Things to do in Hangzhou: top sights and where to go
Hangzhou wraps around West Lake: the Su and Bai causeways, Leifeng Pagoda on the south shore and pedestrian Hefang Street in the old centre fill half a day on foot or by boat. Spend the first day on the lake, Leifeng and an evening on Hefang; keep Lingyin Temple with the Feilai Feng carvings, Longjing tea village with the Tea Museum and Liuhe Pagoda above the Qiantang River for a second day, or head out to the water town of Wuzhen.
Sights
Hangzhou itineraries
Hangzhou travel guide
Before you go: West Lake, Lingyin Temple, the Longjing tea fields, the Grand Canal, Wuzhen, getting there from Shanghai and the weather.
Hangzhou on your own: the essentials
- How many days
- 2 days: the lake, temples, tea
- When to go
- April–May and September–November
- Visa
- Depends on your passport — many get 30 days visa-free
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Paying
- Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card
- From Shanghai
- ≈ 1 h by high-speed train
- Airport
- Xiaoshan (HGH) — Metro Line 1, ≈ 1 h to the lake
- West Lake
- Free; boats and islands are paid
- Tea
- Longjing is picked in spring, up to April
- Internet
- Google, WhatsApp, YouTube blocked — roaming eSIM
- Time zone
- UTC+8 all year
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Key facts
Sourcei
UNESCO World Heritage List, No. 1334Sourcei
UNESCO World Heritage List, No. 1443Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Lingyin Temple”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Longjing tea”Things to do in Hangzhou
The top things to do in Hangzhou are West Lake with its causeways, Leifeng Pagoda and a boat ride; Lingyin Temple in the woods by the carved Buddhas of Feilai Feng; the Longjing tea village; the Grand Canal and Hefang Street. The water town of Wuzhen makes a day trip. Every place with its YesGo score is in the list above.
| The lake | West Lake, Leifeng Pagoda | ½–1 day |
|---|---|---|
| Hills | Lingyin Temple | 2–3 h |
| Tea | Longjing, Tea Museum | ½ day |
| Old town | Hefang Street, Silk Museum | 2 h |
| River | Six Harmonies Pagoda | 1 h |
| North | Grand Canal | evening |
| Day trip | Wuzhen | 1 day |
Rather not plan it yourself? The list above has ready itineraries for 1–2 days, with places in a sensible order.
Shanghai to Hangzhou and the airport
Most visitors come from Shanghai by high-speed train — about an hour to Hangzhou East, then Metro Line 1 to the lake in ≈ 20 minutes. Xiaoshan Airport (HGH) is on the same Line 1, about an hour from the lake.
| High-speed train | Shanghai — Hangzhou East | ≈ 1 h |
|---|---|---|
| Metro Line 1 | Station — lake | ≈ 20 min |
| Metro Line 1 | Airport — lake | ≈ 1 h |
| DiDi taxi | Airport — centre | ≈ 40–50 min |
Hangzhou weather by month
The best time to visit Hangzhou is spring and autumn, ≈ 20–27 °C by day: April brings tea picking and blossom by the lake, October the scent of osmanthus. Summer is hot and humid at ≈ 33–34 °C, with June rains; winter is damp at ≈ 9–12 °C.
°CiLong-term averages, °C: day and night air, sea water near the shore, rain — rainy days a month. Any given year can be warmer or cooler. Tap a month for details below. | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 9° | 11° | 16° | 22° | 27° | 30° | 34° | 33° | 29° | 24° | 18° | 12° |
| Night | 2° | 4° | 8° | 13° | 18° | 22° | 26° | 25° | 21° | 15° | 9° | 3° |
| Rain | 10 | 10 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 7 |
Warm — 20 °C and above by dayBest time to go: April–May and October–November
- day ≈ 9°
- night ≈ 2°
- rain 10 days
About 9°, damp.
- day ≈ 11°
- night ≈ 4°
- rain 10 days
About 11°, plum blossom.
- day ≈ 16°
- night ≈ 8°
- rain 14 days
About 16°, spring by the lake.
