Tianjin, also known as the diamond of the Bohai Gulf and the gateway to the capital of the People's Republic of China, is one of the biggest industrial and port cities in China. The city has a long and illustrious history, and the marks that the past has imprinted upon the place can still be seen today.

Ancient Culture Street

Like its counterpart in Beijing, the famous Liulichang, it reflects the authority's effort to recreate an ancient Chinese street of the 19th century in modern high-rise Tianjin. Although everything here is not real, you can still appreciate the protruding balconies and carved columns of the red and green wooden shops with their nicely tiled roofing. 
"Antiques" here are generally expensive, but if you are a connoisseur of bargaining, you can still find some good souvenirs at a reasonable price. Some good shops worthy of being mentioned include the Nirenzhang Clay Figurine Shop, Yangliuqing New Year Poster Shop and Tianyige Four Chinese Writing Tools Shop.

Hai River

Mother Nature seems to be on the side of Tianjin with its location at the junction of Hai River and Bohai Sea, both economically and for recreation. Two of the most popular forms of entertainment here are speed boating (Kuaiting) best done towards Tanggu at Dagukou, although the level of safety is debatable, and shooting. 

Binjiang Avenue

The best of the streets for general shopping has to be Binjiang Avenue, a huge street with block upon block of stalls and shops containing almost anything you might fancy. Generally though, the city is crammed with shopping facilities and a wander around any of the main drag will bring you into contact.

Grand Mercy Monastery

Tianjin's famous Buddhist Grand Mercy Monastery (Dabeiyuan) is located beside the Hai River on Tianwei Road. The temple belongs to the Buddhism Zen School; it is one of the biggest and best preserved Zen Temples in northern China. The temple comprises of two parts, the old Temple in the west courtyard and the new Temple in the east courtyard. The original structure was built in 1669 during the Qing Dynasty. 

Grand Mosque

Located in the northwestern part of the city, the Great Mosque (Qingzhen si), is a fine reflection of Chinese Muslim architecture. Construction of the compound began in 1644 during the Qing Dynasty. The mosque consists of four major structures, the screen wall, the front hall, the praying hall and the preaching hall. 
Nowadays the mosque remains an active place of worship for Tianjin's Muslim community and so entrance to the building can be difficult to obtain. You are free to walk the grounds which are interesting in themselves, little alleys surround this religious stronghold.

Great Wall at Huangya Pass

The Great Wall at Huangyaguan (Huangyaguan changcheng) geographically belongs to Ji County at the very northern tip of the Tianjin Municipality and is some 28km north of Ji County Town. The pass, the only one of its kind in Ji County, contains the section of the Great Wall that extends northward to Hebei Province. During the sunset, the pass looks even more imposing with the steep slopes on both sides.

Mt. Panshan

Located 12 kilometers northwest of Ji County, which is about 100 kilometers north of Tianjin, Mount Pan (Panshan) is covered with lavish plantations and has a rich historical heritage. Recently, the mountain has become the great escape for the city dwellers of Beijing and Tianjin. The natural scenery of the mountain is covered in rocks, streams, pine trees and vast greenness. More than 320 kinds of trees and shrubs have been found in the vicinity, these trees make the mountain a natural botanical garden. 

Notre Dame des Victories

Notre Dame des Victoires (Shengmu desheng tang), is a tall cathedral, located on the northern bank of the river, in the northwest of the city. What makes it so special is that it was the first cathedral to be built (in 1869) after Catholicism was spread to Tianjin. In contrast to the Catholic church farther south, this simple looking complex is open to the public only on Sunday, when a morning service is held. The church has been under state protection as a major national relic since 1988.

Temple of Solitary Joy

The Temple of Solitary Joy (Dule si) is located outside Ji County to the north of Tianjin city, three hours away by bus. The temple was first built in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) and renovated in the Liao Dynasty (916-1125 AD). Recent renovations have also been made. 

Dagu Fort

Dagu Fort (Dagu paotai), erected on the southern bank of the Hai River, is 60 kilometers southeast of the city proper. Originally there were forts on both sides of the river built in the sixteenth century, but in 1901, the one on the northern bank was ordered to be dismantled. The current one was first built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) and underwent several renovations in the Qing Period (1644-1911 AD). Today the fort is an interesting sight for a day trip, about 50km, from the city proper in a town called Tanggu.

Fried Dough Twist

Although plain in look, this queue-shaped fried dough is by no means easy to make. Each bar of dough is made with quality flour and then fried in peanut oil. The bars are usually stuffed with a variety of fillings, most often the waxy tasting bean paste (Dou sha) - a taste for only the hardy. Since it can be preserved for several months, you can take some of this crispy specialty back home to share with family.

Goubuli Steamed Stuffed Bun

Although you can find these steamed stuffed buns (Bao zi) almost everywhere in China, Goubuli is still the hardest to make (involving eight steps) and is consequently the most favored one among its peers. It is characterized by its unusual flavor and because it is void of the fatty liquid that is commonly found in other buns. In recent years, buns made with stuffing other than pork meat have caught on, including some interesting vegetarian options.