Spend a Weekend in Hangzhou! A 3-Day, 2-Night Travel and Food Guide!

Although Hangzhou is a food desert 😂 But‼️ Xin Rong Ji + Ziyu Hall at Xihu State Guesthouse, these two Chinese restaurants are worth a special visit‼️ (I strongly recommend you to blacklist "Lou Wai Lou" by the West Lake 😂 Don't go there‼️ It's full of tourists‼️) Day 1: West Lake Culture + Xin Rong Ji Feast Morning: West Lake Secret Tour 🚣‍♀️ - 7:00 Take a taxi to "Hangzhou Botanical Garden" to start your morning tour (fewer people, more flowers) - Walk to Guo's Villa (the most elegant garden by the West Lake, CNY 10 for admission) → Maojiabu (wild plank road) - 9:30 Take a hand-rowed boat on the "Shangxiang Ancient Road Waterway" (CNY 300/boat, the reeds and egrets are super healing) Lunch: Ziyu Hall at Xihu State Guesthouse 😋 - Black Pearl 2-star Hangzhou cuisine, with a first-line lake view - Must-try: West Lake Vinegar Fish (made with crucian carp instead of grass carp!), Tiger Spring Matsutake Rice, Bayberry Drunken Shrimp - Tip: Book a window seat by phone 3 days in advance, and ask for "vinegar fish topping served separately" to keep it crispy Afternoon: Cultural Tour 🍵 - China National Tea Museum (Shuangfeng Pavilion) for free tea tasting and tea frying - Ride along Longjing Road (avoid the commercialized Longjing Village, and take photos of the terraces in Charen Village) Dinner: Xin Rong Ji Xixi Branch 🥢 - Additional recommendations: Pomfret Rice Cake with Brown Sugar, Octopus with Pickled Vegetables (seasonal dish) - Hidden benefit: Amber walnuts + homemade almond cookies are given after the meal, which can be packed as gifts Night Tour: Baoshi Mountain - Enjoy the night view of the West Lake from the platform in front of Baoshi Tower (more stunning than the view from Leifeng Tower) Day 2: Lingyin Temple + Xixi Wetland Morning: Lingyin Temple Tour - 6:00 Take a taxi to "Fahua Temple Southwest Gate" for a reverse tour - Route: Fahua Temple → Beigao Peak Cableway Downhill → Lingyin Temple → Yongfu Temple - Surprise: Yongfu Temple "Cibei Coffee" offers "random" blind coffee selection Lunch: Vegetarian on Tianzhu Road - Zhizhu Vegetarian Noodles (handmade noodles with mushrooms + pine pollen rice cake) - Or "Her City Has Him" creative Hangzhou cuisine (spicy chicken with vegetarian roast goose from Faxi Temple) Afternoon: Xixi Free Tour - Navigate to "Wujiawan Entrance of Xixi Wetland" for free entry - Route: Jingyuan Ancient Visit → Qingping Shantang → Hezhu Street (CNY 3 oil cake is a must-try) - Special experience: Helium balloon overlooking the wetland (CNY 180 for adults, 100% photo rate on sunny days) Dinner: Private Kitchen by the Canal 😍 - Drunken West Lake · Zhenyan (Longjing Shrimp with River Shrimp) or Mangzhong (CNY 15 Pian'er Chuan beats internet-famous restaurants) Day 3: Grand Canal + Return Morning: Grand Canal Tour - Xiangji Temple (copper temple) → Dadou Road Historical Block (visit local designer shops) - Watch cargo ships pass through the lock by Gongchen Bridge (most frequent at 9:00/14:00) Lunch: Time-honored Restaurant - Ziyu Hall for the second time or Fangjia Kitchen (large intestine pot + stinky tofu prawn pot) - Souvenir: Jiaou Tiancheng Rock Sugar Osmanthus Lotus Root Powder (free tasting on site) Afternoon: Return ✈️🚅 - For flights before 18:00, you can choose "Jiuxi Yanshu" for a light hike (super cool to step on the stream in summer) - For late flights, we recommend "City Balcony" to watch the Qianjiang New City Light Show (every Tuesday/Friday/Saturday at 19:30) Advanced Tips 1. Xixi Paid Area Alternative: Jiangcun Slow Life Block has a free "Jinxi Gong Xixi" amphibious performance every Saturday (you can also watch clips in the free area) 2. Ziyu Hall Money-saving Tip: Lunch set menu is CNY 300+ per person including service charge, 1/3 cheaper than dinner 💰 3. Xihu State Guesthouse Hidden Spot: "Dingjiashan" in the guesthouse offers a panoramic view of the West Lake, no reservation required for guests 4. Lingyin Temple Tip: The Buddhist items in the temple are cheaper than those in the shops outside, CNY 46 for 18 seeds with no purchase limit Accommodation Upgrade Plan 🏨 Stay upstairs in Ziyu Hall, book Building 8 of Xihu State Guesthouse, and enjoy the West Lake view Money-saving Combo → Stay at Qili Hotel by the Grand Canal (with free canal cruise ticket) + take a taxi to Ziyu Hall 🚘