Live Your Best Lives
A typical three-day trip to Shaoxing is enough to cover all the classic attractions, such as Lu Xun's hometown, East Lake, Lanting Pavilion, Shenyuan Garden, and the Keyan Scenic Area. However, if you're looking to savor the charm of this ancient city, it's best to explore it on foot. The narrow alleys and lanes are lined with ancient gates, and you might even stumble upon a celebrity's former residence. Of course, Shaoxing is also a convenient way to connect with other Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. The most popular route is Hangzhou to Shaoxing, with longer routes extending to Shaoxing, Hangzhou, Wuzhen, Xitang, and Shanghai.
A trip to Shaoxing primarily involves the Old Town and four more distant attractions. There are 15 attractions in the Old Town, divided into two routes: north and south. The four more distant attractions are East Lake, Keqiao Scenic Area, Lanting Pavilion, and Kuaiji Mountain.
South Route: Shenyuan Garden (North Gate) → Lu Xun's Hometown → Lunch at Xianheng Hotel → Qiu Jin's Former Residence (15-minute southeast walk) → Qingteng Bookstore (approximately 15-minute north walk) → Shaoxing Museum (20-minute northwest walk, closed on Mondays) → Fushan Park (behind Shaoxing Museum)
North Route: East Lake (take a taxi or bus) → Bazi Bridge (have dinner at Shaoxing Hotel or Cangqiao Street) → Premier Zhou Enlai's Former Residence (8 minutes west of Bazi Bridge) → The Sage of Calligraphy's Hometown (intersection of Jiefang Road and Xiaoshan Street, 5 minutes north) → Cai Yuanpei's Former Residence (middle section of Bifei Lane) → Xixiaolu Community (cross the river toward Xinhe Lane, pass Lü Mansion, and then walk south for 10 minutes) → Guyue Library (503 Shengli West Road, next to Datong School) → Datong School → have dinner at Shaoxing Hotel or Xunbaoji Zhuangyuanlou → Qiu Jin Memorial Hall (Guxuantingkou) → Dashan Pagoda (People's Square next to the pagoda is very lively at night, with crowds of people exercising and dancing, a very healthy experience).
Yuezicheng Historic District, Calligraphy Sage's Hometown Historic District, Xixiaohe Historic District, Baziqiao Historic District, Luxun's Hometown Historic District, Shimenkan Historic District, Xinhe Lane Historic District, and Qianhouguanxiang Historic District (especially recommended)
The Calligraphy Sage's Hometown Historic District: Cai Yuanpei's Former Residence → Bifei Lane → Bijia Bridge → West Street → Jiezhu Temple → Jishan Street → Tishan Bridge → Tanhua Bridge → Shengli East Road
Neighborhood Tips: North of Dayuan Lane and south of Tishan Bridge, the Wang Xizhi Former Residence includes Jiezhu Temple, Mochi, Bifei Lane, the Wang Xizhi Exhibition Hall, Tishan Bridge, and Cai Yuanpei's Former Residence. Tickets to the Zhujie Temple and Cai Yuanpei's Former Residence are 5 yuan, while the Wang Xizhi Exhibition Hall is 60 yuan. (If you ask the ticket price at the visitor center for the Calligraphy Sage's Former Residence, they will most likely tell you 60 yuan, which is actually the price for the exhibition hall.)
Bazi Bridge Historic District: Guangning Bridge → Bazi Bridge
Lu Xun's Hometown Historic District: Shenyuan Garden → Museum → Lu Xun's Ancestral Home (Zhou's Old Gate) → Sanwei Bookstore → Lu Xun's Former Residence (Zhou's New Gate) → Baicao Garden → Lu Xun's Writings Garden → Lu Xun's Life and Deeds Exhibition Hall → Changqing Temple → Tugu Temple → Hengji Pawnshop → East and West Xianhuan River
Qianhouguanxiang Historic District: Qianguanxiang → Qingteng Bookstore → Houguanxiang
Neighborhood Tips: Qianguan Alley and Houguan Alley are two parallel alleys with the Qingteng Bookstore in the middle. Admission is 5 yuan. However, these two alleys are not as charming as West Street or Cangqiao Street.
