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Shenzhen isn’t exactly known for its French pastries, so I was dubious when I heard that there was a great French bakery in OCT Loft. I soon discovered that Lu Patisserie is the real thing. And it’s not just the best bakery in Shenzhen; I’ve taken people here who have said these are some of the best pastries they’ve ever had. Try the Berliner, a doughnut filled with homemade raspberry jam. The caramel tarts (pictured) taste like a crème brûlée in pastry form. The lemon tart is also excellent: The lemon custard filling is quite tart but nicely balanced by the sweet, airy meringue. The bread is also laudable, so buy a couple of loaves to take home. Luckily, the pastries are Parisian, but the prices aren’t. I once bought dessert for nine people for just 150RMB (about $25).

The Chinese take their tea seriously. A meal at Zifei, a courtyard restaurant on Wide Street in Chengdu, begins with an acrobatic tea ceremony.

Defu Lane is peppered with eateries and bars, but aside from being a good option to enjoy Xi’an’s nightlife, it’s also home to Fubaoge, a five-story traditional Chinese teahouse. Rest your feet after a long day of exploring and sip hot cups of Chinese tea like Longjing and chrysanthemum. Fubaoge’s crosstalk comedy shows are also popular with the crowds.

Want to know more about Taoism? About 70km west of Xi’an, in Tayu Village, is the Louguantai Temple, where it’s said that Lao Tze, the founder of Taoism, wrote the Tao Te Ching and set the fundamentals for the religion. Built over two thousand years ago, the temple is located within a park, with numerous structures inside, and a statue of Lao Tze nestles among beautiful greenery, so expect so spend a day—if not more—wandering around to take it all in.

If visiting the site of the Terracotta Warriors wasn’t enough to fulfill your Xi’an excursion, carry on the adventures at Park Qin. The popular Shuyuan International Party Hostel, near South Gate, is home to this Terracotta warriors-themed bar. Here, you’ll find the city’s hipsters catching up over drinks and live music, nestled among replicas of Xi’an biggest attraction. If you get hungry, the restaurant at the hostel will take care of your midnight cravings.

Vice Versa is the best of many worlds. It serves Western fare by day as a cafe and restaurant, and at night it morphs into an underground bar serving cocktails and local and foreign beers. The bar also hosts a variety of bands for intimate live music nights. Frequented by both locals and expats, Vice Versa also has a stellar rooftop space for those sunny days and breezy nights. Still not enough? There’s also a skate shop run by pro skater Xiao Jian on the premises.

Kunqu Opera, also known as Kunju, or Kun Opera, is one of the oldest surviving forms of Chinese opera. It was listed as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2001. I love opera, but the idea of sitting through hours of Kunqu Opera in Chinese was a bit frightening. I was looking to catch a glimpse of it, so we went to the Fuxi teahouse, located on bustling Pingjiang Road, where lovely Ms. Lv Chengfang performs nightly. If I understood correctly, she pioneered the method of narration, in addition to acting a scene, to help the audience understand the complexity of Kunqu Opera. The show is entirely in Chinese, but you certainly do not have to stay for all of it. What was fascinating to me was to watch Ms. Lv Chengfang go through the intricate ritual of putting on her make-up, which starts starts at 8pm (the show begins at 8:30pm). She let us take her picture, while expertly transforming her appearance, but please be respectful and refrain from using flash in this intimate setting. Performance time: 8pm-10pm, every night Price: RMB88 net per person, including a glass of tea Address: Fu Xi Qin Guan, 97 Pingjiang Lu, near Nanxiangzi Xiang, Phone: +86 512 6581 2905 Open: 10 a.-11 pm - daily >>>A heartfelt xièxiè (谢谢) to the incredible and extremely hardworking teams at Suzhou Municipal Tourism Administration and PHG Consulting for a fascinating 4 days in Suzhou, China. @visitsuzhou #visitsuzhou

North of the Yangtze, it’s all about wheat instead of rice. Named after China’s northeasternmost region, this beloved chain serves hand-rolled wheat dumplings stuffed with savory pork or fresh veggies and boiled until the center is juicy. As delicious as the pork jiaozi are, the vegetarian dumplings might be the real stars: Try the tangy mushroom and bok choy dumpling or the green pepper, cilantro, and white cabbage. Warning: Prices here are scandalously cheap, so you’re probably going to order...a lot. Locals also love the stir-fried eggplant and potatoes (di san xian) and smashed chicken (xiang su ji).

This two-story nightclub knows how to throw a party, and is one of the best venues in Xi’an to experience the city’s nightlife to the fullest. Party girls show off choreographed routines while the crowd grooves to both Chinese and English music spun by house and guest international DJs. A large video screen overlooks above one of biggest dance floors in Xi’an. There’s also karaoke, if you fancy. Themed evenings are super popular here, as are weekends, so it’s a good idea to make a reservation before you head over.