Shenyang is the fifth largest city in China, located in the center of Liaoning Province, north of the Hun River, with the Bohai Sea to one side and the Changbai Mountains to the other. Its sister city Dalian is known to be a more lively and cosmopolitan city, but Shenyang is the economic center of the region and the hub for the area's transportation. The city is also a key manufacturing center for China, and has an emerging pharmaceutical industry.

Shenyang is easy to approach by air, rail and road and once visitors reach the city the grid-like layout is easy to navigate on foot, by bike or using the city's buses and taxis. In 2008, Shenyang will host football matches during the Beijing Olympic Games in the Shenyang Olympic Sport Center and expects a large upswing in visitors.

Shenyang has four unique celebrations spaced over the year: the Shenyang West Lake Lotus Festival in summer is held when the city's lotus flowers come into bloom. Later in the year, in autumn, Shenyang has an International Qing Dynasty Cultural Festival, demonstrating Imperial customs & throwing temple fairs to mark the city's status as the first capital of the Qing Dynasty. The Shenyang International Folk Dance (Yangko) Festival and the Shenyang International Ice and Snow Festival are important times in Shenyang's year too.

During all of the city's festivals, visitors can sample the traditional food of the area. Delicacies such as Laobian Jiaozi, boiled dumplings, stuffed rice dumplings, smoked meat flatbreads and Haicheng Pie. Of course, those with a sweet tooth can find snacks to love in Shenyang too: Yang's Baked Cakes are golden, buttery rolls that are crispy on the outside and flaky inside. Restaurants around the city serve traditional Manchu foods, and if possible visitors should try a Manchu-Han Banquet. According to legend, the Qing Dynasty emperor, Kangxi ate a feast in the region, and after sampling one bite of each dish, wrote the four characters ''Man Han Quan Xi", after which the feast was named.

Natural attractions around Shenyang include the Qipan Shan International Scenic Tourist Development Zone which encompasses mountains, streams, luscious green trees and caves, hosting several exhibitions and competitions. Visitors should not miss Strange Hill, which is shaped in such an unusual way that objects appear to roll uphill! The city also has Youth Park and Zhongshan, famous for its ''Garden within a Garden'': a replica of Suzhou Gardens.

The city has a number of alternative attractions, like the Shenyang Forest Safari Park, the World Horticulture Expo-Botanical Garden, and the newly opened aquarium, Shenyang Ocean World and the Shenyang Summer Palace Water World.

Shenyang Imperial Palace is a miniature replica of the Forbidden City in Beijing, built by Nurhachi, the first Qing emperor, and architecturally influenced by Tibetan, Han and Manchurian styles. The Eastern Tomb was built to house the remains of Emperor Nurhachi, while the larger Northern Mausoleum Park is the resting place of the Qing Dynasty ruler Huany Taiji and his wife. Both complexes are dotted with intricate carvings and are both attractive and culturally important places to visit. The city's two museums are the Shenyang ''9.18'' History Museum and the Liaoning Provincial Museum, between which the long history of the city can be explored. The ''9.18'' History Museum displays photos, art and videos from the Sino-Japanese War, which particularly affected this region as it was occupied by both Russian and Japanese troops.

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