Top 10 Weekend Getaways and Trips from Shanghai
Shanghai is China's international economic, financial, trade, shipping, scientific, and technological innovation center, as well as China's logistics hub. It is the city with the most skyscrapers in the world, the city with the longest subway mileage in the world, and the most popular Chinese city among foreigners. For expats who lived in Shanghai for a while and are looking for a weekend break surrounding Shanghai, there are plenty of places that can be added to your China tour.
The surrounding area of Shanghai usually refers to places, which are with Shanghai as the center and are located within a radius of 300 kilometers, such as Kunshan, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Zhoushan, Ningbo, etc. As the most developed region in China, those areas not only have convenient transportation, long history, profound cultural heritage, but also fascinating natural scenery. Here we carefully selected the 10 best weekend getaways from Shanghai for choice, with only 1-3 hours for single way transportation, which covers cities with a long history, the unique buildings on the south Yangtze River region, the most peculiar mountains, bamboo forests, a large tea plantation gardens, etc.
Suzhou Classical Gardens - A easy day trip
With only half an hour ride by high-speed train, Suzhou can be the first choice for the weekend getaway from Shanghai. Known as the ‘City of Gardens’, Suzhou is the home of 50 existing classical gardens now, while at the end of the Qing Dynasty, it was the home of 170 gardens, and the first garden can date back to the 6th century BC.
The famous gardens and residences are integrated into one, which can be appreciated, visited, and lived in. The worth visiting gardens include: Suzhou's largest garden - Humble Administrator Garden, which established the garden museum (the only museum of Landscape Architecture in China) inside its garden. The Lingering Garden built-in 1593, with a longer history than the Humble Administrator's Garden. Together with the Humble Administrator's Garden, the Summer Palace in Beijing, and the Chengde Mountain Resort in Hebei, it has the reputation of China's four best famous gardens. In addition, other classic Suzhou gardens such as the Lion Forest Garden and Master of the Nets Garden should not be missed as well.
Water towns Tongli, Zhouzhuang, Wuzhen - 1 or 2 days excursion
With many rivers and lakes, the ancient towns in Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Yangtze River south area are different from other ancient towns in China: houses are located on both sides of the river, some streets are sandwiched by the high walls, and many other streets are the winding streams or rivers. Hence, we call them the water towns as some trails can only be passed by boat. There are many water towns surrounding Shanghai, and here we would like to recommend 3 for their convenient transportation and good views.
Tongli Ancient Water Town belongs to Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province. It was built in the Song Dynasty and has a history of more than 1,000 years. 15 mesh rivers divide the ancient town into seven islands, surrounded by water, connected by 49 ancient bridges, with beautiful scenery. It will take 1 hour's drive from Shanghai.
Zhouzhuang Ancient Water Town is located in Kunshan City, the southeast of Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province. Zhouzhuang ancient town is surrounded by water, because the river into the town, according to the water into the street, the street as a city. 14 ancient stone bridges built in the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties are well preserved along the river. More than 800 aboriginal families live in the river. It will take 1 hour's drive from Shanghai.
Wuzhen, located in Tongxiang city, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, is an ancient water town with a long history of more than 6,000 years. White walls, black tiles, small bridges, flowing water, carved beams, stone alleys, and old houses all bear the temperament of Chinese ink and wash painting, and also witness the vicissitudes of history. It will take a 1.5 hour's drive from Shanghai.
Hangzhou - 1 or 2 days exploration
Hangzhou has a history of more than 2,200 years since the establishment of the Qin Dynasty. It's the perfect place for the people who wanna dig deeper into silk culture and tea culture. In addition, it also has many beautiful natural wonders like West Lake and Xixi Wetland. With only 1 hour's ride by high-speed train from Shanghai, travelers can easily consider a 1 day or 2 days trip here.
