Featured by National Geographic! Step into a 600-year-old Ming-Qing ancient village

🌿 Songyang's beauty lies in the dancing sunlight on earthen walls, and the rustling sound of clouds brushing through book pages.

🔥 Must-visit ancient villages (all free admission!)
1. 🏘 Yangjiatang Village – Catch the "Golden Potala Palace" at 16:00
🌅 Sunset bathes 300-year-old "couple trees," turning earthen walls into gold foil! Capture panoramic views from the village viewpoint.
❄ Fun fact: Villagers follow a tradition of "no photography on odd-numbered days"—ask before shooting.

2. 🏞 Chenjiapu Village – Enjoy cliffside bookstore clouds at 7:00
📚 Pioneer Bookstore's glass room floats 800m above cliffs—shelves framed by sea of clouds! Arrive before 8am on weekends for fewer crowds.

3. 🌉 Songzhuang Village – Hidden afternoon waterplay under ancient bridges
📰 Cool off in the stream beneath National Geographic-cover stone arch bridge, shaded by century-old maple trees. Bargain cow-led photo ops to ¥20.

🚗 Transport tips
- 🚙 Drive: 3.5hrs from Hangzhou; last 20km has sharp mountain bends—newbies should hire drivers
- 🚄 Train: Right-turn at Lishui Station → rent SUVs or shared vans to Songyang (¥12/person)
- ⏰ Warning: Buses only reach Yangjiatang/Pingtian (last bus 16:30); no buses to Songzhuang/Youtian

🍜 Food recs
- 🍜 Baixian Noodles: Wood-fired wheat noodles with preserved veggie omelet
- 🍗 Old Street Salt-baked Chicken: Paper-wrapped juicy whole chicken
- 🍙 Xu's Qingming Dumplings: Mugwort dough stuffed with bamboo shoots—steamed or fried

💡 Hidden itinerary
📅DAY1: Hangzhou → Songyang → Youtian's red-earth walls → stay at Tianyuan Mingdu Hotel
📅DAY2: 7:00 Chenjiapu (bookstore clouds) → 13:00 Songzhuang waterplay → 16:00 Yangjiatang sunset → return

⚠️ Pro tips
- 🏨 Stay: Chenjiapu homestays overpriced—county hotels 30min drive away
- 📸 Photo hacks: Bargain cow/herding shots from ¥50 to ¥20
- 📍 Secret spots: Yangjiatang mist viewpoint before 6:30—bring mosquito spray & grippy shoes

> 🚶 Hiker routes:
①🌲 Langshu Village → Chenjiapu (6hrs to cliff bookstore)
②🌾 Youtian → Songzhuang (1.5hrs stream trek)
🎋 Bamboo Theater Trail (beginner-friendly with giant woven installations)

💰 All villages free! Only Huang Family Compound's woodcarving museum charges ¥30