Paradise on earth
Hangzhou has been called 'Paradise on Earth' since the days of the Song dynasty, and the praise still fits. Its centerpiece, West Lake, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where arched bridges, pagodas, and lotus-covered waters have inspired artists for a thousand years. Whether cycling the lakeside causeways or drifting on a wooden boat at sunset, visitors understand why poets refused to leave.
The city is also the spiritual heart of China's tea culture, home to the world-famous Longjing (Dragon Well) tea. On the slopes of the surrounding hills, tea pickers still gather the tender leaves each spring, and visitors can sip a freshly brewed cup overlooking the very fields where it grew. Hangzhou's Longjing tea village offers one of China's most authentic cultural experiences.
Modern Hangzhou is equally dynamic, housing the headquarters of Alibaba and a thriving tech scene alongside its ancient temples. The nearby Grand Canal, the longest ancient canal in the world, connects Hangzhou to Beijing and adds another layer of history to this effortlessly beautiful city.
