Cicheng 2 Days 1 Night Ancient Charm Tour｜Transportation + Attractions + Accommodation Complete Guide

📍Location: Cicheng Town, Jiangbei District, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province
⏳Best Season: Spring and Autumn (Azaleas bloom from March to May, stunning autumn colors from September to November)
🎫Tickets: Main street of the ancient town is free; four-attraction combo ticket (Confucius Temple + County Government Office + Imperial Examination Hall + Painted Gate) costs 65 RMB.

🚗 Transportation Guide｜How to reach the "First Ancient County Town in Jiangnan"?

High-speed Rail + Transfer (Recommended):
Hangzhou/Shanghai → Ningbo Station (1-2 hours by high-speed rail), transfer to Metro Line 4 to "Cicheng Station" Exit A2, then a 10-minute walk to the ancient town.

Self-driving (Flexible):
From Hangzhou: Hangyong Expressway → Ningbo Ring Expressway → Cicheng Exit, navigate to "Cicheng Ancient County Town Visitor Service Center," parking 5-10 RMB/hour.

Local Transportation:
Sightseeing Bus: 6 RMB per ride, covers main attractions (8:30-16:30).
Tricycle: Human-powered tricycles inside the ancient county town, short trips about 5 RMB per ride.

📅 Itinerary｜Ancient Architecture Exploration + Cultural Experience + Food Check-in
Day 1: Quick tour of core attractions + Overnight in Ming and Qing Dynasty residence
🌅 Morning (8:00-12:00)｜Confucius Temple + Ancient County Government Office

08:00 Enter from East Gate Visitor Center, first stop Confucius Temple (the best-preserved Confucius Temple in eastern Zhejiang, red walls and ancient trees, feel the Confucian atmosphere).
09:30 Ancient County Government Office (built in the Tang Dynasty, 1200 years of history, wax figures recreate ancient trial scenes, photo op at the copper coin gate).
10:30 Imperial Examination Hall (museum of imperial examination culture, experience the ancient exam atmosphere).

🍜 Noon (12:00-13:30)｜Authentic Lunch
Recommended: Minquan Road "Cicheng Rice Cake Shop" (CCTV recommended rice cakes, try stir-fried rice cakes and rice cake dumplings).

🌇 Afternoon (14:00-18:00)｜Cihu Lake + Ancient Street Stroll
14:30 Cihu Lake Park (walk along the lake, check in at Shigu Pavilion and Dong Filial Well, capture reflections of the Confucius Temple on the lake surface).
16:00 Minquan Road Ancient Street (Ming and Qing dynasty shops, shop for handicrafts, recommended "Feng Yue Painted Gate" for paper-cutting experience).

🌃 Evening (19:00-21:00)｜Night Tour + Homestay Experience
Accommodation Recommendations:
High-end: Cishe Aesthetic Homestay (Republic of China era old house, Zen courtyard, includes tea room + camping, about 400 RMB per person).
Cost-effective: Huazhu·Ciqili Inn (5-minute walk to attractions, standard room 200 RMB including breakfast).

Day 2: Deep Cultural Experience + Return
🌄 Early Morning (5:00-7:00)｜Cihu Lake Morning Mist
Capture the tranquility of the empty ancient town, backlit photos of Dongsheng Bridge and lake reflections.

🌿 Morning (8:00-12:00)｜Imperial Examination Culture + Handicraft Experience
08:30 Imperial Examination Hall (deep dive into imperial exam history, participate in rubbing experience).
10:00 Medicine Merchant Museum (ancient medical culture exhibition, suitable for families).

🍜 Noon (12:00-13:30)｜Farewell Farmhouse Meal
Recommended: Zoumalou Restaurant (Chongren stewed duck, stir-fried water bamboo with cured meat).

🚗 Afternoon Return: Stop by Congma River National Style Street (water street integration, vermilion pavilion with double eaves, free to visit).

🏡 Accommodation Recommendations｜Blend of Ancient Charm and Modern Comfort
High-end Selection:
Lianting Meiyue Hotel: Adjacent to Congma River Street, Jiangnan style, about 500 RMB per person.
Dalezhiyie·Cicheng: Surrounded by bamboo and trees by Cihu Lake, high-end homestay with café.

Budget-friendly:
Xiangyu Mianshu Inn: Combination of ancient style and modern, standard room 150 RMB.
Yonghaoxuan Inn: Local cuisine + Chinese-style rooms, about 200 RMB per person.

⚠️ Practical Tips｜Avoid Pitfalls
Tickets: Combo tickets are more cost-effective; some attractions closed on Mondays.
Clothing: Uneven stone roads, wear flat shoes; bring mosquito repellent in summer.
Hidden Experiences: Firefly sightings during night tours in June-July, lantern night scenes on ancient streets in winter.

✨ Social Media Caption Inspiration
"In Cicheng, time is the mottled red walls of the Confucius Temple, the soft warmth of rice cakes—the copper coin gate of the thousand-year-old county government office, the morning mist of Cihu Lake, the vermilion pavilion with double eaves by Congma River... This is not Wuzhen, but a living fossil of eastern Zhejiang culture."