Hangzhou City Walk: One Day Free Walking Tour Around West Lake’s Top Sights

Tour Itinerary

There are many lakes named "West Lake" in China, but the "West Lake" here in Hangzhou is considered the most beautiful among all and listed as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage. It is surrounded by hills on its three sides, with an area of about 6.5 square kilometers making it a beautiful and convenient destination from the city for 1 day. West Lake is the centerpiece of this experience and we will take you to witness the top 10 views of the lake throughout the day. 

Pick up will be arranged at your hotel in Hangzhou or at the Hangzhou Train Station around 9am. Our professional local guide, holding a welcome sign “Your Way Holiday,” will greet you warmly and start your immersive one day walking tour of West Lake. Known for its tranquil waters and scenic charm, the West Lake is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, celebrated both for its natural beauty and deep cultural roots. The lake is divided into several sections by the Bai, Su, and Yánggong Causeways, and is surrounded by temples, pagodas, gardens, and romantic pavilions. Each path you walk reveals a poetic landscape that has inspired scholars and artists for centuries.

Your journey begins at the iconic Broken Bridge, one of the most well-known landmarks around the lake. From there, you’ll stroll along the Bai Causeway, a picturesque 1-kilometer stretch lined with graceful weeping willows and blooming plum trees, especially beautiful in springtime. The causeway takes you through a series of poetic scenic spots, including the “Golden Ribbon Bridge” and the peaceful view known as “Autumn Moon on a Calm Lake.” With the calm waters on both sides and historic charm beneath your feet, every step of this walk offers both serenity and rich storytelling from your guide, bringing West Lake's legends and cultural heritage vividly to life.

Continue our walking, we will get to Quyuan Park (Crooked Courtyard). The park boasts the biggest natural water supply into the West Lake and a wide range of lotus plants of various species.While in furious blossom, the lotus flowers show off reds, golds and whites in different figures and forms. Broad leaves spread leisurely on the limpid lake waters and low bridges zigzag among flowers. Such a view makes visitors forget themselves.The crooked courtyard links with the Yuehu Lake by Su Causeway on the east and leads to Guos'Estate on the south.We will continue walking south to the Su Causeway.There are six arched stone bridges spanning the lake: Ripples Reflection Bridge, Locking Waves Bridge, Viewing Hill Bridge, Suppressing Dike Bridge, Eastern Lakeside Bridge, and Crossing Rainbow Bridge.Enjoying a well-known reputation of the main scene of the Ten Scenes in West Lake, Spring Dawn at Su Causeway is a must-see for visitors to explore the grace of West Lake and enjoy the romantic Hangzhou travel.

Adjacent to Su Causeway lies the peaceful and scenic Flower Harbor Park (Huagang Park), a must-visit stop on your West Lake walking tour. The park is most vibrant from late spring to early summer, when countless blossoms fill the gardens with color and fragrance. One of its highlights is a large koi pond where you can view brightly colored fish swimming beneath weeping willows—a scene so beloved it has been immortalized as one of the “Top Ten West Lake Scenes,” known as “Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor.” As you walk through the park, your guide will share the history and symbolism behind the layout and landscape, offering insight into how nature and poetry are intertwined in Chinese garden design.

Next, continue southward to one of the most iconic symbols of Hangzhou—Leifeng Pagoda. Perched atop Evening Glow Hill, the pagoda holds a unique place in both Hangzhou’s skyline and Chinese folklore, particularly the legend of the White Snake. The site is known as “Leifeng Pagoda in Evening Glow,” another of the Ten Scenes of West Lake, describing the golden silhouette of the pagoda shining under the setting sun. You’ll have the opportunity to admire its intricate architectural features and, if you wish, climb to the upper levels for panoramic views of West Lake and the surrounding mountains. Your guide will explain the structure’s reconstruction and the legends that make it such a meaningful destination.

As your walking tour nears its end, you’ll stroll across the elegant Long Bridge to reach the final scenic stop: Orioles Singing in the Willows. This lakeside park is shaded by tall willows whose branches sway gently in the breeze, attracting countless birds whose cheerful chirping gives the site its name. Once a royal garden during the Song Dynasty, this park continues to be a haven for both nature lovers and music enthusiasts. Your guide will point out the traditional Chinese pavilions scattered throughout the area and explain how the combination of natural beauty and melodic birdsong has earned this park its place among the top ten scenes of West Lake. This peaceful ending offers a perfect moment of reflection on your full day immersed in Hangzhou's timeless charm.

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