Hangzhou

No reviews yetCity Zhejiang, China

Qianjiang guoji shidai plaza 09, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

Hefang Street 20240729, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

About Hangzhou

For centuries Chinese poets have compared Hangzhou to paradise, and an old saying pairs it with its neighbour: above is heaven, below are Suzhou and Hangzhou. The capital of Zhejiang province sits at the southern end of the Grand Canal and was the capital of the Southern Song dynasty, when it ranked among the largest cities in the world.

Its heart is West Lake, a UNESCO-listed landscape of willow-lined causeways, arched bridges, islands and pagodas framed by green hills. In the forests to the west lie Lingyin Temple and the carved cliffs of Feilai Feng, while the tea terraces around Longjing village produce the celebrated Dragon Well green tea. Local dishes such as West Lake fish in vinegar sauce and Dongpo pork carry the city's legends and poets in their names.

Modern Hangzhou is also a major technology hub and hosted the Asian Games in 2023. Beyond the lake, explore the canal quarter around Gongchen Bridge, the Xixi wetlands and the Six Harmonies Pagoda above the Qiantang River. High-speed trains reach Shanghai in about an hour.

Best seasonMarch to May and September to November

Ideal stay2-3 days

ArrivingHangzhou East Railway Station for high-speed trains, or Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport

12 Places Locals Love in Hangzhou

Nature 3

West Lake

Ringed on three sides by wooded hills and dotted with islands, causeways, pagodas and gardens, West Lake has inspired Chinese poet...

Su Causeway

Stretching nearly three kilometres across the western part of West Lake, this tree-lined causeway was first built from dredged mud...

Xixi National Wetland Park

On the city's western outskirts, this patchwork of fishponds, creeks and reed beds became China's first national wetland park. Ele...

Landmarks 2

Leifeng Pagoda

Standing on Sunset Hill on West Lake's southern shore, this pagoda was first built in the tenth century, collapsed in 1924 and was...

Six Harmonies Pagoda

Rising from Yuelun Hill above the Qiantang River, this octagonal pagoda has a brick core from the Southern Song dynasty, wrapped i...

Temples and Shrines 2

Lingyin Temple

Founded in the fourth century, the Temple of the Soul's Retreat is one of China's best-known Buddhist monasteries and is still act...

Feilai Feng Grottoes

Just outside Lingyin Temple, the limestone hill called Feilai Feng, the Peak That Flew From Afar, is studded with hundreds of Budd...

History 2

Yue Fei Temple

On the northern shore of West Lake, this temple and tomb honour Yue Fei, a Southern Song general revered as a symbol of loyalty af...

Gongchen Bridge

This three-arched stone bridge, first built in the 1630s, marks the southern end of the Grand Canal, the ancient waterway linking...

Shopping 1

Hefang Street

Below Wushan Hill in the old city, this restored pedestrian street is lined with shops selling silk, tea, fans and snacks, many in...

Food and Drink 1

Longjing Tea Village

In the hills southwest of West Lake, the village of Longjing gives its name to Dragon Well green tea, one of China's most famous....

Museums 1

China National Silk Museum

Near the southern end of West Lake, this national museum traces the long history of silk in China, from ancient textile fragments...

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