Hangzhou City Guide

Hangzhou is one of the most beautiful and historically rich cities in China. Located about 170 km southwest of Shanghai in the prosperous Zhejiang Province, the city is home to roughly 12 million people in the wider metropolitan area and serves as the political, cultural and commercial heart of eastern China after Shanghai itself. Marco Polo, who visited in the 13th century, called it “the finest and noblest city in the world”, and the old Chinese saying still goes: “Above there is heaven, below there are Suzhou and Hangzhou”. The combination of West Lake, ancient temples, tea-covered hills, classical gardens and a modern tech-driven economy makes Hangzhou one of the essential stops on any trip through eastern China. This 2026 guide walks through the top sights, the food, the practical details and a few tips for a first visit.

A Short History of Hangzhou

Hangzhou has more than 2,200 years of recorded history and served as the capital of China twice. The city first reached its peak during the Sui Dynasty in the 7th century, when the southern end of the Grand Canal, the longest artificial waterway in the world, was finally completed at Hangzhou. The Grand Canal stretches over 1,700 km north to Beijing and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2014. Long sections still flow through the northern part of the city today and offer atmospheric evening boat rides past restored canal houses.

Hangzhou reached its golden age during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127 to 1279), when it served as the imperial capital and grew into possibly the largest city in the world at the time, with over a million inhabitants. The Mongol traveller Marco Polo, who probably arrived in the 1270s, described it in glowing terms in his famous travelogue. Modern Hangzhou now stands as the home of Alibaba, the e-commerce giant founded by Jack Ma, which has turned the city into one of the leading technology hubs in China. The 2016 G20 summit and the 2023 Asian Games (delayed from 2022) put Hangzhou back on the world map.

West Lake (Xi Hu)

West Lake is the heart and soul of Hangzhou and the reason most visitors come. The freshwater lake covers about 6.4 square kilometres and sits surrounded by green hills, classical gardens, ancient pagodas and arched stone bridges. UNESCO inscribed the West Lake Cultural Landscape on the World Heritage list in 2011 and recognised it as an inspiration for poets, painters and garden designers across East Asia for over a thousand years.

The traditional way to experience West Lake is to walk along the famous Su Causeway and Bai Causeway, two long stone walkways built by famous Chinese poets who served as governors of Hangzhou (Su Dongpo in the 11th century and Bai Juyi in the 9th). Wooden boats and modern sightseeing cruisers run tours across the lake throughout the day, and the sunset reflections on the water are a Hangzhou ritual that locals never tire of. Renting a bicycle and circling the entire lake takes about three hours and ranks as one of the best ways to see the city.

The “Ten Scenes of West Lake” form the classic itinerary of the area, each named centuries ago for a particular view: Spring Dawn at Su Causeway, Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake, Lingering Snow on the Broken Bridge, Three Pools Mirroring the Moon and several more. Each scene matches a different season and time of day, so the lake offers a different experience to every visitor.

Religious and Historical Spots

Lingyin Temple

Lingyin Temple (“Temple of the Soul’s Retreat”) is one of the largest and most important Buddhist temples in China and one of the oldest in Hangzhou, founded in 326 AD during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. The temple sits in a peaceful wooded valley a few kilometres west of West Lake and remains an active monastery with monks chanting and worshippers burning incense throughout the day.

The complex holds several halls, including the impressive Hall of the Heavenly Kings and the towering Mahavira Hall, which houses a 24-metre statue of the Buddha carved from camphor wood and covered in gold leaf, one of the largest wooden Buddhist statues in China. The cliffs and caves around the temple, known as the Feilai Feng (“Peak Flying from Afar”), feature more than 300 stone Buddhist carvings dating from the 10th to the 14th century. From the upper temples you can climb a series of stone steps deeper into the hills, or take the chairlift for visitors who would rather skip the walk. From the higher platforms you can enjoy beautiful views across the surrounding forest and the rolling hills of Hangzhou.

