Dalian (all images)

Dalian, a city in the eastern Liaoning Province, is China's northernmost ice-free seaport. Although the first settlements in the area date back to the Qin and Han periods (221 B.C.-220 A.D.), Dalian only started developing in the second half of 19th century. Between 1895 and 1955 Dalian was occupied alternatively by the Japanese, Chinese and Russians. Due to limited damage suffered during World War II, much of Dalian's architectural heritage has been preserved. The city nowadays has a number of buildings in Russian and Japanese style, many lush parks and wide streets. Due to its mild climate and multiple beaches Dalian is a very popular destination among Chinese tourists.