As the iconic attraction of Hangzhou, West Lake is a must-see site by walking, riding a boat or a bike, to fully enjoy its 10 special scenery. Another famous site - Lingyin Temple, adjacent to the West Lake, is China's earliest Buddhist temple and one of China's top ten ancient temples. It has preserved many exquisite cultural relics of various dynasties. Besides, other nature sites like Xixi Wetland Park, Thousand Islet Lake are also worth visiting. Travelers should also not miss tasting Hangzhou’s authentic food and tea. Travelers don't need to care about the season or the weather to travel to Hangzhou. Because the West Lake is like a magician, no matter spring, summer, autumn and winter, rain or shine rain and snow, it can transform into a beautiful appearance.
Mount Huangshan - A weekend easy hiking trip
Mount Huangshan is an ideal place if you are looking for a weekend mountain hiking trip from Shanghai. Thanks to the plenty of high-speed trains between Shanghai and Huangshan, travelers can easily reach Mount Huangshan by a 3.5 hours' train ride. Huangshan mountain is the dual heritage of world culture and nature, and the most famous 'five wonders' are strange pine, peculiar rocks, the sea of clouds, hot springs, and winter snow.
There are 82 large and small peaks in Mount Huangshan, some of which are majestic and precipitous, and some are steep and gorgeous. They are all-natural and ingenious and have the title of "the most extraordinary mountain in the world". From March to May, September to October is the best time to travel in Huangshan. However, winter is also a good time to travel to see the sea of clouds, winter snow, rime, and ice hanging. Apart from the magnificent scenery of Mount Huangshan, there are many beautiful surrounding Hui-style villages worth visiting, such as Hongcun village, Xidi village, Bishan village, Guanlu village, Tachuan village, etc. Travelers can easily pick one or more to extend your Huangshan trip.
Nanjing historical sightseeing - 2 days
Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province, is located in eastern China along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The vicissitudes of the "six dynasties ancient capital" and the splendid civilization of the modern city make Nanjing a historical city with a unique charm. It takes about 2 hours from Shanghai by high-speed train, travelers can easily make a 1 or 2 days excursion.
The skyscrapers in the city center echo the Ming City Wall Ruins, the Presidential Palace, and other historical scenic spots. Walking slowly along with the Qinhuai River and Confucius Temple, where the city grew up, the old city of Nanjing is still clearly visible. Jiming Temple, which was built over 1,700 years, is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Nanjing, with the largest number of visitors and prayers. The scenery of Qixia Mountain is charming, especially in late autumn. The historical sites here are not only Qixia Temple, but also the Southern Dynasty Stone Carved Thousand Buddha Rock and the Sui Dynasty stupa. You should also not miss the Ming Xiaoling tomb, which is the tomb of the Ming dynasty's first emperor and his Queen Ma. Nanjing, let you experience the civilization and baptism of the ancient civilized capital during the tour.
Mogan Mountain - A weekend refreshing trip
Mount Mogan is located in Deqing County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, and is one of the four largest summer resorts in China. Mogan Mountain has rolling hills and beautiful scenery. It is known in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River for its green bamboo forests, clear mountain springs, villas dotted all over the country, and charming scenery of different seasons. It takes about 3 hours to drive here from Shanghai, and only 2 hours by high-speed train, it is the perfect place for vacation during summertime.
The Mogan Mountain is full of green bamboos and has a cool and pleasant climate, which is known as the "Cool World" since the Qing Dynasty. Mogan Mountain has numerous charming attractions, such as the scenic Luhuadang Park, the quiet Wuling Village, the magnificent Jianchi Waterfall, and so on. Mount Mogan is rich in famous tea, you may try to taste the pure Mogan yellow bud tea. In addition, the hotel here is also very distinctive. Many people who go to Mount Mogan are spending days in a characteristic hotel or guest houses. We recommend travelers overnight at a distinctive and exquisite hotel when you travel to Mount Mogan.
