# 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.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou

## Ready itineraries

- [One day in Hangzhou: an itinerary in the best order](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/in-1-day.md): West Lake's causeways and islands, Leifeng Pagoda's view over the water and old Hefang Street with its shops and pharmacy museum — with a boat and lunch.
- [2 days in Hangzhou: an itinerary day by day](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/in-2-days.md): West Lake, Leifeng Pagoda and Hefang Street first; then Lingyin Temple and its cliff of carvings, the Longjing tea village and the tea museum.

## All 10 places with the YesGo score

- [Grand Canal in Hangzhou](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/hangzhou-grand-canal.md): YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · Free; water bus ¥3. The Grand Canal ends in northern Hangzhou, and its landmark here is Gongchen Bridge, a three-arched stone bridge from 1631. Walking the…
- [West Lake](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/west-lake.md): YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free; island boat ¥55. West Lake is Hangzhou’s defining sight and a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape: 15 km of shoreline, two historic causeways, islands…
- [Hefang Street](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/hefang-street.md): YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free. Hefang Street is old Hangzhou’s pedestrian shopping street at the foot of Wushan Hill: stone paving, two-storey wooden shophouses, a…
- [China National Silk Museum](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/china-national-silk-museum.md): YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Free, passport required. The China National Silk Museum is the world’s largest silk museum, just south of West Lake in Hangzhou. Entry is free with your passport…
- [China National Tea Museum](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/china-national-tea-museum.md): YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Free, passport needed. The China National Tea Museum is China’s only national-level tea museum, set among tea plantations south-west of West Lake. Entry is free…
- [Leifeng Pagoda](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/leifeng-pagoda.md): YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥40. Leifeng Pagoda is a five-tier tower on a hill above West Lake’s south shore, rebuilt in 2002 directly over the ruins of a 10th-century…
- [Longjing Tea Village](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/longjing-tea-village.md): YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free; Imperial Tea Trees ¥10. Longjing (Dragon Well) is a tea village in the hills south-west of West Lake, home of West Lake Longjing green tea. Walking the terraces…
- [Liuhe Pagoda](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/liuhe-pagoda.md): YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥20 + ¥10 to climb the pagoda. Liuhe Pagoda (the Six Harmonies Pagoda) is a 60 m octagonal tower on Yuelun Hill above the Qiantang River, 7–8 km south of central…
- [Lingyin Temple](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/lingyin-temple.md): YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free, book 1–7 days ahead. Lingyin Temple is a Chan Buddhist monastery founded in 328 in the hills west of West Lake, facing Feilai Feng, a limestone peak covered in…
- [Wuzhen](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/wuzhen.md): YesGo score 16/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Xizha ¥150, Dongzha ¥110, both ¥190. Wuzhen is a canal town about 80 km from Hangzhou and a full-day trip. Its two paid zones are compact Dongzha (¥110, 7:00–17:30) and larger…

## 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.

## Trip 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
- 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

## Key facts

- **2011** — the West Lake Cultural Landscape joined the UNESCO list (source: UNESCO World Heritage List, No. 1334)
- **2014** — the Grand Canal, which starts in Hangzhou, joined the UNESCO list (source: UNESCO World Heritage List, No. 1443)
- **4th c.** — Lingyin Temple was founded — among China’s oldest Buddhist monasteries (source: Wikipedia, “Lingyin Temple”)
- **Longjing** — “Dragon Well”, one of China’s most famous green teas (source: 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.

| Where | What to see | Time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **The lake** | [West Lake](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/west-lake), [Leifeng Pagoda](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/leifeng-pagoda) | ½–1 day |
| **Hills** | [Lingyin Temple](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/lingyin-temple) | 2–3 h |
| **Tea** | [Longjing](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/longjing-tea-village), [Tea Museum](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/china-national-tea-museum) | ½ day |
| **Old town** | [Hefang Street](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/hefang-street), [Silk Museum](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/china-national-silk-museum) | 2 h |
| **River** | [Six Harmonies Pagoda](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/liuhe-pagoda) | 1 h |
| **North** | [Grand Canal](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/hangzhou-grand-canal) | evening |
| **Day trip** | [Wuzhen](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/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.

| How | From — to | Time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **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.

- **January in Hangzhou**: day ≈ 9°C, night ≈ 2°C, rainy days: 10. About 9°, damp.
- **February in Hangzhou**: day ≈ 11°C, night ≈ 4°C, rainy days: 10. About 11°, plum blossom.
- **March in Hangzhou**: day ≈ 16°C, night ≈ 8°C, rainy days: 14. About 16°, spring by the lake.
- **April in Hangzhou** (best time): day ≈ 22°C, night ≈ 13°C, rainy days: 13. About 22°, Longjing tea harvest.
- **May in Hangzhou** (best time): day ≈ 27°C, night ≈ 18°C, rainy days: 14. About 27° — excellent.
- **June in Hangzhou**: day ≈ 30°C, night ≈ 22°C, rainy days: 15. Rainy season.
- **July in Hangzhou**: day ≈ 34°C, night ≈ 26°C, rainy days: 12. Heat ≈ 34°.
- **August in Hangzhou**: day ≈ 33°C, night ≈ 25°C, rainy days: 13. Hot and humid.
- **September in Hangzhou**: day ≈ 29°C, night ≈ 21°C, rainy days: 11. About 29°, easing.
- **October in Hangzhou** (best time): day ≈ 24°C, night ≈ 15°C, rainy days: 7. About 24°, osmanthus in bloom.
- **November in Hangzhou** (best time): day ≈ 18°C, night ≈ 9°C, rainy days: 8. About 18° — the best time.
- **December in Hangzhou**: day ≈ 12°C, night ≈ 3°C, rainy days: 7. 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.

- [Grand Canal in Hangzhou](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/hangzhou-grand-canal) — Free; water bus ¥3
- [West Lake](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/west-lake) — Free; island boat ¥55
- [Hefang Street](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/hefang-street) — Free
- [China National Silk Museum](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/china-national-silk-museum) — Free, passport required
- [China National Tea Museum](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/china-national-tea-museum) — Free, passport needed
- [Leifeng Pagoda](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/leifeng-pagoda) — ¥40
- [Longjing Tea Village](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/longjing-tea-village) — Free; Imperial Tea Trees ¥10
- [Liuhe Pagoda](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/liuhe-pagoda) — ¥20 + ¥10 to climb the pagoda
- [Lingyin Temple](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/lingyin-temple) — Free, book 1–7 days ahead
- [Wuzhen](https://yesgo.io/china/hangzhou/wuzhen) — Xizha ¥150, Dongzha ¥110, both ¥190

## 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.

## Questions

### 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

- 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

Facts checked: 09.11.2026

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