Leifeng Pagoda

The Leifeng Pagoda sits in a beautiful setting on the southern shore of West Lake. The original pagoda was built in 977 AD during the Northern Song Dynasty, and the remains of this ancient building still exist on the ground floor museum of the current pagoda. The original collapsed in 1924 after centuries of damage, and the new pagoda was rebuilt in 2002 in a modern style that incorporates the ancient ruins beneath a glass floor. The combination of the contemporary building and the old foundations allows visitors to understand the pagoda’s past and present in a single visit.

The pagoda is famous for the legend of the White Snake, one of the four great folk tales of China, in which a magical snake spirit takes human form and falls in love with a young scholar before being trapped beneath the pagoda by a Buddhist monk. The pagoda is also one of the best places to watch the sunset over West Lake, especially in autumn, when the city skyline and the lake glow in soft golden light. Glass elevators carry visitors to each floor, and the top platform offers a 360-degree panorama.

Six Harmonies Pagoda (Liuhe Ta)

The Six Harmonies Pagoda, built in 970 AD on the bank of the Qiantang River, was originally meant to calm the famously violent tides of the river. The 60-metre pagoda has 13 external storeys (only seven inside) and remains one of the masterpieces of Song dynasty wooden architecture. The site sits about 7 km southwest of West Lake and offers great views over the river and the famous Qiantang River Bridge.

Natural Sites Around Hangzhou

Longjing (Dragon Well) Tea Fields

Hangzhou is the home of Longjing tea, also known as Dragon Well tea, the most famous green tea in China and one of the few teas designated as a “China Famous Tea”. The terraced tea fields cover the rolling hills southwest of West Lake and form a peaceful green landscape that allows visitors to view the traditional process of picking and roasting tea. The fields are worth visiting during the spring harvest in late March and April, when locals hand-pick the tender new leaves and you can watch them being pan-fired by experienced workers. Several small farms and tea houses near Longjing village welcome visitors for tastings, and you can buy top-quality leaves directly from the farmers.

The nearby China National Tea Museum covers the history, culture and production of Chinese tea across several halls and is free to enter.

Running Tiger Spring (Hupao Quan)

Running Tiger Spring, also translated as “Dreaming of the Tiger Spring”, epitomises traditional Chinese nature and wildlife. The spring is surrounded by bamboo groves, streams and forested walking paths that make a peaceful stroll on a hot summer day. The site holds historical structures, stone statues and shrines that tell the legend of two tigers who supposedly dug the spring for a thirsty Buddhist monk in the 9th century.

The spring water is famous across China for its high mineral content and is traditionally considered the perfect water for brewing Longjing tea. After your walk, stop at one of the small tea houses nearby, where the drinks are brewed with Tiger Spring water for the most authentic local experience.

Guo’s Villa (Guo Zhuang)

The best traditional private garden to visit is Guo’s Villa, a small classical Chinese garden on the western shore of West Lake. The garden was built in the late Qing dynasty and rebuilt in the 1990s. The juxtaposition between the closed intricate corners and the vast open spaces opening onto West Lake provides a variety of visual experiences in a single short walk. Like many Chinese gardens, the key feature is water: curved and straight pools, light and shaded sections and reflections that change with the time of day. The design exemplifies how Chinese gardens centre on the principles of Yin and Yang.

Xixi National Wetland Park

Xixi National Wetland Park, on the western edge of the city, is the only national wetland park in China that combines an urban setting, farmland and a cultural landscape. The park covers 11.5 square kilometres of waterways, marshes and small islands connected by wooden boardwalks. Small electric boats run tours through the channels, and the park offers a refreshing escape from the busier West Lake area, especially in spring when the persimmon trees blossom.

Shopping Districts

China Silk Town and Hefang Street

Hangzhou has been the silk capital of China for over a thousand years, and China Silk Town on Tiyuchang Road remains the best place to see and buy local silk. The market sells exquisite materials in bright patterns and colours, plus finished items such as scarves, robes and bedding. Hefang Street, located near West Lake, is the most popular tourist shopping area in the city and combines restored Qing-dynasty buildings with traditional craft shops, tea houses and street food stalls. The street comes to life in the evenings, when red lanterns and the smell of spicy snacks fill the air.

Wushan Night Market

The Wushan Night Market, just off Yan’an Road, sells jewellery, paper fans, silk-screen prints, paintings, carvings and a wide range of souvenirs. The market opens after sunset and runs until late at night, and the prices are lower than in the daytime tourist shops. Bring small change and prepare to bargain.

Bird and Flower Market

The Hangzhou Bird and Flower Market is one of the more unusual places in the city. Local vendors display pets, ornamental plants, traditional Chinese medicine ingredients and dried items such as snakes and seahorses. The market gives a window into traditional Chinese daily life that you rarely find in modern shopping malls.

Hangzhou Cuisine

Hangzhou is the home of Zhe cuisine, one of the eight great regional culinary traditions of China. The local cooking favours fresh river fish, seasonal vegetables and light, sweet flavours. Some dishes you should try:

• Dongpo pork (Dongpo rou). Slow-braised pork belly named after the famous Song-dynasty poet Su Dongpo, who served as governor of Hangzhou.
• West Lake fish in vinegar sauce (Xi Hu cu yu). A fresh river fish poached and served with a sweet and sour sauce.
• Beggar’s chicken (Jiaohua ji). A whole chicken stuffed with herbs, wrapped in lotus leaves and clay and baked for hours.
• Longjing shrimp (Longjing xia ren). Tender freshwater shrimp stir-fried with Longjing tea leaves, a uniquely Hangzhou dish.
• Sweet osmanthus rice cake (Guihua gao). A delicate sweet snack flavoured with the fragrant osmanthus blossoms that fill the city in autumn.

The historic Louwailou Restaurant, founded in 1848 on the shore of West Lake, serves the most traditional versions of these dishes and remains one of the most famous restaurants in China.

How to Get to Hangzhou

Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH) sits about 30 km east of the city centre and connects Hangzhou to most major Chinese and Asian cities. The airport metro line takes about an hour to reach West Lake.

High-speed trains make Hangzhou one of the easiest cities in China to reach. The journey from Shanghai takes just 50 minutes, from Suzhou about 90 minutes, from Nanjing about 90 minutes and from Beijing around 4.5 hours. Several stations serve the high-speed network, with Hangzhou East Railway Station handling most arrivals.

Getting Around the City

The Hangzhou Metro has expanded rapidly in recent years and now covers most of the major sights with bilingual signs. Tickets are cheap and easy to use. Public buses, taxis and ride-share via Didi cover the rest of the city. The shared bike system, which Hangzhou pioneered before such schemes spread across China, remains one of the best ways to explore West Lake. Free electric tour buses run around the lake during the day.

Best Time to Visit Hangzhou

Hangzhou has a humid subtropical climate with four real seasons. The most pleasant months for sightseeing run from March to May and again from September to November. Spring brings cherry blossom and the famous Longjing tea harvest, while autumn brings the sweet osmanthus blossom and the clearest skies. Summers (June to August) are hot, humid and sometimes very wet, with frequent thunderstorms. Winters stay cool and damp, but the lake under a light snowfall is one of the classic scenes of Chinese painting.

Practical Tips

• Currency. Chinese yuan (CNY). Mobile payment via Alipay and WeChat Pay dominates everywhere, even at small tea houses. Set up a Tour Card on either app before you arrive.
• Language. Mandarin is the official language and most younger locals know basic English, especially around West Lake and the major hotels.
• Visa. Many nationalities can transit through Hangzhou for up to 240 hours without a visa under the latest Chinese rules. Check the official requirements before you book.
• Crowds. West Lake gets extremely busy during Chinese national holidays, especially the first weeks of May and October. Avoid these dates if you want a quieter visit.
• SIM and internet. A local SIM or eSIM works best, and most travellers also use a VPN to access services blocked in China.

Final Thoughts

Hangzhou rewards travellers who slow down. Spend a morning walking the causeways of West Lake, an afternoon among the tea fields of Longjing and an evening at the foot of the Leifeng Pagoda watching the sunset light up the water, and you start to understand why Marco Polo and a thousand Chinese poets fell for this city. The mix of natural beauty, classical gardens, ancient Buddhist temples and modern tech-driven energy makes Hangzhou one of the most rewarding stops in eastern China and the perfect counterpart to a few busy days in Shanghai.