Lanzhou Travel Guide

Lanzhou is the capital of Gansu Province, a regional hub of northwest China through which the Yellow River runs east to west. Long a Silk Road gateway to the western regions, it has welcomed travelers in transit for centuries. With a large Hui Muslim population, the city carries a distinctly Islamic note, and mosque minarets appear at many street corners.

The riverfront promenade is the center of the city's sightseeing. The Zhongshan Bridge, started in 1907 and finished in 1909, was the first permanent iron bridge across the Yellow River and is nicknamed the First Bridge Under Heaven. From its base you can look upstream at the river and the hills on both banks; from Baita Shan (White Pagoda Hill) on the north bank, you can take in the whole city and the river in one view.

The dish that put Lanzhou on the national map is beef noodle soup (niurou mian) — hand-pulled wheat noodles in a clear beef-bone broth, served with thin slices of beef, daikon radish, cilantro and a slick of chili oil, and ordered by noodle width. Hui food culture also fills the city with lamb: skewers grilled over coals and boiled mutton dishes are easy to find. The night markets round things out with sweet pastries and roasted nuts.

For travelers heading deeper into Gansu — Xiahe, Dunhuang, Zhangye — Lanzhou is the natural starting point, and its stations and airport keep a steady flow of arrivals and departures. The river, the minarets and the steam off the morning noodle bowls together set the tone of the city. Take time to walk the riverfront and eat a bowl early.