Hangzhou: China’s City of Poetry and Tea
Hangzhou (杭州) has been celebrated by Chinese poets for a thousand years. Marco Polo called it “the finest and most splendid city in the world.” The main attraction is West Lake (西湖) — a UNESCO World Heritage site surrounded by temples, pagodas, and gardens that have inspired artists for centuries.
Don’t miss the Broken Bridge (not actually broken — the name comes from a poem about snow melting on one side first, making it look broken). The Leifeng Pagoda offers the best view of the lake. The Lingyin Temple (Temple of the Soul’s Retreat) is one of the most important Buddhist temples in China, set in a forest grove with ancient rock carvings.
Hangzhou is also the home of Longjing (Dragon Well) tea. The tea plantations on the hills surrounding the lake are open to visitors. The best time to visit is April, during the spring tea harvest, when you can see the fields in full production and taste the year’s freshest tea. The China National Tea Museum is worth a visit, and the tea tasting houses near the lake offer a peaceful break from sightseeing.