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West Lake at dawn with the Broken Bridge in soft mist, Hangzhou
Destination · China

Hangzhou

the city Chinese poets called paradise on earth

Chinese poets have called Hangzhou paradise on earth for a thousand years. At dawn, West Lake still looks the way they painted it: mist on the water, pavilions surfacing one at a time, and the Broken Bridge holding soft pink before the first boats leave the dock. By evening, the aromas of Dongpo pork and steamed rice cakes drift through the lantern-lit lanes of Hefang Street, where China's oldest brands still keep their original storefronts.

Design my tripSee the signature moments
Signature moments

Why people
come to Hangzhou.

01

What to see

West Lake's Broken Bridge at dawn with morning mist

West Lake(the painted lake of Chinese poetry)

Surrounded by graceful pagodas, willow-lined paths and timeless gardens, West Lake has inspired poets, artists and emperors for centuries.

Its tranquil waters and ever-changing scenery make it one of China's most celebrated landscapes. Whether cruising across the lake or strolling its scenic causeways, every corner reveals a picture-perfect view.

For the best experience, visit early in the morning when the lake is peaceful and wrapped in soft mist.

The Mahavira Hall facade at Lingyin Temple, Hangzhou

Lingyin Temple(Soul's Retreat, founded 328)

Founded over 1,700 years ago, Lingyin Temple is one of China's most revered Buddhist temples.

Ancient halls, towering statues and the scent of incense create a peaceful atmosphere surrounded by forested hills. Nearby, the remarkable stone carvings of Feilai Peak add to the temple's rich spiritual and cultural heritage.

Arrive early to experience the temple's tranquil atmosphere before the crowds gather.

Broken Bridge over West Lake, the east end of the Bai Causeway, Hangzhou

Broken Bridge(one of West Lake's Ten Scenes, the Madame White Snake opening)

One of West Lake's most famous landmarks, Broken Bridge is celebrated for its romantic legends and picturesque setting.

Despite its name, the elegant stone bridge remains a symbol of beauty and enduring love. With panoramic views across the lake in every season, it's a favourite spot for photographers and visitors alike.

Visit in the morning for peaceful walks and beautiful reflections across the water.

Leifeng Pagoda at sunset on the south shore of West Lake, Hangzhou

Leifeng Pagoda(975, rebuilt 2002)

Overlooking the shores of West Lake, Leifeng Pagoda is steeped in history and the famous Legend of the White Snake.

Its elegant architecture and elevated viewing platforms offer spectacular panoramic views across Hangzhou. Blending ancient stories with modern restoration, it remains one of the city's most treasured landmarks.

Visit in the late afternoon to enjoy stunning sunset views over West Lake.

The three stone pagodas of Three Pools Mirroring the Moon standing in West Lake's Outer Lake, the view on the back of the 1-yuan note

Three Pools Mirroring the Moon(stone pagodas on Xiaoyingzhou, on the back of the 1-yuan note)

One of Hangzhou's most iconic sights, Three Pools Mirroring the Moon features three elegant stone pagodas rising from the tranquil waters of West Lake.

Their reflections create a scene celebrated in Chinese art for centuries. Accessible by boat, this peaceful island offers a perfect escape into the lake's timeless beauty.

Choose a calm day for the clearest reflections and unforgettable photographs.

The Hu Qing Yu Tang front gate on Hefang Street, the 1874 traditional-medicine pharmacy facade, Hangzhou

Hefang Street(the old-shop row, the Qing-era heritage axis)

Bursting with history and local character, Hefang Street is lined with traditional architecture, artisan shops and authentic Hangzhou delicacies.

Once the city's busiest commercial street, it remains a vibrant place to experience local culture. From handcrafted souvenirs to regional snacks, every visit offers something new to discover.

Visit in the evening when the lantern-lit streets come alive with energy and atmosphere.

