Hangzhou, the capital and transportation hub of Zhejiang Province, is located in the southern wing of China's Yangtze River Delta, only 1~2 hours away from the world-famous Shanghai by high speed train.
"Up above there is Paradise, and below are Suzhou and Hangzhou". The beautiful Hangzhou City has long been eulogized by poets. The early visitor Marco Polo also declared it "The City of Heaven, the Most Beautiful and Magnificent in the World". The essence of Hangzhou is the enduringly popular West Lake and most of the city's attractions are spreading around it. With a long history of over 2,200 years, Hangzhou is also no lack of historic treasures, traditions and legends, with nation-level museums dotting everywhere of the city. It is also the hometown to the first-class Dragon Well Tea and a prosperous city where the dreams of high-tech enterprises like Alibaba begin and develop.
Latest Hangzhou News: Hangzhou applies to the 144 Hour Visa Free for entering from 8 permitted ports of enter (including Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport) and staying in the administrative region of Zhejiang, Shanghai and Jiangsu within 144 hours (6 days). Feel free to contact us for more details.
Usually, tourists spend 2~3 days in Hangzhou to explore its amazing natural beauty and historical charm at the West Lake, Lingyin Temple, Longjing Tea Plantations, China National Silk Museum, etc. Some visitors also spend another half day or one day to visit the Xixi National Wetland Park or Thousand Islands Lake.
For most visitors, they extend their Hangzhou trip to visit one or two nearby water towns, like Wuzhen Water Town, Nanxun Water Town, Xitang Water Town for 1 day or so.
Taking 5~6 days to visit Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou together is extremely popular. Some visitors also enjoy a 5-day high speed train Hangzhou Huangshan Tour to visit the world-famous Yellow Mountain.
Besides, it is also a good idea to travel Hangzhou and other popular destinations in China, such as Beijing, Xian, Yangtze River, Xiamen, Changsha, Chengdu, Kunming, etc. All our tours can be customized according to your interests, group size, needs, travel time, budget, etc. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us for a personal Hangzhou tour 2024/2025!
Most of Hangzhou's attractions are located near West Lake, like Lingyin Temple, Six Harmonies Pagoda, and Dragon Well Tea Plantation. Xixi Wetland Park and Thousand Islet Lake are not in the city center. Travellers can also pay a visit to Wuzhen Water Town, though it's not in Hangzhou, it's very close to it, less than one hour's drive will take you to there.
>> For more Hangzhou attraction information, please see All Hangzhou Attractions.
Tranquil and elegant West Lake is the essence of Hangzhou, all kinds of attractions, like parks, bridges, pagodas, temples can be found in here.
With a history of nearly 1700 year, Lingyin Temple is the oldest and most famous temple in Hangzhou, remaining its charm with natural and cultural beauty.
Famous for Longjing (Dragon Well) Tea, Longjing Tea Plantations are wonderful places to see verdant view and know about the tea culture in China.
China National Tea Museum is a good place to go for learning the tea culture, tea history, enjoying tea, watching elegant tea ceremory and tea plantations.
With brilliant culture and long history, Hefang Street is regarded as a typical symbol of ancient Hangzhou Hefang Street. You can see many time-honored stores there.
Hu Qing Yu Tang is like a living classroom of traditional Chinese medicine to both have a good understanding about Chinese medicine and appreciate the hundred-year-old exquisite architecture.
It is the largest silk museum in the world. You can have full knowledge about 5000 years Chinese Silk history and the Silk Road, enjoy Chinese and Western fashion changes over the centuries.
With a long history of over 1000 years, Liuhe Pagoda is very popular among tourists with its ancient charm and the best viewing deck of Qiantang River.
Xixi National Wetland Park attracts lots of tourists to have a sightseeing and relaxation with its peaceful environment and beautiful waterscapes.
A classic water town of Jiangnan style, peaceful environment and ancient architectures, all make Wuzhen a very poetic and romantic place in China.
Xitang is a living ancient town with a history more than one thousand years. It is featured in 104 old bridges, 122 old lanes, long ceilinged corridors, Ming and Qing Dynasty architectures.
Qiantang River tidal bore is one the largest tidal bores in the world which reaches the most spectacular on the eighteenth day of the eight month on Chinese lunar calendar.
Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City (良渚古城遗址), which were inscribed to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in July 2019, is a must-visit for history lovers who want to trace the Chinese civilization 5,300 years ago.