Chongming Island - 1 or 2 days sightseeing
Most of Chongming Island belongs to Chongming District, Shanghai, and a small part belongs to Nantong City, Jiangsu Province. It takes about 1.5 hours to drive from downtown Shanghai to Chongming Island. It is the third-largest island in China, the largest estuarine alluvial island, and the largest sand island in China, with a land-forming history of more than 1,300 years. A day or 2 visiting is suitable from spring to autumn.
Spring is a good time to go to Chongming Island to see rape blossoms, and there are also many kinds of prosperous blooming. Summer is a good time to stay in Chongming Island, as it's cooler than urban Shanghai. Besides, the beautiful lavender is blooming and you can see the stars all over the sky at night if lucky. Autumn is a good time to taste the seafood here. In addition, you will see many birds in Dongtan on Chongming Island. It is a bird-watching season just like spring. There are also various types of hotels and entertainment facilities.
Zhoushan Islands Leisure Tour - 2 or 3 days
Zhoushan Islands is located in the northeast of Zhejiang Province, the only maritime city in China known for its archipelago. Featuring sea, fishing, city, island, harbor, navigation, and commerce, it integrates island scenery, Marine culture, and Buddhist culture. There are 1,390 tiny or small islands scattered like bright pearls in the vast ocean, they all belong to the Zhoushan Islands. You can get here from Shanghai by plane, ferry, tourist bus or private car. Among those many islands, we would recommend Shengsi and Dongji islands for your weekend breaks from Shanghai.
The most noted Shengsi Islands are known as "the fairy mountains on the sea", and famous for the strange blue seas and golden sands. There are more than 60 scenic spots in the whole Shengsi Islands, which are concentrated on Sijiao, Huanglong, Shengshan, Huadao, and Xiaoyangshan islands. Local night food stalls and seafood barbecues add another joy to the trip to Shengsi. Another famous Dongji Island is the easternmost island in China, standing in the arms of Zhoushan island. In addition to the beautiful scenery, sunshine, blue sea, and islands and reefs, there are also strong and primitive fisherman characteristics. The pure and simple fishermen live on the island day after day. Zhoushan Islands is a very suitable resort for a holiday.
Anji County - A weekend trip for City Wall and Bamboo Forest
Anji, a county under the jurisdiction of the Huzhou City of Zhejiang Province, is located in the hinterland of the Yangtze River Delta. Anji has picturesque natural scenery and a pleasant climate. Many residents near Shanghai will travel here on weekends to relax. It takes about 3 hours to drive here from Shanghai, and only 2 hours and 20 minutes by high-speed train.
The ancient city wall of Anji is the most complete prefectural and county-level city defense system in Zhejiang and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Anji is the largest bamboo culture ecological leisure tourism area in Southeast China, which you can’t miss the Bamboo Forest. Jiangnan Tianchi Scenic Area, where summer is a sea of flowers, and with spectacular snow scenes in winter. In addition, there is also the Tianhuangping Power Station, which has the largest installed capacity in Asia. Anji County also has scenic spots such as canyons, streams, forests, temples, and ski resorts. Anji is famous for its hot springs as well, and there are also a variety of hot spring hotels to choose from for overnight stays.
Linhai - Explore the southern Great Wall
Linhai Great Wall is also called the City Wall of the Ancient City of Taizhou or Southern China Great Wall. It is located in Linhai City, Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province. It takes about 3 hours to reach Linhai City from Shanghai by high-speed train.
The Linhai Great Wall was first built in AD 402 of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and has been demolished, rebuilt, and repaired many times in history. The Great Wall we see today was basically rebuilt during the Qing Dynasty between 1658 and 1712. With a total length of more than 6,000 meters and more than 5,000 meters in existence, it is a city wall with dual functions of military defense and flood control. As we all know, most of the Great Wall lies between the lofty mountains in northern China, standing for more than two thousand years. The Linhai Great Wall in Zhejiang also has a history of more than 1600 years and was built along the river, surrounded by mountains and twists and turns. It is more unique in that the two sides of the ancient city wall are towering with ancient trees and green all year round.