Hangzhou is China’s most romantic lake city: willow-fringed West Lake, Longjing tea hills, ancient canals and a soft green pace — and it is an hour from Shanghai.
Best time to visit
March–May (misty spring, tea harvest) and September–November (clear, cool, osmanthus in bloom) are the loveliest. July–August is hot; winter is damp and grey but often near-empty and atmospheric.
How many days
- 1–2 days — West Lake and the old quarters.
- 3 days — add Longjing tea villages, Xixi Wetland or a water town.
Getting there & around
From Shanghai Hongqiao, high-speed rail reaches Hangzhou East in about 45–60 minutes. Xiaoshan Airport links by metro. Use the metro, lake cruise boats and DiDi; the lake is best circled on foot or by bike.
Top things to do
- West Lake — Su Causeway, Broken Bridge, Three Pools Mirroring the Moon and a boat to Xiaoyingzhou.
- Leifeng Pagoda for lake-and-city views.
- Lingyin Temple and Feilai Feng grottoes.
- Longjing (Dragon Well) tea village and Meijiawu for a tea-farmer lunch.
- Hefang Street and Qinghefang old quarter.
- Xixi National Wetland by rowboat.
- The Grand Canal at dusk and Wulin night market.
Day trips from Hangzhou
- Water towns — Wuzhen, Xitang or Nanxun.
- Shaoxing — old streets and huangjiu rice wine.
- Qiandao (Thousand Island) Lake or the Putuoshan islands.
A 2-day Hangzhou itinerary
- Day 1 — West Lake walk and boat → Leifeng Pagoda → Hefang Street food → night fountain.
- Day 2 — Longjing tea village → Lingyin Temple → Xixi Wetland or the Grand Canal.
What to eat
Longjing shrimp, Dongpo pork, beggar’s chicken, Songso fish soup, cat-ear noodles and osmanthus desserts, with fresh Longjing green tea.
FAQ
- How many days do you need in Hangzhou? — Two days covers West Lake and the old quarters; add a third for Longjing tea villages, Xixi Wetland or a water-town day trip.
- When is the best time to visit Hangzhou? — March to May for spring and tea-picking, and September to November for cool, clear autumn and osmanthus. Summers are hot and winters damp.
- Is Hangzhou a good day trip from Shanghai? — Yes — high-speed rail links Shanghai to Hangzhou in about 45 to 60 minutes, one of China’s easiest and best city day trips.
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