Hangzhou Travel Guide

Tea: West Lake Longjing (pre-Qingming/pre-Grain Rain, 100-1000 yuan+ per liang), Jiuqu Hongmei (black tea, high cost-performance). Silk: Wensli/Dujinsheng silk scarves 100-500 yuan, silk pajamas 200-1000 yuan. Food: lotus root starch 20-50 yuan, Dingsheng cake (must be eaten fresh), Lin'an hickory nuts 30-80 yuan/jin, Zhiweiguan pastry gift boxes 50-150 yuan. Crafts: Wangxingji fans 50-500 yuan, Zhang Xiaoquan scissors 30-200 yuan, Xiling Seal Society seals 100-1000 yuan+. Where to buy: Hefang Street (tourist-concentrated)/Hubin Intime (brands)/Longjing Village tea farmers (tea). For tea, it is recommended to buy from tea farmers in Meijiawu/Longjing Village.

Airport: Xiaoshan Airport (HGH) is 27km from the city center, about 1h by Metro Line 1 (8 yuan), 100-130 yuan by taxi. Metro: The network is expanding rapidly, covering the West Lake area, Hangzhou East Railway Station, and Qianjiang New City. Scan the QR code with Alipay. Bus: The West Lake loop lines (Y2/Y9) connect major attractions, 2 yuan. Note traffic restrictions on holidays. Bicycle: Shared bikes (Hellobike/Meituan) are everywhere; cycling around West Lake is the best experience. Didi: Available. Taxi flagfall is 11 yuan. Foreigners need a domestic payment method.

2 days: D1 West Lake loop (Broken Bridge → Bai Causeway → Solitary Hill → Su Causeway → Leifeng Pagoda) + Hefang Street night market; D2 Lingyin Temple + Feilai Peak + Longjing Village tea tasting + Qiantang River night view. 4-day in-depth: add D3 Xixi Wetland (filming location of If You Are the One, half day) + Songcheng (The Romance of Song Dynasty show), D4 Qiandao Lake 1-day tour (50 minutes by high-speed rail). Budget (per person): Budget 800-1500 yuan / Comfort 2000-3500 yuan / Light luxury 4500-6500 yuan. Key tips: West Lake is free! Leifeng Pagoda 40 yuan, Lingyin Temple (Feilai Peak 45 + temple 30). West Lake is crowded on weekends; suggest going on weekday mornings.