荆州

Rebuilt during the Ming and Qing dynasties over earlier foundations, this 11-kilometer fortification and its surrounding moat remain remarkably intact. Start at the grand Binyang Tower at the East Gate and walk or rent a bicycle to trace the quiet brick ramparts.

One of China's finest prefectural museums, with intricate Warring States lacquerware, bronze weapons, and ancient silks excavated from nearby Chu tombs. Its most famous exhibit is a remarkably preserved Western Han male corpse unearthed at Phoenix Hill in 1975.

Often compared to aWarring States counterpart of Xi'an's Terracotta Army, this vast archaeological site 35 kilometers northwest of the city preserves the excavated skeletons of over a hundred horses and wooden war chariots buried with a Chu monarch.

Tucked inside the east gate of the old city, this reconstructed Ming Dynasty courtyard complex honors the Jingzhou-born Grand Secretary whose sweeping tax and administrative reforms revitalized the 16th-century Ming empire.

Built on the purported site of Three Kingdoms general Guan Yu's former mansion inside the south gate, this incense-filled temple complex is a focal point for fans of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

You do not need a ticket to walk along many stretches of the wall or through the city gates; tickets are mainly required to climb inside reconstructed gate towers like Binyang Tower.

Like most state museums in China, Jingzhou Museum closes on Mondays outside of national holidays. Bring your physical passport for entry registration at the gate.

Public transit to the Xiongjiazhong Chu King's Chariot and Horse Pit is slow and infrequent. Book a ride-hailing car via DiDi or arrange a round-trip taxi from town so you are not stranded at the rural site.

Because Jingzhou Railway Station is only a 15-minute taxi ride from the old town, you can easily store bags at the station and visit the wall and museum on a daytime layover between Wuhan and Yichang.