- day ≈ 22°
- night ≈ 13°
- rain 13 days
About 22°, Longjing tea harvest.
- day ≈ 27°
- night ≈ 18°
- rain 14 days
About 27° — excellent.
- day ≈ 30°
- night ≈ 22°
- rain 15 days
Rainy season.
- day ≈ 34°
- night ≈ 26°
- rain 12 days
Heat ≈ 34°.
- day ≈ 33°
- night ≈ 25°
- rain 13 days
Hot and humid.
- day ≈ 29°
- night ≈ 21°
- rain 11 days
About 29°, easing.
- day ≈ 24°
- night ≈ 15°
- rain 7 days
About 24°, osmanthus in bloom.
- day ≈ 18°
- night ≈ 9°
- rain 8 days
About 18° — the best time.
- day ≈ 12°
- night ≈ 3°
- rain 7 days
About 12°, cool.
West Lake is packed in holiday weeks — early October and early May — so arrive at dawn.
What to eat in Hangzhou
Hangzhou food is mild and slightly sweet. Try Dongpo pork, West Lake fish in vinegar sauce, shrimp with Longjing tea leaves — and the tea itself in Longjing village.
- Dongpo pork — braised pork belly named after the poet Su Dongpo.
- West Lake fish in vinegar — a lakeside classic.
- Longjing shrimp — river shrimp stir-fried with tea leaves.
- Longjing tea — taste it by the plantations.
Hangzhou ticket prices
West Lake’s shores and causeways, Hefang Street, Longjing village, the silk and tea museums and the Grand Canal are free. You pay for Leifeng Pagoda, lake boats, Lingyin Temple with Feilai Feng, and Wuzhen.
| Leifeng Pagoda | 35 | 1 h | ¥40 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liuhe Pagoda | 30 | 1 h | ¥20 + ¥10 to climb the pagoda |
| Wuzhen | 16 | 4 h | Xizha ¥150, Dongzha ¥110, both ¥190 |
Free — 7 places: Grand Canal in Hangzhou, West Lake, Hefang Street, China National Silk Museum, China National Tea Museum, Longjing Tea Village, Lingyin Temple.
Tips
- Circle West Lake by bike or shuttle — on foot the loop is ≈ 15 km.
- At Lingyin you first buy a Feilai Feng park ticket, then a separate temple ticket.
- Buy Longjing tea at the plantations, but check the price and weight before paying.
FAQ
Is Hangzhou worth visiting?
Yes — West Lake is one of China’s classic landscapes, and Lingyin Temple and the Longjing tea fields make an easy, green escape from Shanghai.
Do I need a visa for Hangzhou?
It depends on your passport: many nationalities can visit China visa-free for up to 30 days, and Hangzhou accepts 240-hour transit. Check the rules for your passport.
How do I get from Shanghai to Hangzhou?
By high-speed train from Shanghai Hongqiao in about an hour to Hangzhou East, then Metro Line 1 to the lake.
Can you see Hangzhou in one day?
Yes: Lingyin Temple in the morning, Longjing village at midday, a West Lake boat and Leifeng Pagoda in the afternoon, Hefang Street in the evening.
How long do you need at West Lake?
Half a day for the causeways and a boat; a full day to circle the lake and climb Leifeng Pagoda.
What is the best time to visit Hangzhou?
April–May and September–November: mild weather, spring tea picking and autumn osmanthus.
What is the weather like in Hangzhou in November?
About 18 °C by day and 9 °C at night, with little rain.
How do I get from Hangzhou airport to West Lake?
By Metro Line 1 in about an hour, or by DiDi taxi in 40–50 minutes.
What is Wuzhen?
A canal water town about an hour from Hangzhou, with two parts — Xizha and Dongzha.
Where can I try Longjing tea?
In Longjing village by the plantations and at the China National Tea Museum.
Sources and fact-check
- UNESCO World Heritage List, Nos. 1334 and 1443
- Wikipedia, “Hangzhou”; “West Lake”; “Lingyin Temple”; “Longjing tea”; Hangzhou climate (1991–2020 normals)
- Hangzhou Metro — official website