5 days · China itinerary
Hangzhou in 5 days
Slow West Lake stay with spare days for temples, tea hills, and one optional Nanjing or Shanghai rail move — outline only.
- 5 days
- Hangzhou
- unhurried lake stay
An independent planning outline, not a booked package. Plan your accommodation and confirm current admission and transport arrangements.
Places on this itinerary
- C.City-centre reference
- 1.West Lake
- 2.Lingyin Temple
Day by day
Day 1
West Lake — east and north shores
- Main activity
- West Lake — east and north shores
Plan your visit
West Lake: West Lake (西湖) is a nature stop in Hangzhou. UNESCO cultural landscape of causeways, pagodas, and misty hills. Walk or bike the perimeter; boat rides are optional.
Visit timing
About 4 hours on site (catalog estimate; travel and queues extra).
Use the city guide to plan travel between sights.
Admission & reservations
Check current admission and opening hours in the linked attraction guides.
Useful guides
Day 2
West Lake — west shores and quieter paths
- Main activity
- West Lake — west shores and quieter paths
Plan your visit
West Lake: West Lake (西湖) is a nature stop in Hangzhou. UNESCO cultural landscape of causeways, pagodas, and misty hills. Walk or bike the perimeter; boat rides are optional.
Visit timing
About 4 hours on site (catalog estimate; travel and queues extra).
Use the city guide to plan travel between sights.
Admission & reservations
Check current admission and opening hours in the linked attraction guides.
Local planning notes
- Split the lake across two days rather than circling everything once.
Useful guides
Day 3
Lingyin Temple complex
- Main activity
- Lingyin Temple complex
Plan your visit
Lingyin Temple: Lingyin Temple (灵隐寺) is a heritage stop in Hangzhou. Major Buddhist temple complex west of the lake. Combine with Feilai Peak grottoes.
Visit timing
About 2.5 hours on site (catalog estimate; travel and queues extra).
Use the city guide to plan travel between sights.
Admission & reservations
Check current admission and opening hours in the linked attraction guides.
Useful guides
Day 4
Tea hills / neighborhood day
- Main activity
- Tea hills / neighborhood day
Editorial suggestion only — confirm any plantation visitor rules locally.
Useful guides
Day 5
Departure or HSR toward Shanghai / Nanjing
- Main activity
- Departure or HSR toward Shanghai / Nanjing
Demo duration bands on corridor pages — not live inventory.
Useful guides
Where to stay
If staying overnight, compare neighbourhoods near your main sights and transport. Day trips may not need a hotel; no fixed number of nights is assumed.
Hangzhou
West Lake: Lakeside and lakeside-metro belts suit weekend visitors arriving from Shanghai HSR.
Trains and transfers
These are optional onward connections, not transfers required by the itinerary.
Shanghai → Hangzhou (HSR)
Short Yangtze Delta hop popular for West Lake weekends. Demo duration and fare bands only — confirm live on official channels.
Hangzhou → Nanjing (HSR)
Yangtze Delta secondary hop linking West Lake weekends with Nanjing heritage stops.
Hangzhou → Shanghai (HSR)
Short Yangtze Delta hop from Hangzhou East toward Shanghai Hongqiao.
Budget
Costs to plan
- Accommodation if staying overnight (confirm the number of nights)
- Meals, local transport and optional excursions
- Admission for the attractions listed on each day
What's included on this page
- Suggested daily activities and catalog visit-length estimates
- Links to verified ticket tariffs when the site has them
- Hotel-area orientation and published route guides
- No booking service, live availability or package total
Prices vary by travel date and provider. Only sourced admission prices are quoted within the relevant day cards; other costs are not assumed to be zero.
Before you go
Common questions
Is this a booked tour?
No. This is an editorial itinerary outline. You book travel and admissions independently.
Are the listed travel times and prices live?
No. Rail timings in the catalog are indicative. Confirm schedules, admission and fares for your specific dates.
How many hotel nights do I need?
That depends on when you arrive and leave. The itinerary counts calendar days, not a fixed number of hotel nights.
Sources and updates
This route uses ChinaTravelChina's destination and attraction catalog. Confirm current admission, opening hours and train information on official channels. Dated ticket sources apply only to the named attractions.