Historical Shenyang: Places to visit,  Suggested itinerary, and Tips

Shenyang was the first capital of the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China from 1644-1911. It abounds in sites of historical significance and one can spend at least 3 days well-occupied here. Even if you aren't hooked on history, these sites are interesting and fascinating to visit.

Place of Interest (in order of merit)	Entry fee-RMB	Bus and Walking Directions from the Imperial Palace
Shenyang Imperial Palace	50	NA - you can get here by taking the 503 from Shenyang North Railway Station to Daxi Men stop, then walking east on Shenyang Lu. But beware - this bus only runs in the morning and early afternoon. If late afternoon, take the 229 from the North Station and when you see the stop for the 212, get off and cross to the other side of the road. Take the 212 to the Daxi Men stop. From Shenyang Main Train Station, take the loop bus, the only public bus without a numbr to the Gu Gong stop.
Beiling Tomb and Park / Zhaoling Tomb	4 for entry to park, 30 for entry to tomb	338 heading north from Daxi Lu, get off at Yinshan Lu. The park is on the opposite side of the road.
Fuling Tomb	30	218 from Da Dong Men (Big East Gate). Get off at the last stop and keep walking in the direction the bus was going. On the left (opposite side of the road), you will come to the Fuling entrance.
The Memorial Hall of 9/18 Event	28	212 heading north from Daxi Lu, get off after Chongshan Dong Lu and the Memorial Hall is on the facing side of the street.
Liaoning Museum	20	A short walk, about 25-30 minutes from the palace. 207 heading north from Daxi Lu, get off at Municipal GO Sqaure. The museum is outside the south-eastern corner of the square.
Xinle Site, off Huanghe Bei Lu	20	503 heading north from Daxi Lu, change at the last stop-Shenyang North Train Station to the 217. The 217 will past Taishan Lu and then cross a canal. Get off just after passing the canal and continue walking North. You will see directions for the Xinle site eventually on your left.
Dagoba Tower / Pagoda of Buddhist Ashes	10	Take the 243 heading westwards on Shifu Lu, 2 blocks North of Shenyang Lu. Change to the 209 heading northwards at Nanjing Bei Lu. Get off just before the bus turns left on Baogong Bei Jie and walk northwards on Baogogn Bei Jie. After passing a canal, the main road curves to the right. Follow it; on the right, you will come to an alleyway that leads to the Pagoda.
Marshal Zhang's Mansion	36	From the southwestern corner of the Imperial Palace, on Shenyang Lu, walk south for 1 block, then turn right, then left, then right again. You should be in front of the mansion.
Shishuangsi Temple, Huangsi Jie	Free when I went but some guidebooks say there's a charge.	207 heading north from Daxi Lu, get off at Municipal GO Sqaure
North Tower and Park	Free when I went but some guidebooks say there's a charge.	212 heading north from Daxi Lu, get off after Chongshan Dong Lu and walk back, going under the underpass and turning right onto Chongshan Dong Lu. Continue walking westward on the left side of the road until you come to the Terminal of the Long Distance Terminal and turn left into Yalujiang Jie, which is just on the western corner of the terminal. Take the first right and you will come to The North Tower on your left. Unfortunately, you cannot climb the Tower.
Mao Zedong statue in Zhongshan Square	Free	Mao Zedong statue in Zhongshan Square 207 heading north from Daxi Lu, get off after Municipal GO Sqaure and change to the 220 which passes by Zhongshan Square

Suggested 3-day itinerary:

Day 1: Marshal Zhang's Mansion
Shenyang Imperial Palace
Fuling Tomb

Day 2: Beiling Tomb
Xinle Site (this is opposite the western end of Beiling Park; walk from Beiling Tomb)
The Memorial Hall of 9/18 Event (take 217 heading south on Huanghe Bei St and change at the last stop, Shenyang North Train Station, to the 229. Get off after Chongshan Dong Lu and the Memorial Hall is on the facing side of the street.)

Day 3: North Tower Park
Dagoba Tower (take the 279 heading west on Chongshan Dong Jie and change to the 209 heading west on Kunshan Zhong Lu. Follow directions above.)
Shishuangsi Temple (Walk back to the 209 and take it back to Huangsi Lu. Walk southwestwards to the Temple. Huangsi Lu is a market road with various stalls and forms of amusement.)
Liaoning Museum (On exiting the Temple, walk through the big carved gates nearby on the left, then turn right. Turn left on Shifu Lu and walk through the Municipal Government Square, fromthe middle of whwich you get a panoramic view of modern Shenyang. At the end of the Square, turn right and you will see the Museum on the south-western corner of the Square.)

*Zhongshan Square can be visited on any evening.

Tips:

+ If you're looking for a cheap but comfortable place to stay, try the Shenyang City Central Youth Hostel, at No. 103 Shenyang Lu, Shenhe District near the Imperial Palace. You can reserve a bed on www.hostelworld.com or www.hostelz.com Or you can call directly: (Tel): 024-24844868, (Fax): 024-24857050, (E-mail): fangbaojiang@163.com

+ You should buy the big, fold-out English tourist map of Shenyang with bus routes, street names and sites of interest. It has 'Tourist Map Shenyang' on the front and you can try to bargain down the price to 2 RMB. But expect to pay up to 5 RMB at tourist hotspots. Anything higher is a rip off.

+ If you're looking for cheap Chinese food, the street one block North of Shenyang Lu and just to the west of the Imperial Palace abounds in small restaurants. Less than 10 RMB for a meal.

+Learn basic Chinese and the Pinyin pronunciation system. It will help you if you get lost. I have found the bus drivers and most people in Shenyang very polite and helpful. In addition, most sites have English translations and captions.

Disclaimer: This page was created in 2007 and many things such as bus routes and ticket prices may have changed. If you spot any inaccuracies (or can think of ways to make this page more helpful), please let me know and I will fix them.