🌄 MORNING: Divine Caves & Ancient Whispers
7:00 AM: Sunrise at Longmen Grottoes
📍 Must-do: Chase the golden hour glow over the Buddha statues! 🏞️✨
📸 Pro Tip: Stand on Xi Shan (West Hill) to capture the east-facing carvings lit by dawn. Over 100k statues tell 1,500 years of stories – pose with the Laughing Buddha (窟号: 奉先寺, Fengxian Temple)!
🚖 Hack: Book a DiDi taxi from downtown (≈¥30, 20 mins). Skip-the-line e-ticket: ¥90.
10:00 AM: White Horse Temple
🐎 China’s FIRST Buddhist temple (AD 68!) feels like time travel.
🌿 Snap the emerald Qiyun Pagoda + incense clouds at Diyi Guanjian Hall.
✨ Vibe check: Peaceful courtyards with Thai, Indian, and Burmese temples added!
🍜 LUNCH: Slurp Like a Local!
12:30 PM: Old Town Water Banquet (水席)
💦 Try 24 mini-soup courses – Tang Dynasty royal cuisine!
🥢 Hit List:
• 燕菜 (Yàncài): Shredded radish “swallow nest” in clear broth
• 焦炸丸 (Jiāo zhá wán): Crispy meatballs in sour soup 💥
🏮 Spot: 真不同饭店 (Zhenbutong Restaurant) – iconic tiled walls = perfect foodie backdrop!
🏯 AFTERNOON: Imperial Time Capsule
2:30 PM: Luoyang Museum
⚱️ Sneak peek:
• Tang Dynasty tri-color glazed camels 🐫 (IG gold!)
• Xia Dynasty relics (bronze jue wine cups!)
💡 Free entry (ID required), closed Mondays. Spend 1.5 hrs max!
4:00 PM: Museum of Luoyang Eastern Zhou Royal Horse and Chariot Pits
🛡️ Pose with ancient horse carriages + try Hanfu rental (¥50/hour) for warrior princess pics! 👑
🌙 NIGHT: Peony Dreams & Night Markets
6:00 PM: Dinner at Cross Old Street (十字街)
🍢 Unmissable eats:
• 涮牛肚 (Shuàn niúdǔ): Spicy boiled tripe skewers
• 牡丹银丝酥 (Peony silk pastry): Crunchy saffron threads 💮
• Pearl milk tea from street stalls! 🥤
8:00 PM: Luoyang Peony Lantern Show (Apr-May only)
🌺 Peak magic: Million-bulb peony gardens at Luopu Park – wear flowy dresses for ethereal pics!
🚆 TRANSPORT HACKS:
• Taxi > bus (saves time!)
• Luoyang Longmen HSR Station has luggage storage (¥10/bag).
• Last metro line runs until 10:30 PM.
💡 Pack List: Comfy sneakers, hanfu/silk scarf, power bank, and EMPTY stomach!
