12 Best Sights in Hong Kong, China

After more than a decade of construction, this complex opened in 2018 in the location of the 19th-century Central Police Station; indeed, its name means "big station" in colloquial Cantonese. It's the largest restoration project ever to be completed in Hong Kong, stretching across 16 heritage buildings and 156,077 square feet. In addition to a wide range of restaurants—from dazzling design and Cantonese cuisine at Madame Fu to French fair in charming Cafe Claudel—the complex has local-designer boutiques, performing arts events, film screenings, art exhibitions, and a lovely open-air courtyard. With its red bricks and beautiful verandas, the old-world architecture contrasts delightfully with the adjacent, avant-garde JC Contemporary building—a center for contemporary arts with a metal facade so futuristic that it looks as if the entire building could take off for space at any moment.

Tai Kwun is free to visit, however, the number of visitors might be restricted during peak hours. It's advised to apply online for a Tai Kwun Pass to ensure access.

The art-deco building at the southern end of Statue Square is the former headquarters of the Bank of China, which was built in the 1950s. The building now houses offices, as well as the members-only China Club restaurant. Don't confuse it with the newer Bank of China Tower, one of the most iconic skycrapers in the city, just down the street on Garden Road. Designed by I.M. Pei, this imposing structure is said to resemble bamboo—a symbol of the city's strength, growth, and enterprising nature.

Formerly the campus of St. Paul's College, the Bishop's House dates back to 1843. This historic Victorian building, which is a pretty shade of yellow, has been the official residence of the Anglican bishop since 1851.

Clad in reflective gold, silver, and copper-colored glass, this triangular building is glitzy to the point of tastelessness. In 1992 it was briefly the city's tallest building, but Two IFC soon beat it by 130 feet. Note the colorful fluorescent lights atop the building; they actually are a clock so complicated that no one knows how to tell time using it.

This colonial building is a must-have location for any self-respecting Hong Kong cop movie. It was the neighborhood headquarters from 1864—when part of it was built—to 2004. Closed for renovations, it's slated to reopen as an arts and culture center.

A tree-lined lane called Battery Path was built by the British in 1841 to move their cannons uphill—hence the name. At the top of Battery Path sits the elegant Former French Mission Building, a neoclassical redbrick building with white columns and green shutters. Finished in 1917, the historic monument is now home to the Court of Final Appeal.

The spectacular strut-and-ladder facade of this Lord Norman Foster building makes it one of the most important structures in 20th-century architecture. Look up into the atrium through the curved glass floor, or duck inside for a view of the building's mechanics.

One building towers above the Central skyline: Two IFC. The slender second tower of the International Finance Centre has been compared to at least one—unprintable—thing and is topped with a clawlike structure. Designed by Argentine architect Cesar Pelli, its 88 floors top a whopping 1,352 feet. Opposite stands its dinky little brother, the 38-floor One IFC. The massive IFC Mall stretches between the two, and Hong Kong Station is underneath. If you wish to see the breathtaking views from Two IFC, visit the 55th-floor Hong Kong Monetary Authority. While there, take a quick look at exhibits tracing the history of banking in Hong Kong. Upon arrival, you might need to register your passport with the concierge.

Just behind the IFC is a notable '60s skyscraper recognizable by its many round windows. The 52-level building is home to Jardine, Matheson & Co., the greatest of the old British hongs (trading companies) that dominated trade with imperial China. Once linked to opium trafficking, the firm is now a respected investment bank.

In the far northern New Territories—just south of Shenzhen—a small unmarked path in the village of Sheung Shui leads to this ancestral hall. It was built in 1751 for the rich and prosperous Liu clan, and was one of few such halls that survived the Cultural Revolution. A restoration preserved the spectacular original roof and ornamentation, but substituted concrete walls to take the weight off rickety pillars—at some cost to the site's aesthetic unity. Take the East Rail Line to Sheung Shui, then Bus 70X, and alight at the Sheung Shui Bus Terminus on Jockey Club Road.

This wedgelike building includes a pair of stained-glass windows by Remo Riva that represent visions of "Hong Kong Today" and "Hong Kong Tomorrow."

The Sheung Wan district's iconic market, a hulking Edwardian-era brick structure, is a good place to get your bearings. Built in 1906, it functioned as a produce market for 83 years. Today it's a shopping center selling trinkets and fabrics—the architecture is what's worth the visit. Nearby you'll find herbal medicine on Ko Shing Street and Queen's Road West, dried seafood on Wing Lok Street and Des Voeux Road West, and ginseng and bird's nest on Bonham Strand West.