Best Time to Visit Xuzhou

Spring and autumn: the sweet spots

April and October are our top picks, and both feel easy. Days reach about 23°C, nights are cool, and rain is light. You can walk Xuzhou's sights without sweating through your shirt.

March is a good early option, though mornings are still chilly. May is warm and a little wetter, but still pleasant. September and November also rate Excellent. September is still humid, and by November you'll want a jacket in the evenings.

These months suit the classic Xuzhou loop. Climb Yunlong Hill (Yunlongshan) and walk along Yunlong Lake. Visit the Han Dynasty sites, including the Terracotta Warriors Museum and the Han Stone Reliefs Museum. Those are mostly indoors, but the walking between them is much nicer in mild weather.

Summer: hot, then soaked

June is hot, with highs around 33°C, and the rain starts to build. July is the real problem. It's the wettest month by a long way, with 263 mm on 18 days, and it feels sticky even at night. August is also rated Poor, and it's only a little less wet.

If you have to come in summer, plan around the showers. Spend wet afternoons in museums and teahouses. Then eat dinner late, when the air cools a bit. Try Xuzhou's famous dog meat dishes only if you're curious; the local flatbreads and spicy soups are an easier start.

Summer is also when Chinese school holidays run, so tourist spots can get busier with families, even though the weather is worse.

Winter: cold, dry and quiet

December to February is cold and dry, with lows below freezing. January is the chilliest, with highs of just 6°C. Skies are often grey, but rain is rare, and the major sights are far less crowded.

Winter works if you want quiet museums and cheaper, calmer travel, and you don't mind bundling up. Hilltop views from Yunlong Hill can be sharp and clear on a bright day. Travelling with kids? Probably skip it.

Crowds and events

Expect the biggest crowds during the early October National Day holiday, when much of China travels. That's also one of the best-weather weeks, so you'll need patience. Chinese New Year, in late January or February, empties many offices but can close some small restaurants. Spring weekends around the Qingming holiday in early April bring local day-trippers to the parks.