Harbin Central Street (Zhongyang Pedestrian Street)

There aren’t any big ticket attractions on Harbin Central Street, but you’ll find yourself strolling the paving to snack or shop regardless—ice cream is a favorite year-round, even in winter when night temperatures routinely drop to -13°F (-25°C). Candied hawthorn served on skewers ia a particular delight over the Lunar New Year period. Most Harbin city tours will include a stroll along Harbin Central Street, covering points of interest like the Art Nouveau Modern Hotel, founded in 1906, and the wrought-iron decorative gate.

• Harbin’s most important historic street, Harbin Central Street, is a must for anyone who wants to get a sense of the city’s heritage.

• Unless you’re shopping or eating, 15–30 minutes should be enough time to experience Harbin Central Street.

• Flat and with smooth paving, Harbin Central Street is accessible to travelers who use wheelchairs and families with strollers.

You can reach Harbin Central Street via the Zhongyang Street stop on Harbin’s metro line 2—although many traveler-friendly hotels are within walking distance. As elsewhere in China, to catch a rideshare, you’ll need to use the DiDi app and link your overseas card to the nation’s homegrown Alipay or WeChat Pay services.

Almost everyone visits Harbin for the ice festival season, which starts around the middle of December and finishes in mid-late February (dates vary each year). It’s generally best to plan your visit for midweek, outside China’s official Lunar New Year holiday, and stop by after dark so that you can enjoy the lights.

Harbin was a simple fishing village until 1896, when hordes of Russian workers arrived to build the Chinese Eastern Railroad, an extension of the Trans-Siberian. At one point after the Russian Revolution, it was home to more Russians than any city outside the Soviet Union. Besides Harbin Central Street, you can see this heritage at St. Sophia Cathedral, with its soaring onion dome, the former Jewish synagogue, now a moving museum, and a Jewish cemetery.