At 9:30 am, your guide will wait for you outside Exit B1 at Yuexiu Park Station on Metro Line 2. Then you will walk uphill in Yuexiu Park to view the city’s symbol, the Five Rams Sculpture. The local legend goes that five immortal beings wearing robes of five colours came to Guangzhou on the backs of rams. Each being carried rice and gave it to the people as a sign that Guangzhou would be free of famine. A sculpture was erected in Yuexiu Park in 1959 to pay tribute to this story and the origins of the name Guangzhou, meaning five rams.
Afterwards you will walk to the Museum of the Tomb of the Nanyue King of the Western Han Period, where you will go inside the original tomb that was excavated in 1983 while constructing a hotel here. The tomb proves the long history of Guangzhou that can be tracked back to 2200 years ago. There is an exhibition hall to display all kinds of relics excavated in both the tomb and Guangzhou.
Then you will take metro to Academy of Chen Clan, or The Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, which is an academic temple built by the 72 Chen clans for their juniors' accommodation and preparation for the imperial examinations in 1894 in Qing Dynasty. The Academy of the Chen Clan is a complex in the traditional Cantonese architectural style, notable for the rich decoration found inside and outside the halls and on almost every beam, ridge, wall, and column. It includes a large collection of wood, stone, and brick carvings, as well as pottery, plasterwork, and iron engravings.
Afterwards, take the metro to Shamian Island and wander around an area of European-style architecture that was a British and French colony 100 years ago. Your guide will take you to a local restaurant to enjoy Cantonese dim sum for lunch. Then you will take a public boat from here to Canton Tower or a nearby stop on the Pearl River, viewing the river, buildings, and bridges from the boat. The impressive Canton Tower is 600 meters tall, and you can view it from the square. If you are interested, you can buy a ticket to enjoy views over the city. The pleasant day trip concludes at Canton Tower, where you can take a taxi or the metro back to your hotel.
