Many studies have observed the crucial role of vegetated local climate zone (LCZ) types in mitigating the surface urban heat island (SUHI) effect. However, research analyzing the spatial variations in land surface temperature (LST) in a metropolis based on an urban–rural LCZ scheme and exploring the cooling effects of different vegetation types is still lacking. Here, our study focuses on the Guangzhou–Foshan metropolis and aims to elucidate the spatial variations in LST in subtropical cities and the regulating effect of vegetation on LST changes. We used a normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and LST data from space-borne MODIS products for the years 2000, 2009, and 2019, as well as LCZ maps, urban–rural gradient data, and land use and land cover (LULC) maps. Urban–rural, seasonal, daytime, nighttime, and diurnal comparative analyses were conducted using logarithmic regression, Pearson partial correlation, and comparison analysis. The results showed that LST values for built LCZ types were generally higher than those of land cover LCZ types, showing a positive correlation with building density and height. The LST decreased logarithmically across the urban–rural gradients, with a rapid decrease initially in the near-gradient urban area, followed by a flattening trend in farther-gradient suburban and rural areas. Regarding vegetated LCZ types, the NDVI metrics showed a significant negative correlation with the LST during the daytime but a positive correlation during the nighttime. The cooling effect of vegetated LCZ types was evident, with an average cooling amplitude of 1.92 °C over the three investigated years. In conclusion, urban LST changes are closely associated with LCZ types, urban–rural gradients, NDVI values, and vegetation types. The cooling ability of vegetation exhibited seasonal and diurnal variations, with a special emphasis on the cooling effect of dense evergreen broadleaf forests. Our findings offer valuable insights and can guide urban ecological construction and management by comprehensively assessing the impact of vegetation on urban surface temperatures.

Urbanization is an important process in China’s urban development, significantly contributing to resource allocation and the cooperative development of neighboring cities. In recent years, remote-sensing technology has emerged as a powerful tool in urbanization research. However, the disparity in development between urban and rural areas poses challenges in evaluating the degree of urbanization within a region. This paper addresses this issue by using LCZ (Local Climate Zone) data to provide a unified framework for analyzing a human settlement environmental geographic dataset. This study focuses on the spatial development and transformation of the Guangzhou–Foshan urbanization from 2000 to 2020. The LCZ data offer a suitable framework for examining urban–rural gradients, facilitating the analysis of spatial characteristics under varying development conditions. This unified framework enables a comprehensive analysis of the spatiotemporal characteristics of urban spatial integration. The results show that the analysis of the Guangzhou–Foshan metropolitan area reveals that the region has maintained a “core–edge” spatial structure over the past 20 years. The development rate has decelerated following policy changes in 2010, with the adjacent area experiencing significantly slower development compared to the overall study area. LCZ data are effective for comparative analysis of internal spatial development within urban areas, offering a novel approach to studying spatial integration amid urban development.