even in the world. Though Wenzhou’s manufacturing are faced with great challenges these years, the clever and diligent Wenzhou people are working hard to upgrade their industries to cater for market changes.
With a long history dating back to thousands of years ago, Wenzhou is endowed with wonderful sceneries and a splendid culture. Among various tourist sites in Wenzhou, Yandang Mountain and Naxi River are most popular with tourists. Of course, Jiangxin Island in the downtown Wenzhou is also the one visitors can not miss. For those who want to enjoy some sea sceneries, Dongtou Island and Nanji Islands are good choices for beach life. As an important part of a city, arts and cultures make visitors get to know a city more deeply. During thousands of years of development, Wenzhou has created its unique arts, cultures and traditions. The South Opera, Yongjia Kun Opera, Guci, Ou embroidery and the ancient paper-making technology etc. have been passed down for generations.
In the downtown area, visitors can easily find different life facilities to their need. Hotels like Shangri-La, Sheraton and Hilton etc. have set foot on Wenzhou with more international hotel brands following. In Wenzhou, visitors can not only find Chinese restaurants for local dishes, but also Western restaurants offering Italian, Korean, Indian and Arabic cuisine. To enjoy the nightlife here, bars and cafes along Jiangbin Road and in Nantang are good places to go, where visitors can find another facet of the city. Meanwhile, big shopping malls together with some featured shopping streets like the ancient Wuma Street make shopping in Wenzhou easy and convenient.
Anyway, there is always more for visitors to explore by themselves in Wenzhou. It is hoped that you can have a taste of what Wenzhou is during your visit to this lovely city. Have fun!
