Situated in the far north of China close to the vast sub-Siberian plains, Harbin is the pleasant capital of Heilongjiang Province. The railway and the Bolshevik Revolution brought large numbers of Russians to the city, prompting a change in Harbin’s fortunes. Once called “Little Moscow” for its charming pockets of Russian architecture. While the city’s summer is quite pleasant, its winter temperatures dip below –30°C, perfect weather for its spectacular Ice Festival.

Harbin’s most pleasurable aspects lie within the Daoli District, the area stretching from the main railway station to the Songhua River. The district’s downtown area is lined with several upmarket boutiques, fur shops, and department stores. Visitors can walk north along the pedestrianized shopping street of Zhongyang Dajie to explore the picturesque cobbled alleys and architectural legacies of the grand Russian era. Numerous shops and buildings on Zhongyang Dajie have been restored, and their histories recorded in English on exterior plaques. The lanes leading off Zhongyang Dajie are ideal for a leisurely stroll, while along its length are several good bars and restaurants. Lined with ice sculptures in winter, the streets here are alive with the bustle of pavement cafes during summer.

East of Zhongyang Dajie is the Church of St. Sofia, the city’s most spectacular Russian edifice. Dating from 1907, it is also the largest Russian Orthodox church in the Far East. This Byzantinestyle red-brick cathedral is topped with a green, onion-shaped dome. It houses the Architecture and Arts Centre, a rewarding photographic exhibition of the Russian influence on Harbin. To the north, Zhaolin Park is the setting for many of the ice sculptures of the annual Ice Festival, officially held every year from January 5 to February 25. In winter, the park is transformed into a glistening wonderland of brightly-lit ice sculptures, ranging from simple statues to buildings, monuments, and temples.

Close by, Harbin’s riverfront is dotted with a number of interesting sights. The Flood Control Monument at the northern end of Zhongyang Dajie was erected in 1958 to commemorate the river’s flood-prone history. Stretching 42 km along the riverbank is Stalin Park, China’s last public memorial to Joseph Stalin. It is an engaging riverside promenade and meeting place for Harbin locals. In summer, boat trips can be taken along the river and across to Sun Island Park on the northern bank. The park has a variety of recreational attractions and can also be reached by cable car. In winter, the river freezes over completely, and visitors can hire go-carts or simply walk across. An annual snow sculpture exhibition is held on Sun Island, which is also home to the Siberian Tiger Park, where the endangered Manchurian tiger is currently being bred. Visitors may want to give this rather dismal place a miss, as the fenced-off area seems much too small for the big cats, who are constantly being teased with live chickens by noisy busloads of tourists.

Southeast of the main railway station, the Provincial Museum has a rather uninspiring collection of exhibits with no English captions. Farther east along Dong Dazhi Jie are some of Harbin’s Buddhist temples, all of which were damaged during the Cultural Revolution. The quiet Jile Si is home to an active Buddhist community. The complex follows a typical Buddhist temple layout with Drum and Bell Towers, Hall of Heavenly Kings, and a main hall, adorned with statues of Sakyamuni (the Historical Buddha) and various bodhisattvas. Adjacent is the seven-tiered Qiji Futu Pagoda, standing within the largest temple complex in the province. Nearby on Wenmiao Jie, the Confucian Temple is a sizeable shrine also worth visiting. Harbin’s zoo has been moved 41 km away from the city center, renamed Harbin Northern Forest Zoo, and is now one of the largest zoos in China.