1 Day Quanzhou Tour From Xiamen: Follow Marco Polo & Explore The City of Light

Where is the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road? It is Quanzhou, Fujian, China. Have you heard of the name Zayton or Zaiton City (Zaiton Harbour)? Why is Zaiton, the old name of Quanzhou, so famous outside of China? Why was Quanzhou hailed as “The City of Light” by Jacob D’Ancona? Why is it marked by Marco Polo as “The Most Prosperous City in the World“, “the Alexandria of the East”, and “the Largest Port in the World”? Join us on our 1-Day Quanzhou Tour from Xiamen to follow in Marco Polo’s footsteps and explore the City of Light. Discover Quanzhou: the Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China, as we take you on a World Heritage Tour through a Quanzhou Citywalk at the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road.

Nowadays, the name Quanzhou represents the 56th World Heritage Site of China. However, over 1,000 years ago, during the Song and Yuan Dynasties (960-1368), its old name, Zaiton City, was well-known by sailors and traders home and abroad. In Zaiton (Quanzhou), you can encounter many stories of saints and immortals, such as Marco Polo, Jacob D’Ancona, Master Hongyi (Li Shutong), Zheng Zhilong (the father of the national hero Zheng Chenggong), Huang Shougong (who offered the land to build the Kaiyuan Temple), Wu Lu (the last top scholar in Fujian), Confucius (Kongzi, a philosopher and teacher), Arab merchants (who brought Islam to China), Guan Yu (a famous general of the Three Kingdoms period), Yue Fei (a renowned military general and national hero of the Southern Song Dynasty), Mazu (Linmo, the goddess of the sea), Xunpu women (famous for the unique headwear called “Zan Hua”), Cai Xiang (the supervision of ancient Quanzhou who built the Luoyang Bridge) …

You can take a Quanzhou Citywalk through the top three must-visit streets, namely West Street, Zhongshan Road, and Tumen Street, to visit the top attractions of Quanzhou. These include Kaiyuan Temple (Buddhism), Quanzhou Confucian Temple (Confucianism), Qingjing Mosque (Islam), Guandi Temple (Taoism), Mazu Temple (Taoism), as well as optional visits to Luoyang Bridge or Xunpu Village. While exploring these places, you can learn why Quanzhou was once called the Land of Buddha, where saints filled every street. Quanzhou is known to be home to over 6,000 temples and more than 500 deities. In this Museum of World Religions, you can witness the peaceful coexistence of Taoism, Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism, Hinduism, Christianity, Manichaeism, and Judaism. As the hometown of overseas Chinese, Quanzhou is also a must-visit destination for people of Chinese origin to reconnect with their ancestral roots. Don’t forget to immerse yourself in the local Hokkien Culture by experiencing Minnan Architecture, savoring the delicious Hokkien food, and enjoy local Hokkien songs.

You Can Experience “Must-see & Must-do” with This Tour

Highlight 1: Follow Marco Polo back to Zaiton (old name of Quanzhou), the starting point of Maritime Silk Road and The Light City, by visiting the world heritage sites, such as Kaiyuan Temple, Quanzhou Confucian Temple, Qingjing Mosque, Mazu Temple, Deji Gate site, and Luoyang Bridge. Discover Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China.

Highlight 2: Take a Quanzhou Citywalk to explore the top three must-visit streets: West Street, Zhongshan Road, and Tumen Street. Enjoy a good view of Quanzhou’s landmarks, such as the East and West Pagodas, the Clock Tower on West Street, the Confucian Temple on Zhongshan Road, and the Qingjing Mosque and Guandi Temple on Tumen Street.

Highlight 3: Quanzhou is famous as the Museum of World Religions, with half of the city filled with vibrant bustle while the other half is home to sages and immortals. It is said that Quanzhou is home to over 6,000 temples and more than 500 deities. Here, you can find peaceful coexistence among Taoism, Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism, Hinduism, Christianity, Manichaeism, and Judaism.

Highlight 4: Have a bite of Hokkien Culture through its centuries-old Minnan architecture and taste local Minnan cuisine. Chat with local Hokkien people in the alleyways and listen to a well-known Hokkien song called “Put in the Effort, You Will Win”. Known as the hometown of overseas Chinese, Quanzhou is also a must-visit destination for people of Chinese origin to reconnect with their ancestral roots.