Shanghai & Hangzhou City Break

This is the combination I recommend more than any other. Shanghai and Hangzhou are 45 minutes apart by high-speed train, yet they feel like different centuries. Shanghai is China's future — skyline, finance, cocktail bars hidden behind unmarked doors. Hangzhou is China's soul — misty lakes, tea terraces, temples that have stood for a thousand years.

I've lived in both cities, and I have strong opinions about how to spend your time in each. Here's the version I give my friends when they visit.

Day 1–2: Shanghai

**The Bund at sunset**

This is the cliché, but it's a cliché for a reason. The trick is timing: arrive at 4:30pm, walk from the Waibaidu Bridge down to the Peace Hotel end. The light goes golden around 5pm, the skyscrapers across the river start lighting up at 6pm, and by 6:30pm you're watching Pudong turn into a light show. Have a drink at Bar Rouge if you want the full experience — yes, it's overpriced, but the terrace view is genuinely spectacular.

**Wukang Road and the Former French Concession**

Forget the name "French Concession" — what matters is Wukang Road, Anfu Road, and the old lane houses (弄堂). This is Shanghai's most walkable neighbourhood. Plane trees canopy the streets, art galleries hide in converted garages, and every second building has a story.

I'll take you to:

**Day trip option:** Zhujiajiao water town, an hour from downtown. Skip the more famous tourist water towns — Zhujiajiao is authentic enough to feel real but accessible enough for a half-day trip.

Day 3–4: Hangzhou

Hangzhou is what Chinese poets have been writing about for a thousand years. Marco Polo called it "the finest city in the world." He wasn't exaggerating.

**West Lake**

Rent a bike and ride the full loop — about 10km, which takes 2–3 hours with stops. The north shore has the teahouses (stop at one for Longjing tea and a view of the lake). The south shore is quieter and more romantic. The Su Causeway is best at dawn, when the only people are locals doing tai chi.

**Longjing Tea Plantation**

This is where Dragon Well tea — China's most famous green tea — comes from. Walk through the terraced hillsides, meet the families who have been growing tea here for generations, and taste the difference between first-harvest (Ming Qian, before Qingming Festival in April) and later harvests. First harvest is ¥1,000–2,000 per jin. Later harvest can be ¥100–200. The gap in quality is real — you'll taste it side by side.

**Lingyin Temple**

One of China's most important Buddhist temples, set in a forest of ancient trees. The carvings in the cliff face behind the main hall date back to the 10th century. Go early (before 9am) to avoid the crowds. The incense smoke, the chanting, the light through the trees — it's meditative even if you're not Buddhist.

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**Want a custom Shanghai–Hangzhou itinerary?** [Tell me your dates and interests](/plan-your-trip) — I'll build a day-by-day plan with restaurant reservations, transport booked, and the hidden spots that make these cities unforgettable.

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