The Red Boat Departure Site in Jiaxing, misty rain over Jiangnan

🎋 Wuzhen Tickets: 150 RMB | Opening Hours: 7:00-18:00 Highlights: - A time capsule of water-town Jiangnan: Stroll along the cobblestone paths of West Scenic Zone, where blue calico dances in the natural dye workshop among the greenery. At night, warm yellow lanterns reflect on the river, and the oar boats break the shimmering waves, as if stepping into a thousand-year-old ink painting. - Exclusive experiences: ✅ Morning tea with local life: Stay at hotels within the scenic area to book a waterside market breakfast featuring fried dough sticks and Ding Sheng cakes paired with Hangzhou white chrysanthemum tea, while soft Pingtan storytelling drifts in your ears. ✅ Mu Xin Art Museum tour: Minimalist architecture spanning the water, with a special Beethoven manuscript exhibition (May 3 to August 3, 2025) blending with the aroma of coffee into poetry. Tip: Avoid the tourist rush after 10 am to enjoy the bridge-side Qiaoliqiao teahouse in the morning mist. 🏯 Zicheng Ruins Park Tickets: Free | Opening Hours: All day Highlights: - Touch a millennium of brick and stone epic: Zhejiang’s only intact ancient city wall, with weathered bricks recording the wartime memories from Tang and Song to Ming and Qing dynasties. Climb the wall to gaze at the dialogue between modern buildings and ancient city gates. Hidden experience: At dusk, the city wall glows golden; wear Hanfu for a “clash of ancient and modern” photo shoot. 🌾 Wucun Village Tickets: 40 RMB | Opening Hours: 8:00-17:00 Highlights: - Family nature classroom: Rice field fishing, bamboo weaving crafts, and picking seasonal fruits let children experience a Tao Yuanming-style pastoral charm. Tip: In summer when lotus flowers bloom, the dragon-shaped rice field boardwalk transforms into a “Monet garden.” 🚤 Nanhu Scenic Area Tickets: 20 RMB (ferry ticket) | Opening Hours: 8:00-17:00 Highlights: - Pilgrimage to the sacred site of the Red Boat spirit: Visit the island in the lake to pay respects to the memorial boat of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China. From the Yan Yu Tower balcony, the calligraphy left by Emperor Qianlong during his eighth southern tour remains. In-depth experience: Climb the Haogu Tower top for a panoramic view of Nanhu Lake and capture the “lake light leaping gold” spectacle at sunset. ⛪ Catholic Church Tickets: Free | Opening Hours: 6:00-20:30 Highlights: - The Notre Dame of the East: Gothic spires pierce the skyline, stained glass casts dreamy light spots, and picnics on the lawn evoke European romance. Photography tip: Shoot from the stone steps at the church’s side door at a low angle to capture flocks of white doves flying into the frame. 🎡 Xiushui Nianhua Ferris Wheel Tickets: Free with reservation | Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00 (closed Mondays) Highlights: - A new perspective of the city from the clouds: One of only two shaftless Ferris wheels in China, with transparent cabins rising to 88 meters, the canal and ancient city unfold beneath like a flowing light painting. Night tour bonus: Open Friday and Saturday nights, neon lights make it look like a giant diamond floating in the night sky. 🌙 Yuehe Historic District Tickets: Free | Opening Hours: All day Highlights: - Vibrant canal life chronicles: ✅ Zongzi Museum roots search: Hand-make a fresh meat zongzi and uncover the century-old intangible heritage recipe. ✅ Flower and bird market healing power: Buy a bouquet of lisianthus for 10 RMB, while an old man hums Yue opera and trims bonsai. Nightlife: Order a special yellow wine cocktail on the bar street and listen to folk singers perform "Sheng Sheng Man." 🌧️ Xitang Ancient Town Tickets: Free | Opening Hours: All day Highlights: - Misty rain corridor for poetic life: On rainy days, lean against a beauty pillow and watch black-awning boats pass through 2,000 meters of covered corridors, with water dripping from eaves forming bead curtains. Off-the-beaten-path moment: At 6 am, empty alleys with no one around, and narrow Shipi Lane only wide enough for one person to pass sideways. 🍢 Yuexiu Market Tickets: Free | Opening Hours: All day Highlights: - Carbohydrate carnival night battle: Sizzling teppanyaki shrimp balls, tripe coated in sesame sauce, plum blossom cakes with caramelized crispy shells oozing red bean paste; students eat to their fill for about 30 RMB each. 🍜 Jiaxing Flavor and Food Poetry Must-try list: - Xiexi Street Shaomai: Thin wrappers holding diced bamboo shoots and fresh meat, dipped in Tongxiang spicy sauce and Zhenjiang vinegar, a local breakfast staple. - Authentic heirloom zongzi: Heirloom large meat zongzi simmered in broth, fat melting into glutinous rice, making your taste buds tremble like in "Flavorful Origins." - Sister-in-law cake code: Sweet and salty crispy flakes that melt in your mouth, paired with Nanhu water chestnut soup, unlocking the same afternoon tea enjoyed by Emperor Qianlong. 📍 Insider Travel Tips 1. Best seasons: April-May (wisteria hanging over the river), September-November (osmanthus fragrance filling the alleys), avoid the plum rain season. 2. Transportation: High-speed rail from Hangzhou/Shanghai to Tongxiang Station in 0.5 hours, then transfer to bus K282 directly to Wuzhen; shared electric scooters recommended for city sightseeing. 3. Hanfu experience: Outside the scenic area, "Dangnian Hanfu Museum" charges 50 RMB/day, including hair accessories and oil-paper umbrella, great for night photography. The beauty of Jiaxing lies in a cup of tea before the Yan Yu Tower, in a thread of indigo in blue calico, and in the starlight stirred by the oar boat.