China East Coast 7-Day Itinerary: Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou & Water Towns

The Yangtze River Delta region packs an extraordinary concentration of world-class experiences into a small geographic area. High-speed trains connect these cities in 30 minutes to 2 hours, making this one of China’s most comfortable multi-destination itineraries.

Table of contents

Route Overview

Shanghai (2 nights) → Hangzhou (2 nights) → Suzhou (1 night) → Water Town Day Trip → Shanghai

All travel by high-speed train; no internal flights needed.

Best season: March–May (spring flowers) or September–November (clear skies, autumn colours)

Day 1–2: Shanghai

Day 1: The Bund and Pudong

Arrive in Shanghai. The Bund (外滩) — the riverfront avenue of colonial-era banking buildings facing Pudong’s futuristic skyscrapers — is the defining visual of Shanghai. Walk the full promenade (best at sunset and after dark when both skylines are lit).

Lujiazui (陆家嘴) — cross to Pudong via the pedestrian tunnel or ferry (¥2). The Shanghai Tower Observation Deck (118th floor, 580m, the world’s second tallest building) gives staggering views on clear days. Entry ¥180.

Evening: Bar Rouge or any rooftop bar on the Bund side for sunset cocktails with the Pudong view.

Day 2: French Concession + Yu Garden

French Concession (法租界) — the former French administrative area is now Shanghai’s most vibrant neighbourhood. Tree-lined Wukang Road and Anfu Road are lined with boutique cafes, independent bookshops, design studios, and mid-century architecture. The Wukang Mansion (1924 French Renaissance building, now a TikTok/Instagram landmark) at the Wukang Road junction is the most photographed spot.

Tianzifang (田子坊) — a maze of shikumen (stone-gate lane houses) converted to artisan shops, cafes, and galleries. Best in late afternoon.

Yu Garden (豫园) — Ming Dynasty classical garden in the old city; the pond-and-pavilion scene is one of China’s most iconic. The surrounding Yuyuan Bazaar is touristy but a good snapshot of traditional Shanghai architecture.

Evening: Xintiandi (新天地) for dinner — preserved 1920s lane houses now containing restaurants from simple dumplings to Michelin-starred.

Day 3–4: Hangzhou

High-speed train Shanghai Hongqiao → Hangzhou (45 minutes, ¥75).

Day 3: West Lake

West Lake (西湖) is one of China’s most revered landscapes — a freshwater lake ringed by willow-draped embankments, ancient pagodas, and forested hills. Hire a rowing boat (¥80/hour) or take a cruise (¥45) to the mid-lake pavilions.

Essential walks:

• Bai Causeway (白堤) — the most famous of the lake’s embankments; views of Broken Bridge (断桥) are a classic postcard image in early spring when the bridge is “broken” by the snow-line
• Su Causeway (苏堤) — longer embankment with peach blossom in spring and lotus flowers in summer
• Leifeng Pagoda (雷峰塔) — hilltop tower with panoramic lake views; sunset from here is magnificent

Evening: Dinner along Hefang Street (河坊街) — traditional Hangzhou dishes including Dongpo pork braised belly and West Lake fish in sweet-and-sour sauce.

Day 4: Longjing Tea Village + Lingyin Temple

Early morning: take bus No. 27 to Longjing Village (龙井村) — the home of Dragon Well tea. In April, the entire hillside is a mosaic of jade-green tea terraces. You can taste and buy directly from farmers, and even try picking tea yourself.

Afternoon: Lingyin Temple (灵隐寺) — one of China’s wealthiest Buddhist temples, set in a forested valley with 9th-century stone carvings. Still an active place of worship. Entry to the temple zone: ¥45.

Evening: Catch the high-speed to Suzhou (1 hour, ¥70–¥100).

Day 5: Suzhou — City of Classical Gardens

Suzhou has nine UNESCO World Heritage classical gardens packed into a compact old city crisscrossed by canals. Two is a reasonable day; true garden lovers could spend three days here.

Must-visit gardens:

• Humble Administrator’s Garden (拙政园) — Suzhou’s largest and considered China’s finest garden. Water pavilions, wisteria pergolas, lotus ponds. Entry ¥90.
• Tiger Hill (虎丘) — slightly outside the garden district; a pagoda leaning 2 degrees (China’s own Leaning Tower) on a hilltop above ancient burial grounds. Beautiful atmosphere. Entry ¥60.
• Lion Grove Garden (狮子林) — compact garden famous for its surreal limestone rockeries shaped like lions. Entry ¥30.
• Master of Nets Garden (网师园) — Suzhou’s most intimate garden; evening “garden opera” performances (Oct–Nov) are worth booking ahead.

Canals: The Pingjiang Road (平江路) canal street is Suzhou’s most atmospheric — whitewashed buildings reflect in the water, gondola-style erjia boats punt past. Good restaurants and tea houses line the canal.

Day 6: Ancient Water Town Day Trip

From Suzhou or Shanghai, pick one of these ancient canal towns:

Wuzhen (乌镇)

The most polished and photogenic of China’s water towns. Two distinct zones: East Wuzhen (free) and West Wuzhen (¥120 entry + ¥60 night entry). The West zone is fully preserved — black-beam wooden houses on stone-paved lanes over dark canals, lit by lanterns at night. Stay overnight to experience it before and after day-trip crowds.

Best photo spot: the Xizha (西栅) night scene, where the entire waterway is reflected lantern light.

Zhouzhuang (周庄)

The original “Venice of the East” — more compact than Wuzhen but genuinely ancient. The Shen Residence (沈厅) and Zhang Residence (张厅) are Ming-Qing dynasty merchant mansions. Entry: ¥105.

Access: Direct buses from Suzhou (1.5 hours, ¥30) or Shanghai Nanmen Bus Terminal (2 hours, ¥45).

Day 7: Return to Shanghai

Return train to Shanghai. Use the morning for:

• Nanjing Road (南京路) pedestrian shopping street — China’s most famous shopping boulevard
• M50 Creative Park (莫干山路50号) — Shanghai’s contemporary art district in converted textile mills; free entry
• Jing’an Temple (静安寺) — gold-roofed temple dramatically surrounded by modern skyscrapers — a uniquely Shanghai juxtaposition

Depart from Shanghai Pudong International or Hongqiao depending on your flight.

Transport Summary

Book trains: Trip.com (English) or 12306.cn
All trains: Book 2–3 days ahead; seats usually available except Golden Week holidays

Budget Estimate