Hangzhou
杭州 · Hángzhōu
West Lake, Longjing tea villages and a quick train from Shanghai.
2Days
Mar–May, Sep–NovBest time
82Foreigner-friendliness
Photo: Yinweichen · CC BY-SA 4.0
Second stop or second trip
Best time to visit
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
From the airport or station to the city
Where you land, the ways into the city centre, how long each takes and what it costs.
From Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport (HGH)
杭州萧山国际机场
From Hangzhou East Railway Station
杭州东站
From Hangzhou West Railway Station
杭州西站
Getting around
The metro links the stations, the airport and the lake shore (Longxiangqiao on Line 1 is the handiest stop). Fares are about ¥2–10; pay with Alipay or WeChat transit codes. Around West Lake itself, walk, rent a shared bike or take the lake boats: the causeways are car-free. Taxis and DiDi are cheap but crawl around the lake at weekends. Carry your passport: several sights check it.
Book these before you fly
These sights need a reservation with your passport. Walk-ups are usually turned away.
- Lingyin Temple and Feilai FengFree real-name booking on the 杭州灵隐飞来峰 mini-program in WeChat or Alipay, at least 1 day ahead and up to 7 days, with your passport. One booking covers the whole area. No same-day booking, though on-site registration with ID may be allowed if the day is not full. Beware of copycat mini-programs that charge a fee.
- Liangzhu Ancient City and Liangzhu MuseumBook both on the 良渚古城 mini-program in WeChat or Alipay with your passport; the park takes bookings 1–7 days ahead. The museum lets you walk in with ID on weekdays, but weekends and holidays need a booking. For the park, first collect a visitor pass at the South Gate visitor centre with the same passport.
Top sights
西湖West LakeHangzhou’s famous lake, ringed by hills, pagodas and willow-lined causeways. A UNESCO World Heritage site.
灵隐寺Lingyin Temple and Feilai FengOne of China’s great Buddhist temples, below a limestone hill carved with hundreds of Buddhist figures.
雷峰塔Leifeng PagodaA rebuilt pagoda on the south shore, tied to the Legend of the White Snake, with wide views over the lake.
龙井村Longjing tea villageHillside tea terraces where Dragon Well (Longjing) green tea is grown, a short ride from the lake.
西溪国家湿地公园Xixi National Wetland ParkA maze of waterways, reed beds and old fishing villages on the city’s western edge, best seen by boat.
河坊街Hefang StreetA restored old-town street of snack stalls, teahouses and historic pharmacies below Wushan Hill.
拱宸桥Grand Canal and Gongchen BridgeThe southern end of the 1,700 km Grand Canal, with a 17th-century stone bridge, old canal-side lanes and free museums.
六和塔Six Harmonies PagodaA Song-dynasty pagoda on a hill above the Qiantang River, famous for its tidal bore.
浙江省博物馆孤山馆区Zhejiang Provincial Museum (Solitary Hill)Free museum on the lake’s Solitary Hill, with celadon ceramics, calligraphy and a Qing imperial library.
中国丝绸博物馆China National Silk MuseumA large free museum on silk: 5,000 years of Chinese textiles, the Silk Road, silkworm-rearing and weaving crafts, and a textile conservation gallery.
乌镇Wuzhen water townA canal town of stone bridges and wooden houses about 80 km north of Hangzhou. Xizha (West) is the larger, more restored area; Dongzha (East) is smaller and older.
良渚博物院Liangzhu Ancient City and Liangzhu MuseumThe remains of a 5,000-year-old Neolithic city with early water-control dams, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The museum shows its finely carved jades.
九溪烟树Nine Creeks in Misty ForestAn easy, shady walk along a stream in the hills south-west of West Lake, crossing it on stepping stones and ending among the tea fields of Longjing village.上天竺法喜讲寺Faxi Temple (Upper Tianzhu)A working Buddhist temple founded over a thousand years ago in the hills above Lingyin, known for its yellow walls, old trees and quiet courtyards.中国京杭大运河博物馆China Grand Canal MuseumA free museum beside Gongchen Bridge on the history of the Grand Canal, the 1,700-km waterway from Beijing to Hangzhou, with boat models, maps and a digital zone.
岳王庙Yue Fei TempleThe temple and tomb of Yue Fei, a Song-dynasty general revered as a model of loyalty, on the north-west shore of West Lake.
保俶塔Baochu Pagoda & Baoshi HillA slender pagoda on Baoshi Hill above the north shore of West Lake, reached by a short, free hike with some of the best views over the lake.
千岛湖Qiandao Lake (Thousand Island Lake)A huge reservoir dotted with over a thousand green islands, a day trip by high-speed train from Hangzhou; boats from the Central Lake pier stop at a few islands.
中国茶叶博物馆China National Tea MuseumChina’s national museum of tea, set among tea bushes, ponds and pavilions west of West Lake, covering tea history, tea ware and how Longjing tea is made.
钱江新城灯光秀Qianjiang New City Light ShowA free light show projected across the skyscrapers of Hangzhou’s new business district, watched from the City Balcony on the Qiantang River.Map
Further out, not on this map: Qiandao Lake (Thousand Island Lake)
What to eat here
西湖醋鱼West Lake fish in vinegar saucePoached grass carp under a glossy sweet-and-sour vinegar sauce. Mind the bones.东坡肉Dongpo porkSquares of pork belly braised for hours in Shaoxing wine and soy until meltingly soft.
龙井虾仁Shrimp with Longjing teaRiver shrimp stir-fried with fresh Longjing green tea leaves; light and fragrant.
片儿川Pian’erchuan noodlesHangzhou’s everyday noodle soup with sliced pork, pickled greens and bamboo shoots.
葱包桧Congbaohui (scallion roll)A fried dough stick and spring onion rolled in a thin pancake, pressed crisp on a griddle, with sweet sauce.
Find a pharmacy, ATM, food or any shop nearby in Chinese
Places added by travelers
Add a placeFrom other travelers
Write a reviewComing to this page
- Hotels, tickets and experiences you can bookComing soon
Routes that include Hangzhou
Travel guides
Stories about this place
LegendsThe White Snake and Leifeng PagodaA snake spirit in love, a monk who stood in her way, and a real pagoda on West Lake that fell in 1924 and rose again.
Travelers of the pastMarco Polo’s City of HeavenIn the 13th century a Venetian called Hangzhou the finest city in the world. What did he really see, and what is still there at West Lake?
Food originsThe poet, the causeway and the porkSu Dongpo governed Hangzhou, saved West Lake and left his name on a causeway, and, people say, on its most famous braised pork.Nearby cities
1–2 daysSuzhou苏州Classical gardens and canals, about 25 minutes from Shanghai by train.
3–4 daysShanghai上海The Bund skyline, old lanes and easy day trips to canal towns.
2 daysHuangshan黄山Granite peaks above the clouds, with Huizhou villages nearby.
2 daysNanjing南京A former capital with Ming city walls and the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum.