Hangzhou Travel Guide

✓ Prices and practical details last verified July 10, 2026

Hangzhou has been shorthand for earthly paradise in China since the Song dynasty (960-1279), when the saying “above there is heaven, below there is Suzhou and Hangzhou” (上有天堂，下有苏杭) first took hold. The reason is still visible today: West Lake, a body of water so carefully shaped by a thousand years of landscaping that it reads more like a painting than a natural feature, ringed by causeways, pagodas, and tea hills. Hangzhou is also a genuinely modern city, headquarters to Alibaba and one of China’s wealthiest provincial capitals, so the old gardens sit inside a place that feels current rather than preserved in amber.

Highlights

• Walk or cycle the Su Causeway (苏堤) and Bai Causeway (白堤) across West Lake (西湖), the reason Hangzhou has this reputation in the first place.
• Climb the hillside paths at Lingyin Temple (灵隐寺), one of China’s most important Buddhist temples, wrapped in a limestone gorge full of carved grottoes.
• Watch the sun set behind Leifeng Pagoda (雷峰塔), rebuilt on its original foundations after the legendary original collapsed in 1924.
• Walk through a working tea village at Longjing (龙井村), source of China’s most famous green tea, in the hills just south of the lake.
• Slow down in Xixi Wetland (西溪湿地), a reed-lined canal landscape inside the city that most first-time visitors never hear about.
• Explore the 5,000-year-old Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City (良渚古城遗址), one of the clearest archaeological records of an early state in China.

Transportation

Getting there

Hangzhouxiaoshan International Airport (杭州萧山国际机场 / HGH) sits east of the city and handles both domestic and a growing number of international routes. Check current direct routes on FlightConnections. Metro Line 1, 7, or 19 connects the airport to the city center, and airport buses run to Hangzhou Railway Station (城站), Wulin Gate, and other central stops for CNY20 (fare varies slightly by route and drop-off point). A taxi to central Hangzhou takes 30 to 50 minutes and runs roughly CNY100 to 150.

Railway stations

Hangzhoudong Railway Station (杭州东站) is the main high-speed hub, with the fastest and most frequent trains to Shanghai, Suzhou, and Nanjing. Hangzhou Railway Station (杭州站 / 城站), the older station near West Lake, handles a smaller mix of services and is far more convenient if your hotel is near the lake. Hangzhouxi Railway Station (杭州西站), opened more recently, mainly serves routes toward Anhui and the western Yangtze Delta, including some trains to Huangshan. Always check which station your ticket uses.

Click to open interactive map

High-speed rail times from Hangzhou to Shanghai, Suzhou, Nanjing, and Huangshan. Most trains leave from Hangzhoudong.

Common onward routes

Getting around

The metro covers most sights in this guide and fares are CNY2 to start, rising with distance, most trips CNY2-8. Pay with a transport QR code in Alipay or WeChat. Foreign-issued bank cards can also be used to buy a single-journey ticket at the station service center (客服中心); ask the staff to process the card payment. Bikes are a genuinely good way to see West Lake itself: the public bike-share system has stations all around the lake, and cycling the full loop takes about two hours at a relaxed pace. Didi and taxis work well for the hillier, less walkable sights like Lingyin Temple and Longjing.

Key Attractions

Hangzhou’s sights sit in two rings. The inner ring is West Lake itself and the sights just around it: Six Harmonies Pagoda, Lingyin Temple, and Hefang Street are all within a few kilometers of the water and fill a comfortable two days. The outer ring includes Xixi Wetland to the northwest, Longjing tea village in the hills south of the lake, Song Dynasty Town further south, and Liangzhu well north of the mapped area. The numbers and the Liangzhu direction marker link to the sections below. West Lake itself has its own detailed map in the section below.

1 1 1 3 4 2 6 5 7 ↑ Liangzhu 8

1. West Lake (西湖)

Getting there: Metro Line 1 to Longxiangqiao (龙翔桥) for the east shore, or the lakeside buses that ring the water; the whole lake is walkable
Admission: The lake, causeways, and shore gardens are free and open at all hours; Leifeng Pagoda is the one paid sight at CNY80, open 08:00-20:00 (last entry 19:30)
Time needed: A half to full day on foot

West Lake is the reason most people come to Hangzhou, a broad sheet of water ringed by willow-lined causeways, gardens, temples, and pagodas that has shaped Chinese ideas of scenic beauty for a thousand years and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Two old causeways, the Bai Causeway across the north and the longer Su Causeway down the west, along with the outer Yanggong Causeway, divide it into linked sub-lakes and double as walking paths. It is best taken slowly on foot or by bike, tracing a loop past the classic scenes that each carry a four-character poetic name.

Click to open interactive map

Start at Longxiangqiao Metro Station and walk to Hubin Pedestrian Street. The two loops share the east and south lakeside path (orange band with teal core) and split on the west side: the inner ~10 km loop takes the Su and Bai causeways (teal), while the outer ~15 km loop takes Beishan Road and the Yanggong Causeway (orange).

Food and rest stops

The Hubin Intime (湖滨银泰 in77) area around Longxiangqiao has several connected shopping malls filled with restaurants, cafes, air-conditioned seating, and restrooms, making it the easiest place to take a meal break during a West Lake walk. From the east shore, you can also continue south to Hefang Street and Southern Song Imperial Street (河坊街 / 南宋御街) and combine the two areas into the same day.

Around the lake

Following the numbers on the map, roughly clockwise from the northeast corner:

• 1. Broken Bridge (断桥)
  Not actually broken: the name comes from the way winter snow melts unevenly across it, leaving one half bare and the other still white, a scene tied to the folk legend of the White Snake. It marks the northeast corner and the start of the Bai Causeway.
• 2. Bai Causeway (白堤)
  A one-kilometer walkway lined with willow and peach trees running from Broken Bridge west to Solitary Hill, the least crowded of the causeways and lovely in early spring blossom.
• 3. Gushan Park / Solitary Hill (孤山公园)
  The only natural island in the lake, a quiet park holding the Zhejiang Provincial Museum and the Xiling Seal Society, usually calm even when the causeways are busy.
• 4. Quyuan Fenghe (曲院风荷)
  “Breeze-Ruffled Lotus at Quyuan,” a garden of ponds and lotus beds on the northwest shore, at its best in the July and August bloom.
• 5. Su Causeway (苏堤)
  The longest causeway, built by the poet-official Su Dongpo while governing the city; its 2.8 kilometers and six arched bridges take about an hour to walk and give the lake’s best long views.
• 6. Huagang Guanyu (花港观鱼)
  “Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor,” a garden at the south end of the Su Causeway with red-carp ponds and a large peony garden.
• 7. Leifeng Pagoda (雷峰塔)
  The original tower stood nearly a thousand years before collapsing in 1924, undermined by locals chipping bricks from its base for luck. The current pagoda, finished in 2002, is built over the excavated ruins, which are displayed under glass at the base, and lifts visitors up five floors by elevator to a full sweep of the lake. It is a favorite sunset spot, so note that the last elevator up runs before closing.
• 8. Liulang Wenying (柳浪闻莺)
  “Orioles Singing in the Willows,” a lakeside park of willows and lawns along the southeast shore, an easy stroll from the east-shore metro.
• 9. Qianwang Temple (钱王祠)
  A restored temple on the south shore honoring the Qian kings of the Wuyue Kingdom, who ruled from Hangzhou and first shaped the lake.
• 10. Three Pools Mirroring the Moon (三潭印月)
  The island in the middle of the lake, also called Xiaoyingzhou (小瀛洲), reached only by boat: a ring of dikes and pavilions enclosing ponds, with the three small stone pagodas offshore that give it its name and appear on the back of the one-yuan note.

Leifeng Pagoda over the south shore. Photo: David290, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Two walking loops

The lake rewards a full circuit, and the causeways let you choose how far to go:

• Inner loop, about 10 km (teal on the map)
  The classic circuit of the main lake: the east-shore promenade, across the Bai Causeway in the north and back down the Su Causeway, passing most of the nine sights. A comfortable half-day walk, or an easy ride.
• Outer loop, about 15 km (orange on the map)
  The full outer perimeter, following Beishan Road along the north shore and the Yanggong Causeway down the far west, taking in the quieter western sub-lakes and gardens around Maojiabu that most day-trippers miss.

Boat options

• Public shuttle boats (西湖公交船)
  The best-value option for seeing quieter parts of the lake. Fares are typically CNY6 to 8 per segment, with a full-loop ticket around CNY70. Boats generally run from 08:30 to 15:30 at roughly 30-minute intervals. The most scenic short ride is Quyuan Fenghe (曲院风荷) to Huagang Guanyu (花港观鱼), taking about 28 minutes and costing around CNY14. Enter through Quyuan Fenghe Gate 4, turn right, and walk about five minutes to the pier beside the Sino-American Friendship Well (中美友谊井). These boats circle ten lakeside stops but do not visit the island.
• Sightseeing cruises and Three Pools Mirroring the Moon (三潭印月)
  Standard covered boats from the main piers cost about CNY55 including admission to Xiaoyingzhou (小瀛洲). After visiting the island, you can usually leave by a different pier. A non-landing circuit of the lake is about CNY70. Larger traditional-style dragon boats may include tea, snacks, and commentary at a higher price.
• Hand-rowed and sculling boats (手划船 / 摇橹船)
  Choose these for a quieter ride through Wuguitan (乌龟潭), Yuhu Bay (浴鹄湾), and the western inner lakes. Typical rates are about CNY150 per hour for a hand-rowed boat or CNY180 per hour for a sculling boat, usually for up to six passengers. Majiawan Pier (马家湾码头) is a practical starting point, and a relaxed circuit takes about two hours.
• Night cruises
  Evening sightseeing boats may depart from Second Park, Fifth Park, the Children’s Palace, and Broken Bridge, usually circling the lake and pausing near Three Pools Mirroring the Moon without landing.

Do not confuse the inexpensive public shuttle with an island cruise. Public boats usually finish by 15:30, while hand-rowed boats may stop during strong wind or heavy rain. Confirm the day’s timetable, operating piers, and fares before boarding.

Caution

Rental bikes and the public bike-share system both get scarce around the lake on weekends and holidays, so grab one early if you want to cycle. The causeways and shore parks are packed on holidays; early morning is the calm, photogenic window.

2. Hefang Street / Southern Song Imperial Street (河坊街 / 南宋御街)

Getting there: Metro Line 1 to Dingan Road (定安路), or Metro Line 7 to Wushan Square (吴山广场), then a short walk
Admission: Free
Time needed: 1.5 to 2 hours

Hefang Street is Hangzhou’s restored old commercial street, a Qing dynasty (1644-1912) style lane of shops selling silk, tea, folk medicine, and souvenirs, anchored by the still-operating Hu Qing Yu Tang traditional pharmacy. It is unapologetically touristy, closer in spirit to Shanghai’s Yu Garden bazaar than to a genuine old neighborhood, but it is a convenient, walkable stretch between West Lake and the rest of the old city. Combine it with the adjoining Southern Song Imperial Street (南宋御街) for a longer walk through the historic commercial district.

What to see

• Hu Qing Yu Tang Pharmacy (胡庆余堂)
  A working traditional Chinese medicine shop and small museum inside a well-preserved Qing dynasty (1644-1912) building, one of the street’s few sights with real historical substance.
• Southern Song Imperial Street (南宋御街)
  The former ceremonial avenue of the Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279) capital now follows Zhongshan Middle Road, with restored shopfronts, small archaeological displays, cafes, and local businesses. It is broader and generally calmer than Hefang Street.
• Wushan Night Market area
  Streets branching off the main lane fill with food stalls in the evening, a reasonable spot for a casual dinner while sightseeing.
• Silk and tea shops
  Genuine local products are sold alongside a lot of tourist-grade souvenirs; prices are rarely fixed, so bargain if you plan to buy.

Caution

Treat this street the way you would treat any dense tourist bazaar: prices are inflated, and high-pressure sales pitches for tea or silk “tastings” are common. A polite decline works fine.

3. Six Harmonies Pagoda (六和塔)

Getting there: Metro Line 4 to Shuichengqiao Station (水澄桥站), then walk to the pagoda
Admission: CNY20 for the grounds (climbing the tower costs extra)
Time needed: 1.5 hours

Six Harmonies Pagoda sits above the Qiantang River rather than the lake and was originally founded in 970 to help calm the river’s famously violent tidal bore. The present brick tower was completed in 1163 during the Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279), while its projecting wooden exterior eaves were reconstructed later. Unlike West Lake’s other pagodas, its interior can still be climbed floor by floor. The structure appears to have thirteen stories from outside but contains seven internal levels.

What to see

• The climb itself
  Steep, narrow, and worth doing once for the Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279) brick structure and river views through small windows at each level.
• The riverside grounds
  A quiet park around the pagoda’s base, with a collection of miniature pagoda models from around the world.
• The Qiantang River Bridge
  Designed by the engineer Mao Yisheng and completed in 1937, visible from the pagoda’s upper floors and a minor engineering landmark in its own right.

Caution

This is the least crowded of Hangzhou’s major sights, which also means it is the easiest one to skip if you are short on time. Prioritize it only if the tidal bore season (around the mid-autumn festival) or the climb itself specifically interests you.

4. Lingyin Temple (灵隐寺)

Getting there: Bus or a 20 to 25 minute Didi ride from central Hangzhou
Admission: free since December 2025, but a same-day reservation is required through the "杭州灵隐飞来峰" WeChat or Alipay mini-program, booked at least one day ahead
Time needed: Half a day

Lingyin Temple, whose name means Temple of the Soul’s Retreat, was founded in 328 CE by an Indian monk who reportedly recognized the surrounding hills as a sacred site transported from India. It remains one of the ten most important Chan Buddhist temples in China, still an active monastery rather than a museum piece, and the walk up through Feilai Feng (飞来峰), the limestone outcrop facing the temple, is as much the point as the temple itself.

Lingyin Temple can be exceptionally crowded. After visiting, continue to nearby temples (e.g. Yongfu Temple 永福寺) where you can stop for tea in a much quieter setting.

Lingshun Temple (灵顺寺), also known as the North Peak God of Wealth Temple (北高峰财神庙), is closed through the end of 2026.

Photo: Tyg728, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What to see

• Feilai Feng grottoes (飞来峰造像)
  Over 300 Buddhist carvings cut into the limestone cliff face and inside its caves, dating from the 10th to 14th centuries, best explored slowly on the way up to the temple gate.
• The main halls
  A sequence of increasingly large halls climbing the hillside, each housing progressively bigger Buddha statues, ending in the Mahavira Hall with a 20-meter gilded Sakyamuni.
• The incense burning
  Lingyin remains a working temple, and the courtyards fill with real worshippers rather than tourists posing for photos, especially in the early morning.
• The surrounding forest paths
  Trails behind the main temple lead up into quieter hillside scenery, a good extension if the temple itself does not fill your morning.

Caution

The temple releases a limited number of reservation slots each day and books out quickly on weekends and holidays. Reserve at least a day ahead through the official mini-program rather than assuming you can walk in.

5. Longjing Village (龙井村)

Getting there: Bus or Didi from central Hangzhou, about 25 to 30 minutes. Longjing Village is close to Lingyin Temple and you can walk between them
Admission: Free to walk through; tea purchases and tastings are priced by the shop
Time needed: Half a day

Longjing, literally Dragon Well, is both a village and the name of the green tea grown on the hillsides around it, considered the finest in China since the Qing dynasty (1644-1912). The terraced tea fields climb the hills in every direction, and small family-run shops along the main road offer tastings, generally more of a sales pitch than a neutral introduction, alongside genuine tea sold at wildly variable prices depending on the picking date and grade.

After visiting Lingyin Temple, walk over and choose a family-run teahouse for a cup of Longjing, commonly around CNY20 to 30. Longjing Maoju (龙井茂居) is one popular choice and can be busy at peak times. The village and surrounding roads have plenty of casual restaurants and places to drink tea, making this a comfortable stop for a meal, a slow cup of tea, and a walk after the temple crowds. Confirm the price before ordering.

What to see

• The tea terraces themselves
  Best seen by walking the roads and paths that wind up into the hills above the village, especially in spring during the pre-Qingming picking season.
• The Dragon Well spring
  The original well the village and tea are named for, a small pool where the water is said to swirl in a distinctive pattern when stirred.
• China National Tea Museum (中国茶叶博物馆)
  A short drive from the village, with exhibits on tea history and processing across China, free to enter.

Walking the tea hills

The hills around Longjing are laced with tea-terrace paths and old temple trails, and the classic outing is the Nine Creeks and Eighteen Gullies (九溪十八涧), a gentle, mostly downhill walk of a few kilometers along a wooded stream from the Longjing area down to the Qiantang River at Jiuxi. The map below marks the main sights across the tea hills, from Faxi Temple in the north to the Jiuxi trailhead, with the Nine Creeks trail drawn in teal.

• The Nine Creeks walk (九溪十八涧): from near Longjing, follow the signposted stream path down past Jiuxi Yanshu (九溪烟树) to the cafes and bus stop at Jiuxi; allow two to three hours at a slow pace.
• North of the village: Faxi Temple (法喜寺) at Upper Tianzhu and the ridge of Qipan Hill (棋盘山) sit among the tea slopes a short ride north.
• The quieter southwest: the tea village of Meijiawu (梅家坞), the shaded Yunqi Bamboo Path (云栖竹径), Wuyun Hill (五云山), and Lian Temple (理安寺) ring the far side, linked by lanes and hill trails.

