I thought Wuzhen was beautiful enough! Until I went here...

🏞 If you’re going to Nanxi River, promise me, please don’t miss Lishui Street! The unique architecture and tranquil Jiangnan water town charm of Lishui Ancient Street have made it a must-visit spot in the Nanxi River tourist area. As the saying goes, "If you don’t visit Yantou Lishui Street, it doesn’t count as coming to Nanxi River!"

💙 This Lishui Ancient Street is not in Lishui city, but located in Yantou Town, Yongjia County, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province. It is an important historical and cultural site within the Nanxi River Scenic Area. Lishui Ancient Street was first built during the Ming Dynasty’s Jiajing period (around 1556), originally serving as a water retention embankment. Local clans stipulated that only flowers, trees, and pavilions could be planted or built on the embankment. During the Qing Dynasty, the long embankment became a must-pass route for salt merchants and gradually developed into a commercial street, reaching its scale by the late Qing period. After years of time, it has accumulated a unique historical charm.

🏚 The ancient street is over 300 meters long, with more than 90 shops lined up in sequence. Most buildings are two stories, forming a long corridor structure with extended eaves to provide shade and shelter from rain for pedestrians. Red lanterns hang under the corridor, creating a charming contrast with the ancient trees and green shade; blue tiles, white walls, and carved wooden windows fully display the graceful beauty of the Jiangnan water town.

🎑 Walking on the cobblestone-paved ancient street, smelling the aroma of baked sesame cakes from the shops, and hearing the singing from a distant opera stage, it feels like stepping into the scene of the "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" painting...

📝 Travel Tips
📍 Navigation: Lishui Street, Yantou Ancient Village, Yantou Town, Yongjia County, Zhejiang Province
🚗 Transportation: Self-driving | Take a taxi from Nanxi River High-Speed Rail Station 🚄
🎫 Tickets: 15 RMB, discounts for seniors and children, online discounts available, free after 5 PM (for night views), and free before opening in the early morning 🤫
⏰ Hours: Open 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, it is recommended to spend 2 - 4 hours exploring Lishui Ancient Street. You can slowly appreciate the architecture, scenery, and feel the historical charm.
🍲 Food: The ancient street offers special Yongjia wheat cakes, and some shops specialize in freshly made ginger powder, ginger candy, and wild kumquat dried fruit; also, stir-fried beef, tofu skin, and Wenzhou seafood are very delicious 😋

The peaceful Lishui Ancient Street now mostly has elderly residents. In the early morning, walking into the street, you will see elderly people working, chatting, and walking dogs... It seems that fewer and fewer young people are staying in such small villages.

Post by Bell Ava85Ava | Sep 11, 2025