Slow Travel Guide to Zhangzhou in Four Days

Zhangzhou Slow Travel Journal｜4 Days and 3 Nights Cultural Journey, Discovering the “Old Flavors” in Minnan’s Everyday Life

As a travel blogger deeply exploring Fujian, I must say: Zhangzhou is an underestimated birthplace of Minnan culture. It’s unpretentious yet hides the most authentic arcade streets, millennia-old cultural heritage, and coastal mountain charm. With 4 days of pure leisure travel, designed by proximity for a comfortable walking tour of this “National Historic and Cultural City.”

📍Day 1: Zhangzhou Ancient City & Confucian Temple (City Center)
Start your journey on the Ming and Qing dynasty streets, lined with red brick arcades and old brand shops. Focus on Taiwan Road—Hong Kong Road area, check in at the Ming dynasty stone archways and Zhangzhou Confucian Temple (free admission, originally built in the Northern Song dynasty), and feel the scholarly atmosphere of the “Seaside Zoulu.” Must-try snacks: tofu pudding with vermicelli (¥8), hand-pulled noodles (¥6), four-fruit soup (¥5). ⚠️Avoid: The “internet-famous tea drinks” inside the ancient city are overpriced and bland; it’s better to try local stalls only.

📍Day 2: Nanshan Temple & Surroundings of Xiangcheng District
Visit Nanshan Temple in the morning (ticket ¥5), founded in the Tang dynasty. The majestic Mahavira Hall and the solemn Thousand-Hand Guanyin make it a famous ancient temple in Minnan. Outside the temple, the old street offers century-old Grandma’s braised noodles (¥12), rich and authentic. In the afternoon, stroll around Bagua Tower, watch the Jiulong River flow through the city, and enjoy the quiet old town as it was.

📍Day 3: Nanjing Tulou Cluster (About 1.5 hours by car)
Delve into the heart of this World Cultural Heritage site. Recommended are Tianluokeng “Four Dishes and One Soup” (ticket ¥90) and Yunshuiyao Ancient Town (ticket included in the combo), to see the wise dwellings built by Hakka ancestors on the mountains. Stay at a Yunshuiyao guesthouse (¥150/night), where early mornings are free of tourists, mist wraps around the buildings like a painting. ⚠️Avoid: Don’t trust “low-price guides” at the scenic area entrance; many tulou are residential areas, please keep your voice down when visiting.

📍Day 4: Daimei Ancient Village (On the way back, 1 hour from Nanjing)
The last stop is Daimei Water Ancient Village (ticket ¥45), the best-preserved Ming and Qing dynasty village in Zhangzhou. Along the 500-meter-long river, 27 red brick houses with swallowtail ridges are neatly arranged, known as the “Minnan version of Wuzhen.” Take a small boat slowly through the water, listen to the boatman sing an ancient fishing song, and time seems to stand still.

💰Budget Control (4 days 3 nights):
- Accommodation: City hotel ¥120 + Tulou guesthouse ¥150×2 = ¥420
- Food: Mainly local snacks ¥70/day ×4 = ¥280
- Transportation + Tickets ≈ ¥200 (car rental or carpool recommended for Tulou round trip)
👉 Total per person about ¥900, affordable for most!

💡Tips:
- Self-driving or carpooling is recommended: city attractions are accessible by bus, but Tulou and Daimei are remote, self-driving is more flexible and time-saving;
- Best seasons are spring and autumn, summer is hot and humid, bring mosquito repellent;
- Mountain roads around Tulou are winding, drive carefully.

In Zhangzhou,
Benevolence and culture hide in the incense of the Confucian Temple,
In the family ethics enclosed by the Tulou,
In a bowl of Grandma’s braised noodles without a menu.
Slow down, and you’ll understand what it means—
“The old city never ages, and blessings last long.”