Caution

Tea “tastings” at roadside shops frequently escalate into high-pressure sales for expensive tins, sometimes with prices quoted only after you have already committed to buying. If you want to buy tea, it is usually safer to do so at a fixed-price shop in the city rather than in the village itself.

6. Xixi Wetland (西溪湿地)

Getting there: Take the metro to Xixi Wetland Bei Station (西溪湿地北站) or Huawu Station (花坞站) for access to the free public area; alternatively, take a bus or Didi from central Hangzhou, about 30 to 40 minutes
Admission: The public areas are free; the enclosed scenic area requires a ticket at CNY80 (half price for children and seniors); boat rides inside the park are ticketed separately at the entrance
Time needed: Half a day

Xixi is a reed-and-canal wetland inside Hangzhou’s own city limits, the setting for Zhang Yimou’s film Hidden Man and a genuine escape from the crowds around West Lake without leaving the municipality. Punted boats move slowly through channels lined with persimmon trees and old farmhouses, and the pace here is deliberately unhurried.

Xixi has both paid scenic areas and freely accessible public areas. For most visitors, a walk through the free area is enough to enjoy the waterways, greenery, and quieter atmosphere. Buy admission only if you specifically want to explore the enclosed core or take one of the scenic-area boat routes.

What to see

• A boat ride through the reed channels
  The main way to experience the park; punted or electric boats follow fixed routes past old bridges and waterside villages.
• Autumn persimmon season
  Late October into November, when the wetland’s persimmon trees turn the waterways orange, is the single best time to visit.
• Hongyuan bird-watching areas
  Quieter corners of the park draw local birdwatchers, worth a stop if you brought binoculars or just want somewhere to sit.

Caution

The paid park is large, and admission does not automatically include a boat ride, which must be purchased separately. If you only want a relaxed walk, stay in the free public area instead of paying for more ground than you are likely to cover.

7. Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City (良渚古城遗址)

Getting there: Take Metro Line 2 to Liangzhu Station (良渚站). From there, buses 1223M or 430M serve Liangzhu Museum, while 7437M runs toward the south entrance of the ruins park; a Didi is simpler if time matters
Admission: Liangzhu Museum is free with real-name registration or reservation; the Ancient City Ruins Park is separately ticketed. Reserve through the “良渚古城” WeChat or Alipay mini-program and check the latest opening notice
Time needed: Half a day for the museum or a full day for both the museum and ruins park

The Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City preserve the center of an early regional state that flourished around 3300 to 2300 BCE. Its planned city, palace terraces, rice-growing economy, sophisticated water-management system, elite cemeteries, and ritual jade objects show a complex society in the lower Yangtze more than 5,000 years ago. UNESCO added the site to the World Heritage List in 2019.

Visit Liangzhu Museum first. The museum provides the objects, maps, and archaeological context needed to understand the open-air ruins, where much of the ancient city survives as foundations, earthworks, and reconstructed landscape rather than standing architecture. The museum and Ancient City Ruins Park are separate sites about 4 kilometers apart; buses 1222M and 428M connect them.

What to see

• Liangzhu Museum (良渚博物院)
  The best introduction to the civilization, with jade cong, jade bi, pottery, burial displays, and models explaining the ancient city and hydraulic system. The modern museum building was designed by David Chipperfield.
• Mojiaoshan palace area (莫角山宫殿区)
  The raised ceremonial and administrative center of the ancient city. Models and marked foundations help reveal the scale of a complex that is otherwise subtle at ground level.
• Fanshan cemetery (反山王陵)
  An elite burial area associated with some of Liangzhu’s finest ritual jades and the clearest evidence of its social hierarchy.
• The water-management system
  Dams and waterways around the city demonstrate large-scale engineering. Laohuling Ruins Park (老虎岭遗址公园) preserves part of the dam system but sits about 9 kilometers from the main park, so treat it as an additional stop rather than part of a short visit.

Practical advice

The open-air park is historically important but not visually dramatic without context. If you have limited time, prioritize the museum. For the full experience, start at the museum in the morning, eat nearby, then continue to the Ancient City Ruins Park for the afternoon. The official visitor guide lists current reservation channels, gates, and bus connections.

8. Song Dynasty Town (宋城)

Getting there: Bus or Didi from central Hangzhou, about 30 to 35 minutes
Tickets: Park entry is bundled with the evening show; see from CNY320 for standard seating, up to CNY580 for the sofa section
Time needed: A full afternoon into evening

Song Dynasty Town is a large theme park built around Song dynasty (960-1279) architecture and street performance, culminating each evening in Song Cheng Eternal Love (宋城千古情), a large-scale theatrical show covering several thousand years of local history with elaborate stagecraft. It is polished and unmistakably commercial, closer to a Chinese equivalent of a Vegas spectacular than a heritage site, but the show itself is genuinely well produced and popular with domestic visitors for good reason.