Red and white lotus blooms across the Quyuan Fenghe ponds at West Lake's northwest corner, wooden walkway over the water, Hangzhou

Quyuan Fenghe Lotus Garden(breeze-ruffled lotus, one of West Lake's Ten Scenes)

Renowned for its elegant lotus ponds, Quyuan Fenghe is one of West Lake's most beautiful gardens.

During summer, thousands of blooming lotus flowers create a peaceful landscape filled with colour and fragrance. Shaded walkways and traditional pavilions make it an ideal place to slow down and enjoy nature.

Visit during the lotus flowering season for the garden's most spectacular display.

Red ribbons tied along the courtyard rails at Faxi Temple, prayer tags from young pilgrims, Upper Tianzhu, Hangzhou

Faxi Temple(Upper Tianzhu, the prayer hall of the West Lake hills)

Nestled among bamboo forests and quiet hills, Faxi Temple offers a peaceful retreat away from the city's bustle.

With centuries of Buddhist history, its tranquil courtyards and ancient halls create an atmosphere of calm and reflection. Beloved by locals and visitors alike, it is one of Hangzhou's hidden spiritual treasures.

Arrive early to enjoy the peaceful surroundings and serene mountain atmosphere.

A polychrome Bodhisattva sculpture on display at the Hangzhou Museum on Liangdaoshan, from the Wuyue Buddhist collection

Hangzhou Museum(Liangdaoshan, the city's own collection)

Discover the rich history of Hangzhou through fascinating exhibitions showcasing ancient artefacts, traditional crafts and the city's cultural heritage.

From the Southern Song Dynasty to modern times, each gallery tells the story of one of China's most historic cities. It's the perfect place to gain a deeper appreciation of Hangzhou before exploring its famous landmarks.

Visit in the morning for a quieter experience and plenty of time to explore the collections.

02

What to eat

Dongpo pork: hand-cut pork belly braised in Shaoxing wine and rock sugar to a dark glaze, Hangzhou

Dongpo pork(Su Dongpo's pork belly, the West Lake canon)

Dongpo pork is the dish Hangzhou is most famous for, named after the Song-dynasty poet-governor Su Shi who dredged West Lake around 1090.

Pork belly is slow-braised in Shaoxing wine, dark soy, and rock sugar for three to four hours, then served in cubes the size of a matchbox. The fat softens to jelly, the meat gives at the press of chopsticks, the dark glaze tastes deep, sweet, and salty with the warmth of the wine underneath.

We book the upstairs lake-view table at one of the established West Lake restaurants. The seating is held for the off-peak window before the lunch rush. Your guide names the Su Shi connection at the table, so the pork on your plate and the causeway you walked at dawn belong to one story.

A plate of Longjing shrimp at a Hangzhou restaurant, small white river shrimp tinted pale green by first-flush tea leaves

Longjing shrimp(first-flush tea and river shrimp, the spring pairing)

Longjing shrimp pairs the two things Hangzhou is best known for: river shrimp from the Qiantang and first-flush Longjing tea picked from the hills west of the lake in mid-March.

The shrimp are peeled by hand into small white curls and stir-fried in a hot wok for under thirty seconds with the fresh tea leaves. Sweet, tender, with a clean grassy edge from the tea and a soft pale-green tint across the plate.

We schedule the dish in March or early April, when the first-flush leaves were picked days ago, not weeks. Your guide names the tea estate the leaves came from at the table. In spring, a tea-house visit in the morning lets you watch the same first-flush leaves pressed by hand in the wok before lunch.

West Lake fish in vinegar at a Hangzhou table, whole grass carp under a bright sweet-and-sour glaze with ginger and Zhenjiang vinegar

West Lake fish in vinegar(grass carp in sweet-and-sour glaze, the Song widow's dish)

West Lake fish in vinegar carries a Song-dynasty story: a widow named Song Sao cooked it for her brother-in-law while fleeing the imperial court.

A whole grass carp is poached briefly in barely-simmering water and dressed in a sauce of Zhenjiang vinegar, sugar, soy, and grated ginger, served before the skin contracts. The flesh comes off the bone in clean sheets, the glaze is bright, tart, and just sweet enough.

