6 Days 5 Nights Hangzhou Travel Guide

🌸 Hangzhou 6 Days 5 Nights In-Depth Travel Guide | The Poetic Slow Life of Jiangnan Water Town

📅 Itinerary Overview
Theme: West Lake Ten Scenes + Longjing Tea Culture + Songcheng Ancient Charm + Canal Night Tour
Suitable for: Culture lovers / Photography enthusiasts / Couples
Best Season: March-April (Cherry Blossom Season) or September-October (Osmanthus Season)

🗓️ Daily Itinerary
Day 1: Classic West Lake Loop

Morning
🚶‍♀️ Broken Bridge Remnant Snow → Bai Causeway → Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake (Recommended to rent a shared bike)
📸 Must-shoot: West Lake Music Fountain (Shows at 10:00 and 15:30)
Afternoon
🚣‍♂️ Three Pools Mirroring the Moon Boat Tour (55 RMB/person, includes island ticket)
🍵 Taste West Lake Vinegar Fish + Longjing Shrimp at Gushan Lou Wai Lou
Overnight: West Lake-side guesthouse (Recommended "Xixia Xiaozhu")

Day 2: Lingyin Zen + Longjing Tea Tasting

Morning
🕯️ Lingyin Temple (Opens at 7:30, visit Feilai Peak carvings first)
🌿 Yongfu Zen Temple (A hidden temple with fewer people and beautiful scenery)
Afternoon
🍃 Tea picking experience in Longjing Village (Spring tea season includes tea frying)
🚌 Take Bus 27 to "Tea Expo Longjing Pavilion Area" to watch the tea mountain sunset
Dinner: Guiyu Mountain House (Creative Hangzhou cuisine)

Day 3: Xixi Wetland + Songcheng Eternal Love

Morning
🛶 Xixi Oar Boat (Entrance at Zhoujia Village, choose 2-hour route)
📍 Check-in: Autumn Snow Hermitage, filming location of "If You Are the One"
Afternoon
🎭 Songcheng Scenic Area (Watch "Songcheng Eternal Love" show at 14:00)
👘 Free Hanfu rental for photos (Hongqiao Street is great for photos)
Night tour: Songcheng night view + local street snacks

Day 4: Jiuxi Eighteen Streams + Qiantang River

All day
👟 Jiuxi Misty Trees Hiking (Longjing Village → Jiuxi Road, 3 hours)
💦 Play in the creek in summer, see red maples in autumn
Evening
🌉 Qianjiang New City Light Show (Every Tuesday/Friday/Saturday at 19:30)
🍻 City Balcony bar for a casual drink

Day 5: Canal Culture Day

Morning
🚢 Take the water bus from Wulinmen Pier (3 RMB)
🏮 Explore Qiaoxi Historic Street and the Handicraft Living Museum
Afternoon
📚 Xiaofeng Book House (Canal branch) + Xiaozhi Street photo shoot
🥢 Canal banquet spring eat Ding Sheng cake
Night tour: Watch cargo ships pass under Gongchen Bridge

Day 6: Museum Day + Departure

Morning
🏛️ Zhejiang Provincial Museum (Gushan Branch) to see "Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains"
🦋 Silk Museum (Famous spiral staircase)
Souvenirs: Zhiweiguan pastries, West Lake lotus root starch

🚌 Transportation Tips

Use Alipay to get "Hangzhou Metro Ride Code"
West Lake area restricts odd-even license plates on weekends; taxi to "Huanglong Sports Center" to transfer to bus is recommended
Shared bikes + walking is the best way to explore

🍜 Food Map

Breakfast: Xinfeng Snacks (Shrimp Soup Dumplings)
Old Brands: Zhuangyuan Restaurant Pian’er Chuan, Fuyuanju Oil-dripped Chicken
Dessert: cycle&cycle Osmanthus Taro Mud Sandwich

💡 Hidden Activities

Stamp collection: West Lake Ten Scenes stamp book (available at visitor centers)
Night running: Su Causeway Spring Dawn night run (almost no one after 21:00)
Off-the-beaten-path photo spot: Baoshi Mountain Toad Peak for panoramic West Lake views

📌 Notes
✔️ All museums in West Lake Scenic Area are closed on Mondays
✔️ Book guesthouses one month in advance for March-April
✔️ Bring mosquito repellent! Wetlands have many mosquitoes
This itinerary avoids typical tour group routes, keeps daily walking around 15,000 steps, allowing a deep experience of Hangzhou’s elegance without being too tiring.