A truly low-key and interesting small city in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, too good not to share

Hello everyone, I’m Corn Kernel🌽, currently on my gap year graduation trip.
Recently, I discovered a hidden gem small city at the intersection of four provinces in Zhejiang—Quzhou—that’s not crowded during holidays, great for shopping, eating, and taking photos.

✅ Convenient transportation: Attractions are concentrated in the city center, many within walking distance. It only takes about ⏰10 minutes from the airport✈️ and high-speed rail station🚄 to the attractions.
✅ Low cost: Most attractions are free🆓.
✅ Rich cuisine: The only city in Zhejiang that eats spicy food🥵, with many unique snacks (as a native of Guangdong, I find the spiciness acceptable).
✅ Great for photos: A blend of ancient and modern architecture, with plenty of beautiful photo spots📸️.
✅ Deep cultural heritage: The southern Confucius holy site, many ancient buildings, as well as the Bacterial Warfare Exhibition Hall and the Doolittle Memorial Hall are here.
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🚩 2-day 1-night itinerary:
Day 1⃣️:
Quzhou Museum ➡️ Confucius Temple ➡️ Beimen Street ➡️ Shuitingmen Gate ➡️ Shuitingmen Wharf (boat ride) ➡️ Poetry Park Wharf ➡️ Quzhou City Library ➡️ Mazhandi
Day 2⃣️:
Songyuan Vegetable Market ➡️ Quzhou Auditorium ➡️ Jiasi Ranch ➡️ Luming Grand Lawn
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🏞️ Attractions:
P1-5📍 Shuitingmen Gate: 🎫 Free
A charming ancient street area with ancient city walls, a bell tower, and an old pagoda. Every alley is worth exploring.

P6-8📍 Beimen Street: 🎫 Free
Preserves Qing Dynasty architecture while adding modern elements. Great for photos, with random NPC performances.

P9-10📍 Confucius Temple: 🎫 10 RMB/person
One of only two Confucius family temples nationwide. The ticket is a mini edition of "The Analects," very meaningful!

P11📍 Jiasi Ranch: 🎫 Adults 29 RMB, children 19 RMB, includes a bag of carrots🥕
You can feed deer🦌 here without going to Nara! The deer here are much gentler than those in Nara.

P12-13📍 Luming Grand Lawn: 🎫 Free
Perfect for relaxing, lying down, or camping. There’s a solitary tree that makes for great photos.

P14📍 Quzhou Museum: 🎫 Free
To understand a city, start with its museum. At the entrance is a spectacular bronze sculpture of a chessboard and The Analects.

P15📍 Quzhou Library: 🎫 Free
The entire library is very well designed, with beautiful sunlight and shadows streaming in.

P16-17📍 Quzhou Auditorium: 🎫 Free
Known as the “most beautiful civil affairs bureau,” featuring distinctive red brick architecture and a space full of three-dimensional artistic beauty.

P18📍 Ancient City Sightseeing Boat: 🎫 Free
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🍽️ Food:
📍 Mazhandi: Quzhou’s night snack street
🌯 Specialty snacks: Duck head, baked flatbread, Quzhou zongzi (rice dumplings)

📍 Songyuan Farmers Market: Quzhou’s breakfast paradise
🌯 Specialty snacks: Bagged flatbread, egg cake, flower steamed buns, crystal cake
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🏨 Accommodation: Near Shuitingmen Gate, very convenient to get anywhere.