China is now visa-free for Europeans: Take a high-speed train to futuristic cities and fabulous food

As the fourth largest country in the world, China has a vast area of diverse landscapes.

It is bordered by 14 other nations and is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean to the east; here, you'll find towering mountain ranges, expansive plateaus, fertile plains, lush forests, and vast deserts.

Some of China's record-breaking geographical landmarks include the Himalayas, the world's highest mountain range; the Yangtze River, the longest river in Asia; and the Gobi Desert, one of the world's most expansive deserts.

After three years of closed borders due to COVID, China's domestic tourism industry has experienced a robust post-pandemic rebound.

The South China Morning Post reports that domestic tourists spent approximately 633 billion yuan (€80.55 billion) over the 2024 Lunar New Year holiday period.

China's travel restrictions were lifted early last year, but international travel has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, something the country hopes to change.

China recently introduced visa-free entry for citizens of seven European countries and Malaysia. Four more European nations have been added to the list as the country tries to encourage more people to visit for business and tourism.

Most first-time visitors make a beeline for Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi'an, but several other provinces should also be added to your China bucket list.

The province of Yunnan in Southwest China has always been a "tourist paradise", according to Fang Limin from the Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism.

Yunnan Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government attaches "great importance to the development of culture and tourism industry", Limin explains.

They are "cultivating and building culture and tourism industry as one of the province's