Historic site · GUANGDONG
Shamian Island
沙面 · Shāmiàn
About
Small Pearl River island that was the British and French concession from 1859. Restored late-19th-century European-style buildings, plane-tree streets.
Shamian was carved off as a foreign concession (British 4/5, French 1/5) in 1859 after the Second Opium War. The 0.3 km² island contains around 150 historic European-style buildings — banks, customs houses, churches (Our Lady of Lourdes, Christ Church) and consulates. The island is now pedestrian-friendly with cafes and the original Garden City planning still intact. Connected to the city by short bridges.
How to get there
Metro Line 1 to Huangsha, then walk.
When to visit
Late afternoon.
Other attractions in Guangzhou
Itineraries featuring this site
- South China — Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Yangshuo and Guilin, 10 days
10d · Ten days through the south: Hong Kong as the entry point, Guangzhou for Cantonese food culture, then the karst river landscape of Yangshuo and Guilin before flying home.
- Regional food tour — Sichuan, Hunan, Cantonese and Shanghai, 14 days
14d · Fourteen days moving through four of China's most distinctive regional cuisines — the numbing heat of Sichuan, the dry spice of Hunan, the freshness of Cantonese cooking, and the sweet-savoury balance of Shanghainese food.
- Train-only China — 14 days using HSR exclusively, no flights
14d · Fourteen days across eastern and central China using only high-speed rail — no domestic flights. A lower-carbon alternative that also provides a closer view of the country at ground level.
Spotted something out of date? Submit a correction.
Research
Cross-checked against primary sources
Verified
Address, hours, fees confirmed at the date shown
Updated
Re-verified periodically; corrections welcome