There are four things any travelers to Dalian should not miss. They are Squares, Football, Fashion and Bathing Paradise.

Squares
Dalian is a city renowned for its verdant lawns, blooming flowers and a variety of beautiful squares. About 100 years ago, a group of Russian architects, fascinated with French culture, came to Dalian with construction plans of Paris. They dreamed about rebuilding an Oriental Paris here and succeeded in building many elegant squares with artistic sculptures, lush lawns and western-style fountains. These formed the basis of the architectural style of the city - radiating out from the squares at the center.
Today, some of the squares are used as the city's drawing room, where citizens and tourists throng to relax and communicate with others.

Woman Troopers
The valiant mounted women in uniform police the city squares. They are the only women rangers in China and are responsible for patrolling the city, ceremonial performance and security. On festive or formal occasions, they wear black hats and riding boots and dress in red swallow-tailed coats. Every woman ranger receives special training before beginning their duty.

Football
Dalian is home to China's most successful football teams, which draw large crowds. The first football team in China was set up in this city in the 1920s and later the city's football team - Longhua - won a big match against the Japanese team which gained praise in British newspapers calling the team 'Dragon Flower'. For years, Dailian Shide, the first professional football team in China, and Dalian Wanda, have won seven championships and topped the national Professional League. The spirit of the football teams has become symbolic of Dalian people too.

Fashion
The fashion industry in Dalian began in the late 1970's and with increasing investment and foreign technology became a booming industry in the '80s. Now, Dalian is a world renowned city of fashion. A dazzling annual event held in the city is the International Fashion Festival, which attracts thousands of designers, commercial arena models, fashion stars and fabric manufacturers from all over the world. This is a popular time for singers, dancers, musicians and design geniuses to head for the city and present their talents.