The Former Residence of Hu Xueyan (胡雪岩故居) gets its reputation for its exquisite design and decorations featured with both traditional Chinese characteristics and Western styles. Every corner of this mansion is beautiful.
Qiandao Lake (千岛湖), or called Thousand Island Lake, is an ideal vacation site to get away from the bustle and bustle of the vities. Here, you can appreciate fresh and beautiful lake sceneries, enjoy biking and hiking…
There are a lot of things to do in the City of Heaven. To make your day trip different, to best match your interests, you can photograph around West Lake for the sunrise and sunset, or bike around West Lake for a more leisure day, enjoy amazing night shows, like Impression West Lake, music fountain, light shows, etc. You are guaranteed the most memorable exploration in Hangzhou.
>> For more activities ideas in Hangzhou, please see All Featured Hangzhou Activities.
Taking a boat sailing on the picturesque West Lake is an enjoyable and relaxing way to appreciate the beautiful scenery with islands, causeways, pagodas and ornamental planting... There are multiple kinds of boat types for you to choose.
Heading to the tea plantations of the first-class Dragon Well Tea is a must-do for all Hangzhou tourists. And you can enjoy drinking tea and picking tea leaves there. Longjing Village and Meijiawu Village are the top 2 tea plantations to visit!
Try short-distance biking trip (1 hour to half day) which offers you more freedom and leisure for exploration and more importantly, you are much closer to the beautiful nature. There are 5 best hiking routes in Hangzhou.
Hangzhou has over 130 museums, including many state-level museums in China! Most of the Hangzhou Museums are located at or not very far away from the West Lake, like China National Silk Museum, China National Tea Museum, etc.
You can enjoy famous Enduring Memories of Hangzhou Show, admire Hangzhou Musical Fountain & Light Shows, take Grand Canal Night Cruises and Qiantang River Night Cruises, hit Hangzhou bars…
You can appreciate its exquisiteness and beauty with your eyes and record it by your camera. Popular photography sites include West Lake, Lingyin Temple, Liuhe Pagoda, etc.
Hiking up to the tea plantations hidden in the forests is really a great experience. On the way, you may meet with locals picking tea leaves in the fields and be rewarded with amazing vista of the West Lake!
Hangzhou is also a paradise for foodies! Popular Hangzhou dishes and snacks include Braised Dongpo Pork, West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy, Fried Shrimps with Long Jing Tea, Aunt Song Fish Broth, etc.
In this "City of Handicrafts", there is a special Hangzhou Arts & Crafts Museum Cluster, where you can take plenty of interesting art classes, like parasol painting class, round fan painting classes, embroidery class, etc.
In about 1.5~3 hours’ drive, you can travel from Hangzhou to many famous water towns in Jiangnan Area, like Wuzhen Water Town, Nanxun Water Town and Xitang Water Town. Why not add the one you prefer to your Hangzhou tour?
Qiantang River Tidal Bore is one of the most spectacular tidal bores in the world. The best places to admire the water walls rushing up to the air are Liuhe Pagoda, Qiantang River Bridge and the nearby Haining City.
Hangzhou has a typical subtropical monsoon climate with a clear distinction among four seasons and abundant rainfall. Annual average temperature is 17.8℃ and average relative humidity is 70.3%. Summer is hot and humid, while winter is cold and dry. Spring and autumn is very comfortable and thus they are the tourism peak seasons.However, Hangzhou has different beauty in different season, and there are also many tourists visit Hangzhou in summer and winter.
Hangzhou is suitable to be visited all year around! And the spring and autumn are considered to be the best and most popular time to visit it. Spring is warm and suitable to wander around West Lake and appreciate the green trees and red flowers. Summer is hot, however, it's the best time to watch lotus flower in West Lake. Autumn is cool and refreshing, great time to appreciate osmanthus flower and full moon in Mid-autumn Festival. In winter, many people are come to Hangzhou to see the plum blossom and snowy scenery in West Lake.
>> Learn more about Hangzhou Weather.
Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport connects Hangzhou with over 100 cities in China including Beijing, Xian, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, etc. and 40 international cities (regions) such as San Francisco, Amsterdam, Madrid, Sydney, Hong Kong, etc.
