A 4-Day Trip to Hangzhou and Shaoxing During the Long Weekend

This itinerary is suitable for elderly people with moderate physical strength. Afternoon rest at the hotel can be arranged from Day 1 to Day 3. Day 0: Arrive in Hangzhou half a day before the long weekend. After check-in at the hotel, head straight to West Lake. Start walking from Fengbo Pavilion to Orioles Singing in the Willows, then take a boat from Qianwang Temple Pier to the Lesser Yingzhou Isle to see Three Pools Mirroring the Moon. Take another boat to the Flower Harbor Pier to visit the Flower Harbor Park. If time permits, visit Leifeng Pagoda before returning to downtown for dinner at Xinbailu Restaurant. Day 1: Start early to visit Bai Causeway, Xiling Seal Society, Yue Fei Temple, and Su Causeway. Note that there are no sightseeing buses in this direction (if you want to take a sightseeing bus, you need to board from the south end of Su Causeway). At 2 PM, visit Hangzhou Songcheng. First, watch the shows announced on their official WeChat account (during public holidays, performances are frequent, requiring you to move between different venues. Prioritize shows that have fewer performances but longer duration. A map of Songcheng is provided in the image). Watch Romance of the Song Dynasty show at 7:30 PM - the evening show is chosen so you can rest while watching after a busy afternoon. Day 2: Start early to visit Hu Xueyan's Former Residence, and the Deshou Palace Site Museum across the street - both are worth visiting and less crowded. If time permits, visit Wushan Hill Park nearby. Check out at noon and take subway Line 5 to Shaoxing. In the afternoon, visit Lu Xun Native Place Scenic Area. Try the century-old Tongxin Restaurant for dinner, then take a stroll along Cangqiao Straight Street for its beautiful night view (the cover photo shows the northern part of Cangqiao Straight Street). Shaoxing is a small city with most core attractions within walking distance. Day 3: Start early to take a black-awning boat along the south route from City Square, then visit Shen Garden to learn about the story of Lu You and Tang Wan. Afterward, you can visit Lu Xun Memorial Hall and his former residence. In the afternoon, visit Wang Yangming's Former Residence to experience the School of Mind philosophy. The main hall of the residence has distinctive architectural features worth careful appreciation. Then cross Liu Gong Bridge and walk through the West Small Road Historical and Cultural District. Arrive at Ba Zi Bridge around 5-6 PM to capture the sunset view. For dinner, try Xunbaoji on Labor Road or Fu Heng Street. Return to Hangzhou in the evening. Day 4: Head straight to Lingyin Temple Scenic Area early in the morning (note that you need to buy the Lingyin Flying Peak Scenic Area ticket first, then buy a separate Lingyin Temple ticket, known as incense ticket, on-site). After the holiday, the crowd at Lingyin Temple significantly decreases. Return after visiting the Lingyin Flying Peak Scenic Area.