Hangzhou is the city that inspired Marco Polo to call it "the most beautiful and splendid city in the world." For 800 years, poets, emperors, and travelers have come to walk the shores of West Lake, sip tea in hillside villages, and lose themselves in canal-laced water towns. Just 45 minutes from Shanghai by high-speed train, Hangzhou is China's most livable major city and its most romantic destination. This guide gives you specific walking routes, tea village directions, water town recommendations, and food spots that are worth your time.
The best months are late March to May (spring blossoms and tea harvest season) and September to November (clear skies and osmanthus flowers). Summer (June–August) is hot and humid with heavy rain. Winter (December–February) is cold and gray, but West Lake in snow is breathtakingly beautiful and uncrowded. The Longjing tea harvest happens in late March to mid-April — this is the best time to visit the tea villages.
West Lake (Xihu) is a 6 km circumference freshwater lake surrounded by gardens, pagodas, and willow-lined causeways. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the subject of countless Chinese poems and paintings. The key is to walk it properly — rushing the lake in an electric cart misses the point entirely.
Start at Broken Bridge (Duanqiao) on the northeast shore, famous for the legend of the White Snake fairy. Walk west along Bai Causeway (Baidi), a willow-lined path that crosses the northern arm of the lake. At the end of Baidi, you reach Solitary Hill (Gushan), home to the Zhejiang Provincial Museum and the Xiling Seal Art Society.
Continue south along the western shore to Su Causeway (Sudi), a 2.8 km tree-lined path built by the Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo in 1090. This is the most beautiful walk on the lake — six arched bridges cross the water, and the path is shaded by peach and willow trees. In spring, the peach blossoms reflect in the water.
At the southern end of Su Causeway, climb Leifeng Pagoda (¥40) for the best panoramic view of the entire lake. The original pagoda collapsed in 1924; the current one was rebuilt in 2002 and has an elevator. The sunset view from the top is one of the "Ten Scenes of West Lake."
Longjing (Dragon Well) tea is China's most famous green tea, and it grows only in the hills west of West Lake. The tea harvest in late March and April is a magical time — you can watch farmers roasting tea leaves by hand in woks over open flames.
Take bus 27 from West Lake (Huagang wharf stop) to Longjing Tea Village. The ride takes 20 minutes. Or take a DiDi for ¥20 to ¥30. The village is nested in terraced hills covered in tea bushes.
Walk up the main path through the tea terraces. Farmers will invite you into their homes to taste the tea — this is not a scam, it is the local culture. Sit down, let them brew several infusions, and listen to them explain the difference between pre-Qingming (picked before April 5, the most prized and expensive) and post-Qingming tea. A small bag of authentic Longjing costs ¥200 to ¥800 depending on grade and season.
Longjing Village itself is the most famous, but Meijiawu, 2 km north, is quieter and has more authentic tea farmhouses. Both have small restaurants serving farmhouse cooking — try the Longjing shrimp (shrimp stir-fried with tea leaves, a Hangzhou classic) and the bamboo shoots.
One of China's oldest and most important Buddhist temples, founded in 326 AD. The temple complex is set in a forested valley and contains multiple halls, pagodas, and a 19-meter-tall camphor-wood Buddha. Entrance is ¥45 for the temple plus ¥30 for the Feilai Feng scenic area (you must buy both).
Before entering the temple, explore Feilai Feng (Flying Peak) — a limestone cliff with over 300 Buddhist stone carvings dating from the 10th to 14th centuries. The largest is a laughing Maitreya Buddha carved into the cliff face. The carvings are free to view (included in the scenic area ticket) and are more interesting than the temple itself for many visitors.
Plan 2 to 3 hours for the whole complex. Go in the morning to avoid crowds and heat. The temple is active — you will see monks chanting and locals burning incense. Be respectful and do not photograph the Buddha statues inside the halls.
The water towns of the Yangtze Delta are canal-laced villages with stone bridges, wooden houses, and a pace of life unchanged for centuries. Several are within day-trip distance of Hangzhou. Here are the two best:
1.5 hours from Hangzhou by bus or car. Wuzhen is divided into East and West scenic zones. West Zone (Xizha) is the better choice — it is larger, more atmospheric, and beautifully lit at night. You can stay overnight in a guesthouse inside the zone for the full experience. Entrance is ¥150 for the West Zone.
Highlights: take a wooden boat ride through the canals (¥120 per boat, 30 minutes, shared with other passengers), visit the Indigo Fabric Workshop to see traditional tie-dyeing, and eat at waterside restaurants. Try the braised pork in soy sauce (hongshaorou) and the local rice wine (sanbaijiu).
1 hour from Hangzhou. Xitang is smaller than Wuzhen but more intimate and photogenic — its covered waterside corridors (langpeng) are unique among water towns. You can walk the entire old town in 2 hours. Entrance is ¥100. The town is particularly beautiful at dusk when red lanterns light up along the canals.
Wuzhen vs. Xitang: If you only have time for one, go to Wuzhen if you want a larger, more polished experience (and can stay overnight), or Xitang if you want something smaller and more intimate. Avoid Zhouzhuang — it is the most famous but also the most commercialized and crowded.
For detailed water town comparison tables, boat ride tips, and guesthouse recommendations, our Hangzhou Travel PDF Guide includes a full chapter.
A whole grass carp poached and served in a sweet-and-sour vinegar sauce. The fish should be tender and the sauce balanced between sweet, sour, and savory. Try Wai Po Jia (Grandma's Kitchen) — a local chain that does a reliable version at reasonable prices (¥60 to ¥80).
Shrimp stir-fried with Longjing tea leaves. The tea adds a subtle, fragrant sweetness to the shrimp. Best in spring when fresh tea leaves are available. Zhiweiguan restaurant, a Hangzhou institution since 1913, serves an excellent version.
A whole chicken wrapped in lotus leaves, packed in clay, and baked for hours. The story goes that a beggar stole a chicken from the emperor and cooked it in clay to hide it. The result is incredibly tender, fragrant meat. Order it at Hupan Ju near West Lake.
Belly pork braised in soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and sugar until it is so tender it falls apart with chopsticks. Named after the poet Su Dongpo, who is said to have invented it. A single piece costs ¥30 to ¥60 at most restaurants.
For street food, walk down Hefang Old Street (near Wu Hill). Try the chrysanthemum tea cakes, osmanthus candy, and dragon's beard candy (a pulled-sugar dessert). The street is touristy but the snacks are authentic.
From Shanghai Hongqiao Station, high-speed trains reach Hangzhou East in 45 to 60 minutes (¥73). Trains run every 10 to 15 minutes from 6 AM to 9 PM. From Beijing, the high-speed train takes 5 hours (¥620).
Hangzhou Metro has 12 lines covering the city and West Lake area (¥2 to ¥10). The most useful lines for tourists are Line 1 (West Lake, Hefang Street, railway station) and Line 7 (airport). Buses are extensive but slower. DiDi works well. For West Lake itself, walking and cycling are the best options — public bikes are available at docking stations around the lake (¥1/hour, first hour free).
Our 85-page Hangzhou Travel PDF Guide includes a detailed West Lake walking map, a Longjing tea buying guide with price benchmarks, water town comparison charts, restaurant recommendations with Chinese addresses, and a seasonal calendar so you know exactly when to visit for tea harvest, lotus blossoms, or osmanthus flowers.
Get the Hangzhou Guide PDF