Hangzhou Old Town Mini-Hike: Herbs, Shrines and Wet Market｜China

Meet Hangzhou through the eyes of a local cultural researcher and content creator.

With an RMA in Cultural Analysis from the University of Amsterdam, a BA from Nanjing University, and five published academic papers on art and cross-cultural studies, I combine rigorous research with a inter-cultural perspective, translating the complexities of China into clear, accessible and engaging stories.

Begin at the foot of Wu Shan Hill, once home to the Song Dynasty royal courts. Walk through Da Jing Xiang, a historic alley network of courtyard homes. Pass heritage workshops including scissors, umbrella, and herbal medicine craftsmen.

Visit a 200-year-old mansion once famous for having the largest shop sign in China. Learn about Traditional Chinese Medicine and classical Chinese garden aesthetics. Enjoy a complimentary herbal tea in the historic apothecary hall.

Climb a gentle trail dotted with Taoist and Buddhist temples. See the Cheng Huang Miao (City God Temple), historically used for fire-watching. Spot zodiac-shaped rock formations and a Buddha carving that appears only when wet. Reach a hidden pavilion with panoramic views of West Lake and the city skyline.

Arrive at Hangzhou’s last old-school alley market. Experience traditional wet market culture with vendors shouting prices and locals bargaining. A perfect finish to your cultural and historical walk.

Thoughts behind the curation:
This walk brings together everything I love about Hangzhou: its quiet elegance preserved over centuries, its unexpectedly wild natural corners, and the unfiltered rhythms of everyday local life—all in one journey.

I’ve always been a city-history lover, and one day, while wandering through the old town in search of disappearing street snacks, I stumbled upon something that genuinely thrilled me. I realized that Da Ma Long open market sits right next to the trailhead of Wu Shan Hill. And when you come down from the hike on the other side, you arrive at Hu Qing Yu Tang—one of the most famous traditional Chinese pharmacies, as grand and beautiful as a palace, with a hidden Traditional Chinese Medicine museum tucked away in its old attic that even many locals don’t know about.

That moment of “wait… these are all connected?” was too good to keep to myself. So I turned it into a walking tour where these special places unfold naturally, one after another. It sounds like a lot, but everything is genuinely within easy walking distance.

If you’d like to skip the crowds and see Hangzhou the way I experience it—through small discoveries, local stories, and slow walking—I’d love to show you.