Wangcheng Park (Wangcheng gongyuan) is the biggest public park in Luoyang, and is well worth a visit. Of all the times to come, it is best here during the spring, especially in April when the famous Peony, that is a highlight of Luoyang, is in blossom.

The park is a large affair, dissected by the Jian River, and it contains several parts. The sections are sometimes a little too familiar, including the usual poorly run zoo, so your best bet is to just take in the scenery, without the attractions here. There is, however, one attraction that could be worth a visit, an Ancient Cultural Section that is made up of a complex of mock ancient buildings in the Zhou Dynasty (1100-221 BC) style. The garden itself is built on the original site of the ancient Zhou city.

The most exciting parts of the park, however, are the peony beds that are everywhere. The peony is China’s answer to the Scottish thistle and Canadian maple, and it is widely regarded as a symbol of good luck. Luoyang considers itself as the hometown and age-old breeding ground of the pretty peony, a flower that is exalted in many of China’s ancient literature and poetry. Every year the park organises a huge peony festival and it is an impressive display of these “King of all Flowers” when they come to bloom every April. The park contains over 200 species of planted peonies, and a total number of over 10,000 of the plants are contained within the compound. A statue of the legendary “Peony Goddess” is a sight not to be missed, standing stalwart amongst the flowering masses.

How to get there: The Park is located on Zhongzhou Lu, in the east of the city. From the railway station, Bus No.102, No.101 and No. 40 can all take you to the gate of the park for RMB1.