We order from a kitchen that still poaches the fish to the second, rather than letting it sit before service. Your guide tells the Song Sao story at the table, then names the cut of the carp the cook chose for the dish. The plate arrives before the conversation moves on.

03

Shows and experiences

The Enduring Memories of Hangzhou lake-stage show: a solo dancer crossing the submerged stage with the southern hills lit blue behind, Hangzhou

Enduring Memories of Hangzhou(the West Lake lake-stage show, formerly Impression West Lake)

Enduring Memories of Hangzhou is the show staged on the lake itself, directed by the Zhang Yimou and Wang Chaoge team.

Dancers move across a submerged platform just below the surface so they appear to walk on water, the southern hills lit blue behind them. The performance weaves folktale, classical music, and West Lake legend, with rain effects, lantern boats, and drumming.

We only include the show when the season, weather, and your evening schedule align. We book the long centre row, where the submerged stage runs left to right in front of you. The dancers cross closest to the audience there. Your car waits at the exit, so the evening closes back to the hotel rather than a queue for taxis.

A Song-style imperial banquet in Hangzhou: a long lacquered table under lantern light, hostess in Song-dynasty silk pouring rice wine from a porcelain ewer

Song-style imperial banquet(Hangzhou Gongyan, Southern Song dining recreated)

Hangzhou was the imperial capital from 1138 to 1276 under the Southern Song, and a handful of Hangzhou kitchens now stage that court's banquet as a full evening.

You sit at a long lacquered table under soft lantern light. Hostesses in Song silk pour rice wine from porcelain ewers, a guqin player plays from one corner, and the dishes come in court order.

We book the long table during the quieter midweek seatings, with the central position closest to the guqin player rather than the door. Your guide names the Song poet behind each dish as the course arrives. The evening then plays as a continuous story rather than as a photo opportunity in costume.

A covered wooden passenger boat tied at the dock at Xixi National Wetland Park in Hangzhou, ready to take a small group through the inner waterways

Xixi Wetland on an oar-boat(China's first national wetland park, Ramsar-listed)

Xixi is China's first national wetland park, on the western edge of the city and on the Ramsar list of internationally important wetlands since 2009.

The way through is a wooden oar-boat, a local boatman at the helm, gliding past bamboo-lined channels, fishing islets, and persimmon orchards in silence. Best in late autumn, when the reeds turn straw-gold and the persimmons redden over the water.

We book a private oar-boat rather than the shared-boat dock, and take the longer route through the inner waterways the day boats skip. Tea and small seasonal pastries ride with you for the still hour between channels.

How long to stay

Recommended
3 to 5 days.

A five-day menu around West Lake. Take the three that fit, or stay for all five.

  1. West Lake

    Day 1: West Lake Icons and Historic Streets

    An early start brings the first steps onto Broken Bridge, with pavilions surfacing through the mist along the shore of West Lake. Spend the afternoon on a boat to Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, then wander the lotus ponds of Quyuan Fenghe. As evening falls, the lanterns come on along Hefang Street and the Southern Song Imperial Street, where the old shops keep their original fronts.

    Morning

    1. Explore the shores of West Lake

    2. Walk across Broken Bridge

    Afternoon

    1. Take a boat to Three Pools Mirroring the Moon

    2. Wander the lotus ponds of Quyuan Fenghe

    Evening

    1. Stroll Hefang Street

    2. Explore the Southern Song Imperial Street

  2. Lingyin hills

    Day 2: Temples and Tea Culture

    Begin the morning in the Lingyin valley, where incense drifts through the halls and the Feilai Peak carvings sit in the cliff face beside the temple. Continue higher to Faxi Temple on its wooded ridge, then out to Longjing Village for tea picked on the hills above the lake. As evening approaches, return to West Lake for a gentle walk along the illuminated shore.

