Shaoxing is located in the north-central part of Zhejiang Province, nestled between Hangzhou and Ningbo. When it comes to Shaoxing (绍兴), the first thing that comes to mind is the Chinese literary giant Lu Xun. His deep love for his homeland is evident everywhere, from the Baicao Garden to the Sanwei Study Room, from Kong Yiji's fennel beans to the melodious Shaoxing opera. This cultural ancient city, established during the Xia Dynasty, boasts a rich history spanning over 2500 years. Its lifeblood is the ancient canal in eastern Zhejiang, while Kuaiji Mountain serves as its backbone. This land has given rise to many eminent literary and historical figures, such as Qiu Jin, Cai Yuanpei, and Zhou Enlai. Meanwhile, black-awning boats, black felt hats, and yellow wine (Shaoxing Wine) are all symbols of Shaoxing’s unique charm. Compared with other water towns in the Jiangnan region, Shaoxing exudes more scholarliness and the intoxicating fragrance of yellow wine.
You can spend 1~2 days in Shaoxing to see all the classic attractions such as Lu Xun Native Place, Bazi Bridge, Shen Yuan, Shaoxing East Lake, etc.
However, most tourists wouldn't just visit Shaoxing, but take Shaoxing as the extent destination of their Hangzhou, Zhejiang or Yangtze River Delta Tours. Therefore, before or after your Shaoxing tour, you can have 5~6 days to visit Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou together. Visitors may also extend the tour to the famous Yellow Mountain for 2~3 days.
If you prefer sea scenery, you can extend your trip to east Zhejiang, visit the 7000-year-old Ningbo city and take a ferry to Putuoshan to feel the fusion of religious culture and island scenery.
Moreover, it is also a good idea to travel Shaoxing and other popular destinations in China, such as Beijing, Xian, Yangtze River, Xiamen, Chengdu, Kunming, etc. All our tours can be customized according to your interests, group size, needs, travel time, budget, etc. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us for a personal Shaoxing, Zhejiang tour 2025/2026! Shaoxing Tours, Private Shaoxing Tour Packages 2025 >>
To discover the historic, cultural and nature charm of Shaoxing, there are a series of famous attractions you can’t miss on your trip, including Luxun Native Place, Bazi Bridge, Cangqiao Zhijie, Calligraphy Sage Historic Site, Shen Garden, and Qingteng Study, etc. in the downtown area, and East Lake, Orchid Pavilion, Anchang Ancient Town and Kuaiji Mountain, etc. in Shaoxing suburb. Top 10 Shaoxing Attractions | Places to Visit in Shaoxing 2025 >>
Luxun Native Place (鲁迅故里) scenic spot is the place where Lu Xun and his family lived. There is not only the Xianheng Hotel mentioned in Lu Xun's article Kong Yiji, but also the famous Baicao Garden and Sanwei College, and other sites closely related to Lu Xun, such as Luxun Memorial Hall, Changqing Temple, etc.
East Lake (东湖), one of the three famous lakes in Zhejiang Province. The ingenious combination of cliffs, caves, stone bridges and lakes, makes it become a famous garden. Although the east lake is small, but with the spectacular scenery formed by peculiar rocks and fancy caves, it’s recognized as a rare "wonder in lakes".
Bazi Bridge (八字桥) has been praised as “the oldest overpass in China”. The shape of the bridge is like the character “八”, cleverly connecting the three converged rivers. The design of the Bazi bridge conforms to the layout of streets and houses in Shaoxing old city, and makes good use of the terrain.
Cangqiao Zhijie (仓桥直街) is a historic and picturesque place that has witnessed the daily life and cultural heritage of the local people. You can also visit the ancient bridges, narrow alleys, and beautiful canals that run through the street, making it a perfect place for those who want to explore the authentic Chinese waterside lifestyle.
Calligraphy Sage Historic Site (书圣故里) is a place that embodies the essence of traditional Chinese calligraphy and culture. It was the residence of Wang Xizhi, the revered “Sage of Calligraphy.” Additionally, the scenic spots closely related to Wang Xizhi, such as the Ink Pool (墨池) and the Goose Pond (鹅池), can be found here.
