Yangzhou (Yángzhōu [扬州]), known as a city of gardens and alleys, is a destination that makes a trip to China unforgettable. Little known to most foreign travelers, Yangzhou is a proud retainer of ancient Chinese architecture, art, culture, traditional gardens and parks, cuisine, leisure, and commerce in a beautiful mixture of modernity with its rich 2,500 year history. The demolition sledgehammer has not made much headway here, leaving an increasingly harder to find view into the past. All in all, Yangzhou is the ideal place to experience unique aspects of Chinese culture, and is a relaxing break from other overly developed and commercialized urban centers in the region.