    Morning

    1. Visit Lingyin Temple

    2. See the Feilai Peak cliff carvings

    Afternoon

    1. Visit Faxi Temple

    2. Explore Longjing Village

    Evening

    1. Walk the illuminated West Lake shore

  3. South shore

    Day 3: Pagodas and Museums

    Begin the day at Leifeng Pagoda, with the south shore of West Lake opening below the top deck and Changqiao Park along the water beside it. Spend the afternoon at the Hangzhou Museum, then climb Wushan for the view over the old city. As evening falls, stroll the Hubin waterfront and watch the West Lake music fountain rise against the dark.

    Morning

    1. Climb Leifeng Pagoda

    2. Walk through Changqiao Park

    Afternoon

    1. Visit the Hangzhou Museum

    2. Explore the Wushan Scenic Area

    Evening

    1. Stroll Hubin Pedestrian Street

    2. Watch the West Lake music fountain

  4. Xixi Wetland

    Day 4: Wetlands and Nature Escape

    Private car west, about thirty minutes

    Spend the morning on the water at Xixi Wetland, gliding by oar-boat past bamboo-lined channels, fishing islets, and persimmon orchards. The afternoon slows down at Maojiabu, a quiet inlet on the western shore, then follows the Yanggong Causeway back toward the lake. As evening approaches, the Wulin night market fills with food stalls and the easy noise of a Hangzhou weeknight.

    Morning

    1. Explore Xixi National Wetland Park by oar-boat

    Afternoon

    1. Visit Maojiabu

    2. Walk along the Yanggong Causeway

    Evening

    1. Graze the Wulin night market

  5. West hills

    Day 5: Gardens and Modern Hangzhou

    Begin among the courtyards and lotus ponds of Guo's Villa, then wander the flowering paths of Prince Bay Park on the south shore. The afternoon moves west to the China National Tea Museum and the cool green shade of the Yunqi Bamboo Path. As evening falls, take a last sunset stroll along West Lake before the lake-stage show, Enduring Memories of Hangzhou, closes the trip.

    Morning

    1. Visit Guo's Villa

    2. Walk through Prince Bay Park

    Afternoon

    1. Visit the China National Tea Museum

    2. Follow the Yunqi Bamboo Path

    Evening

    1. Take a last sunset stroll around West Lake

    2. Watch Enduring Memories of Hangzhou on the lake

When to go

When to visit,
and how it feels.

Daily max (°F)47°52°61°72°80°85°93°92°84°74°64°52°
Rainfall (mm)9390136117127258168177113747564
CrowdsQuietCrowdedQuietSteadyBusySteadyBusyBusySteadyCrowdedQuietQuiet

November

Mild · Showery · Quiet

Crisp, clear and quiet, with autumn colour along the causeways. One of the best months here.

Temperature and rainfall are China Meteorological Administration climate normals, 1991 to 2020. Crowd levels follow the Chinese public-holiday calendar and daily booking caps at the major sites.

West Lake at dawn with the Broken Bridge in soft mist, Hangzhou
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the city Chinese poets called paradise on earthHangzhou

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Best time

March to May · September to November

Days needed

3 to 5 days

Where it sits

About an hour south of Shanghai by high-speed rail

Before you enquire

Questions worth
answering early.

  • Three nights covers Hangzhou at a comfortable pace. Day one takes you to West Lake at dawn, then Lingyin and Faxi Temples on the hills, with lunch on the lake. Day two covers Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, the Hangzhou Museum on Liangdaoshan, and Leifeng Pagoda in the late-afternoon gold. Day three adds the Hefang Street old-shop walk and Xixi Wetland on the oar-boat. Stretch to five nights for the tea villages, the wetland at a slower pace, and both the Song-style banquet and the lake-stage show, Enduring Memories of Hangzhou.

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Portrait of Jack Guo

Jack Guo

Your travel specialist

Jack has spent ten years working with the guides, drivers and hoteliers across China. He'll be your contact from first enquiry to final airport pickup.

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