Ürümqi is the capital of Xinjiang, China's vast northwestern autonomous region. It is the most inland major city in the world — further from the sea than any other city of its size. The population is a mix of Han Chinese, Uyghur, Kazakh, and other Central Asian peoples, and this cultural crossroads gives the city a character quite different from eastern China.
The city itself is modern and sprawling, with wide boulevards and high-rises, but the markets are the main attraction. The Erdaoqiao Bazaar near the main mosque is the most atmospheric — dried fruit, spices, carpets, knives, and Uyghur streetfood. The Xinjiang Museum (132 Northwest Road) has an excellent collection, including the famous Tarim Basin mummies.
The best day trip is to Tianshan (Heavenly Lake), about 155 km south toward Kashgar. The lake sits at 1,900 metres in an alpine setting of spruce forest and snow-capped peaks — think Lake Louise with yurts and Kazakh nomads.
Getting to Ürümqi by train from Beijing is one of China's epic rail journeys — 64 hours across the country. From here you can continue west to Kashgar by train or bus, or cross into Kazakhstan via the border at Khorgos.