Meeting Point

Qiantangmenwai Bus Stop

Site of Qiantang Gate

Hangzhou is a city of mountains and water, with urban life sitting right beside the lake and hills. At the old Qiantang Gate site, we start where the historic city once opened toward West Lake — a good place to understand how Hangzhou grew around the water.

Broken Bridge

Broken Bridge is one of the most famous landmarks on West Lake. Its name comes from an old visual illusion in winter, and it is also tied to the beloved Legend of the White Snake. This is a good place to connect the lake view with Hangzhou's storytelling tradition.

Bai Causeway

This elegant causeway stretches across West Lake and is named after Bai Juyi, the great Tang Dynasty poet who once governed Hangzhou. We will walk slowly along the water, with open lake views on both sides and plenty of time for photos.

Gushan

Walk from the causeway to Gushan, a scenic hill on the north bank of West Lake. Depending on your interests and the museum's opening hours, we can visit the Zhejiang Provincial Museum area for more cultural context, or add an optional boat ride across the lake for a closer view of Three Pools Mirroring the Moon.

Zhejiang Provincial Museum (Opitional For History Lovers)

The visit adds historical context to the walk through local art, archaeology, and objects connected with Zhejiang’s past. I’ll help explain the stories behind selected exhibits rather than rushing through the entire collection.

Zhongshan Park (Optional)

This peaceful park was once part of the Qing emperors’ residence and imperial garden in Hangzhou. Today, its old trees, rock formations, pavilions, and lake views offer a relaxing place to walk, watch for birds, and enjoy the quieter side of Gushan.

Beishan Street

This tree-lined street runs along the northern shore of West Lake and offers some of the best lake views in the city. Historic villas from the 1920s and 1930s sit beside the water, giving this part of the walk a quieter, more old-Hangzhou feeling.

Ending Point

Broken Bridge