Yuezicheng Historic District: Cangqiao Street → Qiu Jin Martyrs Monument → Baozhu Bridge → Fushan
Neighborhood Information: Located within the Yuezicheng Historical and Cultural Protection Area, the neighborhood consists primarily of a river, residential buildings, and roads, exemplifying the typical Shaoxing urban layout of "one river, no streets." Locals refer to Cangqiao Street as "Old Street." Many rickshaws operate here, offering tours of the Old Street. From Shengli West Road in the north to Luxun West Road in the south, traditional stone slab bridges such as Cangqiao, Longmen Bridge, Baozhu Bridge, Fu Bridge, Shimen Bridge, Jiuwu Bridge, Xiguan Bridge, and Huangyi Bridge add to the waterside atmosphere.
Shimenkan Historical District: Xuanhuafang → Shimenkan → Jingxiang Shimenkan Historical District
Neighborhood Tips: Near Cangqiao Street, at the intersection of Cangqiao Street and Siyushiqian Road. To the west of Shimen Bridge is Xuanhuafang (Longshan Back Street), which runs parallel to Cangqiao Street, and to the east are Shimenmen and Jingxiang.
Xixiaohe Historic District: Guyue Library → Datong School → Xixiao Road → Yuewang Bridge → Guangxiang Bridge
Block Tips: South of the Shaoxing Rice Wine Museum and north of the entrance to the West Path of Shengli West Road, the block follows the pattern of "one river, one street, and streets and rivers running parallel." It starts from the Carp Bridge in the south and connects to the Huanshan River, and ends at the Beihai Bridge in the north and merges with the Shangdalu River.
Xinhe Lane Historic District: Xiegong Bridge → Xinhe Lane → Lü Mansion → Manong
Neighborhood tips: Xinhe Lane intersects with Xixiao Road. Before going to Yuewang Bridge and Guangxiang Bridge, you can stop by the Xinhe Lane Historic District.
D1: Luxun's Hometown Scenic Area → East Lake → Shenyuan Night
D2: Tashan Park → Qiu Jin's Former Residence → West Garden → Fushan (Yuewang Terrace) → Fushan Park → Qiu Jin Monument → Dashan Pagoda → Cai Yuanpei Square → Zhou Enlai's Ancestral Residence → Guangning Bridge → Bazi Bridge → Cangqiao Street → Qingteng Bookstore → Treasure Hunt: Champion's Building
D3: Shaoxing County: Yinshan Yue King's Tomb → Lanting → Lanting Forest Park (BBQ)
Day 4: Jishan (Wang Xizhi's hometown) Jinghu Wetland → Kuaijishan Scenic Area (Xianglu Peak, Dayu Mausoleum, Bird Paradise) → Jishan Park (Shaoxing Ancient City Condensation) → Cruise (Bridge Museum)
D5: Yuanmen Bridge → Ancient Canoe Path → Former Residence of Xu Xilin → Yangshan Stone Buddha → Anchang Ancient Town (Anchang Sausage) → Yuanmen Bridge Ancient City Wall → Wupeng Boat Ride
Day 6: Shaoxing County: Keqiao Scenic Area (Keyan - Lu Town - Jianhu Ancient Canoe Path - Xianglin Garden for Osmanthus Cake) → Guazhu Lake (also known as Little West Lake)
D7: Zhuji City: Wuxie → Datang Socks Market → Xishi's Hometown → Pearl Market
D8: Xinchang City: Dafo Temple Scenic Area → Daotuoxue Scenic Area → Wozhou Lake → Chuanyan Nineteen Peaks → Tianmu Mountain → Qianzhang Valley (Shediao Mountain) → Tianzhu Lake
D9: Shengzhou City: Baizhang Waterfall → Chongren Millennium Ancient Town → Dalong Valley in East Zhejiang → Zhanshan Temple Scenic Area → Nanshan Lake → Calligraphy Sage Garden → Ma Yinchu's Former Residence → Xishan First Building → Yue Opera Museum