Influenced by the beautiful love story between Lu You and his cousin Tang Wan, Shen Garden (沈园) has now become “the love garden of Shaoxing”. One of the must-sees in Shen Yuan is a wall in the screen wall made of old bricks from the Song dynasty, Phoenix Hairpin by Lu You, which was written to memorize Tang Wan, and was engraved on the wall.
The simple and elegant Anchang Old Street (安昌古镇) was built along the river hundreds years ago with the characteristics of water towns. Over 1000 years’ folk customs of Shaoxing are mostly preserved and continued here. Strolling along Anchang old street in the middle of winter, you can sense more about the jubilation and peacefulness of locals.
Orchid Pavilion (兰亭) was the place where the calligrapher Wang Xizhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty wrote "the first script" - The Orchid Pavilion. Although the original script of Wang Xizhi is no longer here, it is still a poetic place with lush forest and bamboo, you may have a glimpse of the comfort of ancient literati.
Qingting Study (青藤书屋) is a place steeped in literary and historical significance. It was the residence and study of Xu Wei, a renowned scholar and artist of the Ming Dynasty. The bookshelves are filled with ancient texts and manuscripts, and other sites closely related to Xu Wei, such as the stone inscriptions and the well where he drew inspiration, can also be found here.
Kuaiji Mountain (会稽山·大禹陵) is a spiritual place of worship, surrounded by green trees and glazed tiles on red walls, showing the veneration of Da Yu by posterity. The whole mausoleum and temple were built along the mountain with a beautiful natural environment. Walking into the forest, you can hear birds’ singing and feel the wind’s blowing, very poetic.
As a famous cultural city for many years in China, Shaoxing offers many interesting activities for you to have fun. Taking a black-awning boat, watching classic Yue opera, tasting local food and attending local featured festivals will all enrich your Shaoxing trip.
The black-awning boat is a unique water transportation tool in Shaoxing. A trip to Shaoxing without taking a black-awning boat is like a trip to Venice without taking a Gondola. Riding a swinging boat and shuttling in the waterway, is the best way to enjoy the harmonious scenery of small bridges, streams and local residences.
Shaoxing is the hometown of Yue opera, so when you come to Shaoxing, listening to the authentic Yue Opera should not be missed. Yue opera, also known as Shaoxing opera, is the second largest opera in China. Yue operas are mainly based on the theme of "talented scholars and lovely ladies", mainly sung with a beautiful voice and a moving performance.
Shaoxing is not only famous for its yellow rice wine, traditional Shaoxing dishes and local snacks also have attracted countless gourmets from all over the world. Preserved Vegetable Roast Meat, Deep-Fried Fermented Tofu, Beans Flavored with Fennel, etc. are all famous local foods. Xianheng Hotel is the top recommended place to try local dishes.
Shaoxing has many local featured festivals, such as The Twelfth Lunar Month Festival held in Anchang Ancient Town, Calligrapher Festival held at Orchid Pavilion Scenic Spot, Lu Xun Culture & Art Festival and Shaoxing Yellow Wine Festival held at Shaoxing Downtown, etc.
Shaoxing is located in the subtropical monsoon climate zone with four distinct seasons. The climate is mild, wet and rainy. It has an average annual temperature of 16.4℃ and an average annual rainfall of about 100mm. In spring, the temperature rises gradually. The rainfall is increased in spring and the weather changes greatly. The plum rainy season in Ningbo occurs from mid-June to early July, with relatively concentrated rainfall and often accompanied by heavy rains. After the Plum Rain, the hot summer begins. Ningbo summer is featured with sunny weather, high temperature and strong sunlight, which might cause local drought occasionally. In autumn, the temperature falls gradually, usually after rain. Most of the time, the air is fresh and cool. However, the city might be affected by the typhoon in October, accompanied by strong wind and heavy rain. Winters in Ningbo are cold and dry with stable weather.
