Hangzhou Overview
Falling for Hangzhou doesn't take much. Its hills and streams breathe poetry, its people warm your heart — and that's enough. Most of all, Hangzhou knows how to live.
If you love tea, Hangzhou will show you how misty dawns veil the Longjing plantations — a moment pure and quiet like a love letter to the day.
If you live to eat, Hangzhou will treat you to the delicate freshness of Hangbang cuisine, the elegance and artistry of Song Dynasty feasts — every dish a masterpiece.
If you chase trends, the lakeside buzz and edgy art spaces will become your style sanctuary.
If you crave tradition, Hangzhou will guide you through the four arts of grace: tea whisking, scroll hanging, incense burning, and flower arranging — timeless elegance, refined through ages.
Spring
bloom-viewing dates and temple blessings
Summer
night breezes like wine, lantern-lit wanderings
Autumn
osmanthus rain and mountain trails
Winter
cured meats with plum blossoms — rustic and refined, side by side
You see? If there's a place that feels like heaven on earth… it might just be Hangzhou.
Yes, this is Hangzhou — a paradise on earth, and a memory that lingers.
Scenic Highlights
West Lake Beauty
West Lake Beauty
City Landscape
City Landscape
Hangzhou History
Honors & Awards
2001
Given UN Habitat Award
2001
Established as an International Garden City
2012
Entered UNESCO Creative Cities Network for Crafts and Folk Arts
International Acclaim
January 7, 2016
The New York Times published a list, called the "52 Places to Go in 2016" with Hangzhou at #16.
December, 2015
The well-known American magazine Travel + Leisure put Hangzhou near the top in their article "Best Places to Travel in 2016". The reason? The unique, beautiful scenery of West Lake, sprawling businesses (including Alibaba), and high class restaurants and hotels, which lets one of the wealthiest cities in China show off its stuff.
2011
Hangzhou made the New York Times list, "The 41 Places to Go in 2011".
2006
The United Nations World Tourism Organization recognized Hangzhou with the title, "Best Tourism City of China", while the World Leisure Organization called it the "Oriental Leisure Capital"