What to see

• Song Cheng Eternal Love (宋城千古情)
  The headline show, performed multiple times daily, with a different program schedule on weekends and holidays. Book ahead for a specific showtime.
• Daytime street performances
  Smaller shows and costumed performers run throughout the park during the day, included in the ticket price.
• Themed streets and photo spots
  Recreated Song dynasty (960-1279) streetscapes throughout the park, aimed squarely at photography rather than historical accuracy.

Caution

This is a full commitment of an afternoon and evening, and it competes directly with a relaxed evening back at West Lake. Choose it deliberately rather than as a quick add-on to another day’s plans.

Suggested Itineraries

2 Days in Hangzhou

Day 1: West Lake

Broken Bridge and the Bai Causeway in the morning, a boat ride out to Xiaoyingzhou around midday, then Leifeng Pagoda in the late afternoon for the sunset view back across the water.

Day 2: Temple and tea

Lingyin Temple in the morning, allowing plenty of time for the Feilai Feng grottoes, then Longjing village in the afternoon for tea and a walk through the terraces. Hefang Street works well as an early evening stop on the way back.

3 Days in Hangzhou

Days 1 to 2 as above, then:

Day 3: Choose your outer ring

Choose a slow half-day in Xixi Wetland, a full archaeology day at Liangzhu Museum and the Ancient City Ruins Park, or Song Dynasty Town for the afternoon and evening show. Six Harmonies Pagoda can be folded into either day if you are near the river already.

4 to 5 Days: Hangzhou as a base

Add a day trip to Wuzhen or Xitang, two well-preserved water towns within about ninety minutes, or use the extra time for a slower version of the West Lake loop by bike, stopping at the smaller gardens and museums along the shore that a first pass tends to skip.

Where to Stay

Staying near West Lake puts the classic views and the morning light at your doorstep, and is worth the premium for at least one night. Staying further into the modern city center trades that for better food options and lower prices. Prices below are rough high-season guides; check current rates before booking.

Luxury

• Lakeside five-stars
  Properties directly on or near the West Lake shoreline, including international brands in restored or purpose-built lakefront buildings. Often CNY1,200-3,000+/night.

Boutique

• Small hotels near Beishan Road and Solitary Hill
  Converted villas and courtyard buildings on the quieter north shore, walkable to Broken Bridge and the causeways. Often CNY600-1,400/night.

Midscale

• Domestic design chains (Atour 亚朵, Ji Hotel 全季, and similar)
  Reliable and clean; look for properties within walking distance of a metro station near the lake or in the city center. Often CNY350-700/night.

Budget

• Hostels and budget chains around Wulin Square and the city center
  A short metro ride from the lake, with better access to everyday city life and cheaper food. Often CNY180-400/night.

Where to Eat

• Near West Lake: Restaurants directly on the water trade on the view, and prices run high for average food; a short walk inland usually finds better value.
• Hefang Street area: Snack food and old-brand restaurants, fine for a casual meal while sightseeing, not the place for a serious dinner.
• Zhongshan Road and the old city: A better concentration of genuine local restaurants, away from the tourist markup near the lake.
• Malls everywhere: As across urban China, upper-floor mall food courts are reliable, cheap, and where locals actually eat.

Dishes to Try

• Longjing shrimp (龙井虾仁): Fresh river shrimp stir-fried with Longjing tea leaves, a genuinely refined dish and the city’s signature plate.
• Beggar’s chicken (叫化鸡): A whole chicken stuffed with herbs, wrapped in lotus leaves and clay, then baked, cracked open tableside as part of the presentation.
• West Lake fish in vinegar sauce (西湖醋鱼): A whole freshwater fish, poached rather than fried, in a sweet and sour sauce. A benchmark dish for judging a benbang restaurant.
• Dongpo pork (东坡肉): Braised pork belly named for the poet Su Dongpo, who is said to have invented the recipe while governing the city, rich and best shared.
• Longjing tea itself: Worth drinking properly at least once, in a teahouse rather than a shop tasting, ideally with a view of the hills it comes from.
• Hangzhou-style noodles and wontons: Simpler everyday food, found at neighborhood shops away from the tourist core, a good contrast to the richer banquet dishes above.

Hero photo: Windmemories, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.