The best seasons to visit Shaoxing are spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November), when the temperature is warm and the UV is not so strong. There are also many local festivals held during this time. It is recommended to take your rain gear if you visit Ningbo from June to August, and sunglasses as well as sun cream in summer.
Shaoxing has no airport but is well connected with other cities in Zhejiang province and main destinations in China by high-speed train and coach. Shaoxing is about 60km southeast from Hangzhou - the capital of Zhejiang, about 110km west from Ningbo and about 200km southwest from Shanghai.
There is no airport in Shaoxing. However, Shaoxing is only about 40km away from Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport. There are direct buses to Shaoxing from Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport from 7:00-20:00, and the bus leaves every 50-60 minutes.
There are 4 train stations in Shaoxing, which are Shaoxing North Railway Station, Shaoxing Railway Station, Shaoxing East Railway Station and Zhuji Railway Station. Among which, North Railway Station is the high-speed train station in Shaoxing, which has many daily trains from Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Xiamen, Ningbo, Wuhan, Changsha, etc. Shaoxing North Railway Station (绍兴北站) is about 15km north from Luxun Native Place, which takes 40 minutes by car and about 1 hour by BRT Line 1.
Another frequently used train station is Shaoxing Railway Station (绍兴站), it’s also the only train station located in the city center, only about 2.5km from Luxun Native Place. However, only normal trains would stop at this railway station.
Shanghai to Shaoxing: Every day, there are over 30 G and D high-speed trains running between the two cities from 6:00-20:30. The fastest run only takes 1 hour. More details about the train stations & real-time train schedule, read more about Get from Shanghai to Shaoxing >>
Hangzhou to Shaoxing: Taking a high-speed train is a popular way among travelers to transfer between Hangzhou and Shaoxing. Over 60 daily G and D trains travel for about 20 minutes between them. More details about the train stations & real-time train schedule, read more about Get from Hangzhou to Shaoxing >>
There are 3 bus stations in Shaoxing downtown. The inter-provincial and inter-city long-distant buses are all depart from Shaoxing Passenger Bus Center (绍兴客运中心), you may take buses to major cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, etc. and Chinese provinces like Jiangsu, Anhui, Fujian, Sichuan, Guangdong, etc. For those who are only transfer in the city or in Zhejiang province, may take buses at the Shaoxing East Bus Station or Shaoxing West Bus Station.
Taxies, public buses, BRT and other city vehicles like public bicycle, human tricycle and black-awning boat are very convenient to take you to where you want to go here in Shaoxing downtown. However if you want to visit the East Lake, Orchid Pavilion, Kuaiji Mountain and Anchang Ancient Town in suburb, you are recommended to book a private car service in advance.
To get rid of the troubles of making busy transfers at Shaoxing city, you are highly suggested to use our private transfer service. Once you travel with us, our local driver can escort you from the airport/train station/hotel to the tourist sites in Shaoxing in ease and convenience. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us.
Even the urban area of Shaoxing is not large, you can still find all kinds of accommodate from luxury 5-star hotel to cozy 3-star hostels and inns. Most Tourists will choose to stay in the city center. Lu Xun's Hometown Scenic Area, as well as Renmin Road, Jiefang Road, Shengli Road and Yan 'an Road are all included in the city center area. Besides, tourists can also choose hotels around the City Square and around Shaoxing Railway Station.
Top Recommended Hotels in Shaoxing:
Here we list some very useful maps about Shaoxing City for your reference. You can feel free to use them if you want to know the location, transportation and attractions of Shaoxing through maps.
Shaoxing China Map
Shaoxing Tourist Map
Shaoxing Transportation Map
After a Shaoxing tour, you can take a bullet train to Shanghai, Hangzhou, Huangshan, Suzhou, Ningbo, Jiaxing, Yuyao to find more interesting attractions. Also, you can go to the sacred Putuo Mountain in Zhoushan to feel rich Buddhist culture. Discovery now!
All itineraries and side trips can be customized privately, so please feel free to contact with our travel consultants if you have this kind of need.
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