The city also offers good food and fine clothes.

In the city center there is the West Lake. The poet Su Shi once wrote: "West Lake may be compared to a fine lady, whether she is richly adorned or plainly dressed."

By the West Lake there is a Buddhist monastery built in 326 AD. Its Sakyamuni statue covered with gold foil stands 24.8 meters high and is the highest wooden Buddhist statue in China.

Leifeng Tower is also worth seeing. Legend has it that the tower was built to lock up the white snake that fell in love with the intellectual, Xu Xian. The tower also houses collections of historic relics such as Buddhist artifacts.

The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal has a history of over 1,400 years. Visitors can explore the streets bordering the canal. There is also an oriental gondola so people can enjoy a trip on the water.

History

Zhongshan Road used to be the royal pass of the former Song Dynasty emperors.

The nearby Song City is the biggest visitor park in China. Inside, there are traditional Song Dynasty style buildings, as well as markets built according to historic records of that time.

An archaeological site was discovered 20 km from the town center in 1936 and a museum was established to showcase around 400 historic items, which were unearthed.

Hangzhou has a long history of Chinese traditional medicine. The Huyuqing medicine house, founded by the Chinese businessman Hu Xueyan in the late Qing Dynasty (1624-1911), has an elegant courtyard.

In recent years, in reaction to demand, services like massage and foot bathing, popular among young people, have emerged.