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Three days in Hangzhou can bring together the open water of West Lake, the shaded setting of Lingyin and a quieter look at the tea-growing hills. The most enjoyable version leaves room for walking, a proper lunch and the transfers between them. A long list of famous names does not need to become a timetable measured to the minute.
This plan gives the first day to the lake, the second to Lingyin and one additional outing, and the third to Jiuxi and Longjing. Leifeng Pagoda sits with the southern lakeshore visit. Xixi Wetland and Songcheng are alternatives, rather than two stops squeezed into the same evening.
The illustrated overview below follows the main north, south, east and west relationships, with regional distances compressed. Its arrows show a suggested visit order, not a walking trail or a driving route. Open the image at full size to read the place names and daily plans.
Begin at Broken Bridge on the north-eastern side of West Lake and walk along Bai Causeway. Give the northern lakeshore time: the appeal lies in changing views across the water as much as in reaching a named spot. Take a lunch break where it fits the walk rather than crossing back to the city simply to keep an arbitrary schedule.
If boats are operating, Three Pools Mirroring the Moon can be an optional lake visit. Check the boarding pier, ticket inclusions and return landing before paying. Boat routes and conditions matter when planning what comes next; do not assume every ticket will drop you beside the next attraction.
Spend the afternoon on a manageable section of Su Causeway and around Viewing Fish at Flower Harbour, near its southern end. Continue towards Leifeng Pagoda if your energy and the remaining time allow. Check its admission and last entry separately. The pagoda is on the southern side of the lake, so it fits this day more naturally than a cross-city detour after Lingyin.
Treat the causeways as walking visits and follow the current signs on bicycle access. For the evening, a lakeside stroll is enough. Add the musical fountain only if a current official notice confirms a performance on your date.
Reserve the morning for Lingyin Temple and the Feilai Peak scenic area. Their wooded setting and rock carvings deserve time together. Dress and behave respectfully in temple spaces, follow photography restrictions and keep moving through narrow or busy areas.
Lingyin–Feilai Peak now has free admission with advance real-name reservations. Use the official “Hangzhou Lingyin Feilai Peak” mini-program in WeChat or Alipay, and carry the original identity document used to book. Passport details are supported for overseas visitors. Check the latest instructions before travel: on-site registration was discontinued in February 2026, and an online waitlist is available when slots are full.
After lunch, choose Xixi Wetland if you want more time among waterways and vegetation. It is a separate destination west of the city, with its own entrances, routes and operating hours. Aim for an afternoon visit with enough daylight; arriving late does not leave a useful margin for a substantial wetland outing.
Alternatively, choose Songcheng for a themed attraction and a performance. It lies to the south-west of West Lake on Zhijiang Road, rather than beside Xixi. Check the show you want, its ticket inclusions and the transfer before committing. Keep this as a different afternoon-and-evening choice.
Begin with Jiuxi’s wooded stream scenery, using designated paths and checking the weather before setting out. Uneven or wet surfaces call for comfortable shoes and a slower pace. Choose a manageable section rather than turning the morning into a long hill walk by accident.
Continue to Longjing Village for a tea break and lunch. Jiuxi and the tea-growing hills can be linked in different ways, but the walking options involve terrain and should not be treated as a short, flat transfer. Use a current route planner or local visitor advice, and take transport if that better suits your group.
At a tea house, ask what the quoted price covers: the tea, number of people, seating and any food. A tasting and a purchase are separate decisions. Look at the menu first and give yourself time to enjoy the setting without feeling obliged to buy a large quantity.
Maojiabu, on the western side of West Lake, is an optional final waterside stop. Include it only if your onward journey leaves a comfortable margin. It is better to shorten the sightseeing than to rush a station or airport transfer at the end of the day.
Hubin and the eastern lakeside can be convenient bases for dining and access to the city. Accommodation around Huanglong is another option to compare. A stay in a tea village offers a different setting, but check luggage access, evening transport and the journey to your departure station before booking.
Hangzhou East and Hangzhou railway stations are different arrival points; use the station named on your actual ticket. Combine the metro with buses, walking and appropriate onward transfers. A metro stop does not remove the final journey to every scenic entrance, and West Lake road congestion can make an ambitious day unreliable.
Carry a light rain layer and sun protection as the forecast requires. Confirm boat services, attraction hours, reservation details and any traffic restrictions close to the date. Keep the plan flexible enough to spend longer at a place you enjoy or return early when the weather changes.
Use meals as pauses between outings. Local menus may include Longjing shrimp, Dongpo pork, West Lake vinegar fish and beggar’s chicken, while pian’erchuan noodles, congbao hui and dingsheng cakes offer smaller stops. Choose according to appetite, dietary needs and the menu available that day.
The lake, a temple morning and time in the tea hills provide three different sides of Hangzhou. With one main area at the centre of each day, the visit can stay varied without asking every hour to hold another attraction.