It is said that there is heaven above, and there is Suzhou and Hangzhou below, and when it comes to the first must-visit attraction in Hangzhou, it is definitely the West Lake.
West Lake is the most representative of Hangzhou's culture, it is one of the first national key scenic spots in China, and one of the top ten scenic spots in China. West Lake has a long history and many scenic spots, among which the most well-known ones are the three categories of "Ten Scenic Spots of West Lake", "New Ten Scenic Spots of West Lake" and "Ten Scenic Spots of West Lake in Three Commentaries". With a large number of attractions and a variety of ways to play, this list focuses on the most worthwhile classic attractions, suitable for first-time visitors to take a day trip around the lake.
The long bridge is not long, the broken bridge is continuous, the lonely mountain is not lonely, it is the three wonders of the West Lake, among which the broken bridge is the most famous. In the Chinese folk love story "The Legend of the White Snake", the broken bridge is the meeting place of Xu Xian and the White Lady, so the broken bridge itself is legendary and has become a must-visit attraction in West Lake. "Broken Bridge Residual Snow" is one of the ten views of West Lake, the so-called Broken Bridge Residual Snow, that is, after the snowfall, the snow and ice on the sunny side of the bridge melt, the shade side still retains the residual snow, and the whole bridge deck looks like it is broken. The landscape of the broken bridge and the remnant snow is rare, and at other times, walking on the broken bridge, you can overlook the surface of the West Lake, and the scenery is also quite artistic conception.
One side of the broken bridge is connected to the white causeway, and the word "white causeway" is taken by later generations to commemorate Bai Juyi. The total length of the white causeway is about 2 kilometers, and although it does not have a special landscape, its own scenery is distinct from one season to another, and it is highly ornamental. At the end of the white causeway is the largest island in the West Lake - Gushan, which gathers many cultural relics and scenic spots, and has more than 30 scenic spots, such as Wenlan Pavilion, Zhejiang Museum, Xiling Seal Society, etc., and most of the cultural tourist attractions. Xiling Seal Society is a garden style in the south of the Yangtze River, and the pavilions and pavilions are distributed in a staggered manner, which is very chic. There is a museum of Chinese seal science in the printing society, which collects more than 6,000 pieces of calligraphy, painting and seals of the past dynasties, including rare pre-Qin pottery auctions, Qin and Han ancient seals, and the original works of masters of various seal art schools since the Ming and Qing dynasties.
The same name as the white causeway is the Su Causeway, which is named after the descendants to commemorate Su Shi's exploits in governing the West Lake. With a total length of nearly three kilometers, the Su Causeway passes through the entire waters of the West Lake, which is the only passage connecting the north and south banks across the lake, and is also the best place to enjoy the scenery of the whole West Lake. There are six single-hole semi-circular stone arch bridges on the Su Causeway, all of which were built in the Northern Song Dynasty, and the "Six Bridges and Smoke Willows" is one of the ten views of Qiantang in the Yuan Dynasty. A large number of plants are planted on both sides of the Su Causeway, and in spring, there will be a beautiful landscape of flowers and plants in full bloom and shady trees, which is also the origin of the first of the ten views of the West Lake, "Su Causeway Primal Spring". Located in the southern section of the Su Causeway, the Flower Port View Fish is characterized by flowers, ports and fish. The Red Fish Pond is the central area for fish watching, and schools of red carp are raised in the pond, and feeding the fish is also an activity suitable for all ages.
The Su Causeway is the only passage connecting the north and south banks, and there are also many ways to play the Nanshan Road on the south bank and the Beishan Road on the north bank. On one side of Beishan Road is the pleasant West Lake, and on the other side is a patch of old buildings. Beishan Road is dominated by buildings of the Republic of China, with nearly 100 buildings, including the former residence of Chiang Ching-kuo, Jiankuo Villa, Baoqing Villa, Xinxin Hotel, etc., which are very Republican style. Autumn is the most suitable time to come to Beishan Road, a large number of French plane trees are planted on both sides of the road, and the road surface is sprinkled with fallen leaves, which has a unique charm. Different from the historical Beishan Road, Nanshan Road has a more literary atmosphere, with many cafes along the way, such as the China Academy of Art and the Zhejiang Art Museum. There are many shops on both roads, which are the best choice for eating, drinking and playing near the West Lake, and are suitable for tourists to stop and rest.
In the evening, visitors can choose to watch the West Lake Musical Fountain or the performance of "The Most Memorable Hangzhou" of Impression West Lake. The West Lake Music Fountain is located near the Three Parks on the Lakeside and is a free performance. The fountain is 126 meters long and is illuminated with underwater LEDs in dazzling colors. There are various types of nozzles, and they can spray water columns, water mist, and water balls in various shapes, which is very spectacular. The Musical Fountain will be performed at 19:00 and 20:00 every night, with three pieces played in each performance.
"The Most Memorable is Hangzhou" is a landscape live performance, which was jointly created by Zhang Yimou and other director teams. The so-called "live performance" refers to the performance of actors on the waters of West Lake, with the natural landscape as a natural stage, similar to the "water theater". "The Most Memorable is Hangzhou" shows the scenery of the West Lake and its cultural history, and the performance is a holographic projection, adding a lot of high-tech techniques, and the effect is real and shocking. After making a stunning appearance at the G20 summit in Hangzhou in 2016, "The Most Memorable is Hangzhou" began to stay in West Lake for a long time. The performance venue of "The Most Remembered is Hangzhou" is in the Yuehu Lake Scenic Area, south to Zhaogong Causeway, north to Yuehu Tower, west to Quyuan Fenghe, east to Su Causeway, open every night from 19:45 to 20:45, only one show, Friday and Saturday will be added from time to time, and the ticket price is 300 yuan / person.
In addition to the above books, there are many attractions worth visiting in West Lake, such as Leifeng Tower, Prince Bay Park and other popular attractions in the trusted choice ranking Hangzhou must visit attractions recommended list and Hangzhou secondary must-visit attractions recommended list in detail in detail, so I will not repeat them here. You can walk, take a cruise, take a battery car, drive or ride a bicycle to visit the West Lake, and tourists can choose the most suitable way to play. West Lake has a large flow of people, so it is recommended to avoid holidays.
Recommended length of play: 1 day.
Admission: Free
Tips: 1. The roads around West Lake are restricted from 08:30 to 17:00 on weekends and holidays, and vehicles with odd and even numbers and high displacement are restricted; 2. Bring mosquito repellent and sunscreen products in summer.
