2.5h Escape from Shanghai! This Jiangnan Song Dynasty city is half fairyland soaked in mountains and waters

The millennium-old Taizhou Prefecture, repeatedly recommended by National Geographic, hides a "double romance" cherished by people from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai — you can enter the misty fairyland from Li Bai’s poems and also dive into ancient streets to eat all the glutinous treats. This 3-day guide will show you the right way to unlock a "divine life"!

🚄 3 days 2 nights itinerary: just the right pace from fairyland to everyday life

D1: Shanghai → Tiantai Mountain | Ancient temple meditation, waterfall meeting rainbow

1. Morning: Take the high-speed train before 8 AM (Shanghai Hongqiao → Tiantai Mountain Station, 2.5h direct), head straight to Guoqing Temple, the "Pure Land of Buddhism" (free admission). Yellow walls reflect rice fields, monks bow while farming, streams flow through the temple, and the mottled light and shadow of the Sui Dynasty pagoda hide 1,400 years of tranquility.
2. Afternoon: Hold a cup of hot drink at the temple’s "Zen Coffee" shop, listen to the gentle wind chimes, and ease urban anxiety.
3. Late afternoon: Check in at Tiantai Mountain Waterfall, the "Highest Waterfall in China" (combined ticket 145 RMB + sky ladder 30 RMB + bus 10 RMB). It’s recommended to take the shuttle bus up the mountain and walk down from Qiongtai Fairy Valley to save energy. When the mist hits your face, rainbows often appear, instantly turning you into the lead of a fantasy drama.

D2: Shenxianju | Walk on clouds and bridges, be a "mountain immortal" for a day

1. All day: Immerse yourself in Shenxianju (ticket 100 RMB, cable car round trip 120 RMB) — the original site of Li Bai’s "Dreaming of Mount Tianmu" poem. "If I had known Shenxianju, why bother going to Huangshan?" is no exaggeration!
2. Recommended route: Choose the "South up, South down" path to easily check in at popular spots like Ruyi Bridge and Guanyin Peak. After rain when the sky clears, clouds wrap the peaks, and every photo you take looks like a "fairyland masterpiece."
3. Overnight: Stay in Linhai city center, recommended Sheraton Linhai or New Juntai Hotel, convenient for next day’s food tour.

D3: Linhai Ancient City | Stroll the Song Dynasty old street, eat until you can barely walk

1. Morning: Walk the "Jiangnan Great Wall" — the 5,000-meter Ming Dynasty city wall of Taizhou Prefecture winds through the old city. Climb up to overlook the panorama of ancient streets with green tiles.
2. Afternoon: Dive into Ziyang Street — this "living Song Dynasty old street" holds half of Taizhou’s snacks. The correct way is to eat from one end of the street to the other:
- Wang Tianshun Seaweed Cake: crispy crust crumbles, salty and fragrant seaweed filling, one bite and you can’t stop;
- 18RESERVER: order a "Zhiqiu" coffee paired with specialty chocolate, full of artistic vibe;
- Lü’s Shrimp Puff: biting into it reveals chewy shrimp meat and fresh soup that warms your stomach;
- Specialty Stuffed Rice Cake: giant rice cake dumplings filled with braised pork and vegetables, super satisfying in one bite;
- Egg White Lamb Tail: freshly fried egg white wrapped around red bean paste, sprinkled with powdered sugar, sweet but not greasy.
3. Evening: After tiring from walking, find a teahouse and listen to Taizhou’s traditional "luantan" music, slowly savoring the Jiangnan everyday life in the singing.

🦞 Food highlights: Eat at the right places, no disappointments

- Lunch must-try: Xianju Home Feast · Mountain Fairy Residence. Must order Zhang Guolao Stone-milled Tofu (so tender it melts in your mouth), Immortal Chicken (rich sauce flavor), Yangmei Spare Ribs (sweet and sour to cut greasiness). Ingredients are directly supplied from the mountains, fresh to amaze.
- Dinner budget option: Rong Xiaoguan. Can’t get a table at Xinrongji? Come here for garlic bean noodles (so fresh you’ll lick the plate) and home-style pomfret (comforting homemade taste). Around 150 RMB per person to taste the essence of Taizhou cuisine.

In Taizhou, no need to deliberately seek "poetry and distant places" — look up to see the misty fairyland, look down to see the steaming stuffed rice cakes, life should be this cozy.