Hangzhou has 3 major used bullet train stations, including Hangzhou Railway Station, Hangzhou East Railway Station and Hangzhou South Railway Station. Visitors can easily ride a high speed train to get to/from Hangzhou to Beijing (4.5-6.5 hrs.), Shanghai (1-1.5 hrs.), Xian (7-8.5 hrs.), Guangzhou (6-7.5 hrs.), Suzhou (1.5-2.5 hrs.), Huangshan (1.5-2 hrs.), etc. Besides, visitors can also make efficient transfers from Hangzhou to other tourists cities in Zhejiang Province, like Shaoxing (15-25 mins.), Ningbo (1-1.5 hrs.), etc.
>> Check more about Hangzhou High Speed Train.
In Hangzhou downtown, it is very easy to travel around by metro, taxi and bike. Sightseeing boasts are preferred by many tourists when travelling to the West Lake, Xixi National Wetland Park, Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and Qiantang River. Besides, independent travelers also like the vast city bus system.
>> Check more about Hangzhou Metro | Hangzhou Biking | West Lake Cruise | Hangzhou Bus.
Usually, it takes 1 hour around by car to get from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport to the Hangzhou downtown area. Visitors prefer to travel between these two places by metro line 1, line 7, taxi, airport shuttle bus or private car.
>> Check more about Hangzhou Airport to City.
To get rid of the troubles of making busy transfers at the large Hangzhou city, you are highly suggested to use our private transfer service. Once you travel with us, our local driver can escort you from the airport/train station/hotel to the tourist sites in Hangzhou in ease and convenience. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us.
>> Know more details about Hangzhou Transportation.
A metropolis like Hangzhou has all kinds of hotels and hostels, from the luxurious hotels, like JW Marriott, Crowne Plaza and Intercontinental, etc. to economic and youth hotels. All the hotels can meet you basic needs, while the luxury ones can offer you better facilities and give you more excellent service.
In general, tourists stay overnight in hotels near the West Lake Scenic Area, and the most popular places to stay in Hangzhou are Hubin Road and Xihu Avenue on the east shore of the West Lake. Other hot places include Wulin Square, Hefang Street, Lingyin Temple region and Manjuelong Village. Hotels near Xixi National Wetland are the best choices for those who are looking for high-end resorts.
>> Learn more about Where to Stay in Hangzhou.
There are some useful Hangzhou maps for you to know more about Hangzhou attractions and how to travel in the scenic spot.
>> For more maps in Hangzhou, please see West Lake Maps | Hangzhou Maps 2025.
Hangzhou City Map
Hangzhou Attraction Map
Hangzhou China Map
If you want to keep travelling after Hangzhou, there are some awesome destinations near Hangzhou for your exploration. You can pay a visit to the most developed Shanghai, exquisite gardens in Suzhou, stunning Yellow Mountain, and Dr. Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing.
China Discovery have helped many global travelers enjoy their memorable trips to Hangzhou and whole Zhejiang for the past few years. Among them, Lawson's Family from UK enjoyed their 19 days China family vacation covering many Hangzhou highlights with our cutomized tour package. Travel with China Discovery to create your wonderful Hangzhou trip memories!
All itineraries and side trips can be customized privately, so please feel free to contact with our travel consultants if you have this kind of need.
Collect the essence of Hangzhou natural scenery, featured culture and profound history, visit the landmark and more amazing places, experience unique Longjing Tea culture.
Explore the 3 most popular destinations of the Yangtze Delta - Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Suzhou by the fast bullet trains. Every day is connected well, without any waste of time and money.
This trip takes you to discover all bests of Hangzhou in the most classic way with worthy visits to West Lake, Lingyin Temple, Longjing Tea Plantation and more scenic, cultural, historical and artistic sites for the best understanding of Hangzhou beauty!
The terrific soaking up of metropolis, artistic traditional gardens, tranquil ancient water towns, exquisite Hui styled architectures, fabulous Yellow Mountain by bullet train to Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou & Huangshan in one go!
The amazing 3-day trip to discover the antique and tranquil Wuzhen Water Town in day and night and the best poetic beauty of Hangzhou lakes, temples, old street, tea fields, etc.
Enjoy a 3-day vacation to admire those paradise-like natural spectacles and cultural charm of beautiful Hangzhou with one day immersing into the gorgeous peaceful landscape at Qiandao Lake!
Enjoy a 5-day trip to enjoy top bests of beautiful East China with more fun, which takes you to see the modern, traditional, poetic and wonderful Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou with lots of joy and a terrific West Lake cycling experience!
Bring you all the special charms that Hangzhou and Suzhou have to offer. You will discover the most highlighting places seemingly trapped in time.
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