Best one-day summer tours in Hangzhou: three recommended routes

Summer in Hangzhou has quietly arrived, with the land visibly lush and green. Every corner presents a captivating scene that makes you want to linger. Friends can choose to enjoy lake tours, cycling, hiking, exploring ancient sites, worship, seeking Taoist culture, tea tasting, or water activities. No matter which way you choose, it’s sure to be joyful and relaxing! So, how to plan the best one-day summer tour in Hangzhou? Don’t worry, here are three recommended routes, all free and super enjoyable. If interested, come and experience them! First, the park tour, starting at bus route 12 “Kuoshi Ban,” and returning to the city via bus route 27 at “Maojiabu.” Route: Changqiao Creek Ecological Restoration Park — Taiziwan Park — Huagang Fish Viewing — Yuhu Bay — Turtle Pond — Maojiabu Scenic Area Among them, Changqiao Creek Ecological Restoration Park, known as “Little Xixi,” is definitely an off-the-beaten-path treasure, a real-life “Monet Garden” with floating water lilies and swaying irises! Walking along the winding wooden boardwalk through layers of green, with the babbling creek reflecting dappled tree shadows, it truly refreshes body and mind! Taiziwan Park, in summer, is a genuinely romantic park blending Eastern and Western styles, a huge green energy field where life should be spent! Taking photos from the pavilion of the benches and pedestrians under the lakeside trees feels like seeing a real-life Wizard of Oz. Huagang Fish Viewing, one of the Ten Scenes of West Lake, is a top spot for photos in summer. It features West Lake gardens, small bridges with flowing water, and the misty Jiangnan scenery. The highlight is feeding the koi! If you have more time, visit “Jiangzhuang” to enhance your knowledge of Chinese classics! Yuhu Bay and Turtle Pond are adjacent and give a “Little West Lake” vibe. Both hiking and boating here feel wonderful, making it an excellent place to connect with nature! Maojiabu Scenic Area, known as the “Wild Charm of West Lake,” features stunning summer water lilies that are free to enjoy and unforgettable at first sight! Second, the museum tour, starting at Metro Line 7 “Wushan Square,” and ending at Metro Line 5/7 “Jiangcheng Road” for return. Route: Hangzhou Confucius Temple — China Finance and Taxation Museum — Hangzhou Museum — Hu Qing Yu Tang Chinese Medicine Museum [optional, 10 yuan] — Jiangnan Pewter Museum — Southern Song Deshou Palace Ruins Museum Hangzhou Confucius Temple was originally the site of the Southern Song Lin’an Prefecture School, built in the first year of Shaoxing during Emperor Gaozong’s reign (1131). It served as the Confucius Temple for the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Today, it houses a large collection of ancient steles and scattered, discovered steles from various places, forming the “Hangzhou Confucius Temple Stele Forest.” Visitors can enjoy the three highlights: the Confucius Temple, steles, and Jiangnan-style courtyard! China Finance and Taxation Museum showcases the history of Chinese finance and taxation from ancient to modern times, including accounting history, presenting the cultural development and collections from different perspectives. Don’t miss the “Money Tree” and the free stamp! Hangzhou Museum consists of north and south buildings. You can tour the north building from 1F to 4F, then the south building from 2F to 1F. Highlights include the “Yingqing Red Glaze Tall Footed Porcelain Cup,” “Qing Dynasty Jingdezhen Blue and White Porcelain Set,” “Warring States Crystal Cup (treasure of the museum),” “Northern Song Lingfeng Temple Stone Pagoda,” and “Southern Song Official Kiln Long-necked Vase.” It’s a great place to learn about Hangzhou’s past and present! Hu Qing Yu Tang Chinese Medicine Museum is a national-level museum dedicated to traditional Chinese medicine. It offers an immersive experience of Chinese medicine culture, featuring the North Hall with 1,500 blue-and-white medicine jars and the imperial plaque “Pharmacy” bestowed by Empress Dowager Cixi, the Longevity Hall with the museum’s treasure gold spatula and silver pot (pure gold spatula weighing 3.8 kg), and the underground secret vault displaying rare herbs like century-old agarwood and wild rhinoceros horn. Spend 88 yuan or more to wear Qing Dynasty pharmacist clothing and take photos in the accounting room scene—don’t miss this fun experience! Jiangnan Pewter Museum is a low-key museum filled with pewter items including sacrificial vessels, scholar’s desk sets, dressing boxes, and candlesticks. Some designs are quite futuristic, perfect for broadening your horizons! Southern Song Deshou Palace Ruins Museum is a popular museum requiring a reservation one day in advance. It is currently the only open museum built on the ruins of a Song Dynasty palace. The museum has two floors: above ground are the newly built Chonghua Palace and Cifu Palace, and underground are the protected ruins and art exhibition area. Follow the signs to explore! When tired, try the cultural products and Song Dynasty-style tea drinks, which taste great! Third, the famous mountain tour, starting at bus route 4 “Changqiao,” and ending at bus route 62 “Hangzhou Ceramic Market” to return to the city or transfer to the metro. Route: Changqiao Park — Phoenix Mountain — Jade Emperor Mountain — Bagua Field Ruins Park Changqiao Park, centered around Changqiao Bridge, is a great spot to view “Leifeng Sunset” from afar and a place to savor history! Changqiao Bridge is said to be linked to the legend of Liang Zhu’s eighteen farewells or the tragic love story of Southern Song commoner Wang Xuanjiao and Tao Shier, making it a place rich in history. Nearby is the Tang Yun Art Museum, a must-see for art lovers. Phoenix Mountain can be reached by following Wansongling Road upward. You can explore Phoenix Mountain’s features in order: “White Snake Flying Crossing,” “Jieyi Pavilion,” “Paixia Stone Poetry Inscription,” and “General’s Platform.” Jade Emperor Mountain’s ridge can be toured following the sequence: “Old Jade Emperor Palace,” “Zilai Cave,” “Seven Star Vat,” “Fuxing Temple,” “Jade Emperor Flying Clouds,” “Car Road,” “Zilai Cave,” “Wanghai Pavilion,” “Tianlong Temple Statues,” and “Baiyun Nunnery.” This route lets you fully appreciate the grandeur of Jade Emperor Mountain. Also, coming from Phoenix Mountain ridge, you can avoid the 10 yuan entrance fee. Bagua Field Ruins Park is the mysterious site of the Southern Song royal farmland in Hangzhou. Eight different crops are planted on eight hills, showing eight different colors throughout the year. In the center are two “Yin-Yang” formations, creating a half-yin half-yang Taiji diagram—quite impressive! It’s currently the best place for family fun and farming experience! So, how about it? The three major summer routes in Hangzhou cover park tours, museum tours, and famous mountain tours. Have you got them all? Feel free to leave comments and discuss!