Dalian is a port city at the southern tip of Liaodong Peninsula in northeast China, facing the sea on three sides. It is one of China's most liveable cities — clean, green, and relatively well-planned — and a major container port for the northeast.
The city's most distinctive feature is its colonial architecture. Russian and Japanese occupations left behind a legacy of European-style boulevards and grand rond-point squares, most notably Zhongshan Square with its ten symmetrical buildings. Old coloured trams still run through the centre. The combination of ocean air, parks, and walkable streets makes Dalian feel different from most Chinese cities of its size.
The beaches along the southern coast are packed with domestic tourists in summer. Fujiazhuang is the best for swimming. The September International Fashion Festival is one of China's larger events of its kind. In September the weather is ideal — warm, clear, and without summer's humidity.