As of February 17, 2026, Canada has joined the growing list of countries whose citizens can enter China for up to 30 days without a visa - a major policy shift that opens one of the world's most visited countries to millions of new travelers, almost overnight.The announcement, which landed with immediate effect, has sent Canadian passport holders scrambling to plan trips they previously put off due to bureaucratic hurdles. A thread on r/travel captured the excitement: "I was really excited about the news since I actually wanted to plan a trip over there this year and this makes it way easier," one poster wrote, immediately pivoting to the most practical question: which city first?The candidates generating the most debate are Shanghai, Qingdao, Chongqing, and Shenzhen - each offering a radically different introduction to the country. Shanghai is the consensus first-timer pick: world-class museums, iconic art-deco and modern architecture, and a food scene that will dismantle any assumptions about what Chinese cuisine actually is. The community frequently recommends the Bund and the Former French Concession as orientation walks before venturing further.Chongqing is the insider recommendation - a megacity of 32 million people built into river valleys and mountain cliffs, with a street food culture centered on mala hotpot so intensely spiced it has its own loyal following. Qingdao, by contrast, offers a slower coastal pace, famous for its German colonial architecture and the original Tsingtao brewery. Shenzhen is the tech traveler's city: China's innovation capital sits a 20-minute subway ride from Hong Kong and gives visitors a window into the country's manufacturing and startup ecosystems.Practically speaking, the 30-day visa-free window applies to tourism, transit, and business visits. Travelers still need a valid passport with at least six months remaining validity and a return or onward ticket. While no visa is required at entry, traveler registration is mandatory within 24 hours of arrival at accommodation - hotels handle this automatically, but private apartment stays may not, so confirming before check-in is essential.China's expanding visa-free programme, which now covers over 40 countries, reflects a deliberate push to boost inbound tourism following several years of pandemic-era border restrictions. For Canadians, it means the country's extraordinary depth - the terraced rice fields of Yunnan, the ancient lanes of Xi'an, the karst peaks of Guilin - is now accessible with only a flight booking standing between them and departure.The best travel isn't about the destination - it's about what you learn along the way. And few destinations offer as steep a learning curve, or as rich a reward, as China.