Dali Ancient City

Dali Ancient City is nestled against the Cangshan Mountain and faces the Erhai Lake. This area was once the capital of the Nanzhao Kingdom and the Dali Kingdom. The preserved city layout mainly inherits from the reconstruction of the Dali Prefecture during the Ming Dynasty. Bai ethnic courtyards with white walls and blue tiles spread out along the chessboard-like streets. Locals spend their leisure time gardening, basking in the sun, and chatting, creating a slow-paced lifestyle that distinguishes this ancient city from many imitation historic districts.

You can start your exploration from the south gate tower during the day, where the characters "Dali" on the wall serve as a popular photo backdrop. Climbing the tower offers a panoramic view of dark-tiled rooftops and distant Cangshan Mountain. Fuxing Road, extending north from the south gate, is the ancient town's central pedestrian street, lined with shops in Ming and Qing styles displaying marble carvings, tie-dye fabrics, silverware, and ethnic costumes. Wuhua Tower at the intersection, originally built during the Nanzhao period and rebuilt several times, remains a landmark of the town. Nearby, the Honglongjing area features clear streams flowing along the streets, making it a pleasant spot to rest when tired. The Renmin Road area is packed with snack stalls, fruit vendors, and handicraft shops, where you can sample local flavors like grilled rushan cheese, cold chicken rice noodles, and Xizhou baba.

As night falls, another scene unfolds. Bars and cafés along Foreigner Street (originally Huguo Road) and Renmin Road light up one after another, with live music drifting from the shops to the streets. The town seamlessly transitions from daytime leisure to nighttime vibrancy within the same ancient city.