Create meetup in Yangzhouchevron_right
Select a place on the map to change the location.
I want to meet
Verified required?
explore Yangzhou Guides
bar_chart Trends in Yangzhou
3 Days in Yangzhou: Itinerary 2026
Start your trip at Slender West Lake (Shouxi Hu), open 7:30-17:30, entrance 100 RMB. Spend the morning strolling along the lake, visiting the Five Pavilion Bβ¦ πΊοΈ Day 1: Slender West Lake & Old Town
Start your trip at Slender West Lake (Shouxi Hu), open 7:30-17:30, entrance 100 RMB. Spend the morning strolling along the lake, visiting the Five Pavilion Bridge and the White Pagoda. For lunch, head to the nearby Dongguan Street (Dongguan Gudu) for local snacks like Yangzhou fried rice and steamed buns.
ποΈ Day 1 Afternoon: Museums & Gardens
After lunch, visit the Yangzhou Museum (Wenchang Road, free entry) to learn about the city's canal history. Then walk to the Ge Garden (Geyuan), a classic Qing-dynasty garden with bamboo groves and rockeries, open until 17:00, ticket 45 RMB. End the day with a foot massage at one of the many bathhouses near the old town.
π Day 2: Morning Tea & Daming Temple
Begin day two with a traditional Yangzhou morning tea at Fuchun Teahouse (Deshengqiao Road, around 50 RMB per person). Then take a taxi (15 minutes, 20 RMB) to Daming Temple on Shugang Peak, open 8:00-17:00, entrance 45 RMB. Climb the Qiling Pagoda for panoramic views of the city.
π€ Day 2 Afternoon: Grand Canal Cruise
From Daming Temple, take bus 25 or a taxi (20 minutes) to the Grand Canal dock near Wenchang Pavilion. Enjoy a 1-hour boat cruise (60 RMB) along the ancient waterway, passing under historic bridges. Disembark at Dongguan Street for dinner and explore the night market for souvenirs.
π³ Day 3: He Garden & Local Life
Spend your final morning at He Garden (Heyuan), a late-Qing garden with a two-story winding corridor, open 7:30-17:30, ticket 45 RMB. It's located on Xuningmen Street, a 10-minute walk from the old town. Afterward, wander the nearby Caoyuan Alley to see traditional residences and local artisans.
π Getting Around & Practical Tips
Yangzhou's main attractions are clustered in the old city, so walking and cycling are ideal. Public buses cost 2 RMB per ride, and taxis start at 8 RMB. For day trips, the Yangzhou East Bus Station has frequent buses to Zhenjiang (1 hour, 20 RMB) and Nanjing (1.5 hours, 60 RMB).
π½οΈ Where to Eat & Local Prices
For authentic Huaiyang cuisine, try Yechun Tea House (Wenchang Road, 80-120 RMB per person) or the more upscale Yangzhou Hotel Restaurant (Changjiang Road, 150-200 RMB per person). Street food like stinky tofu and sesame cakes costs 5-10 RMB. Budget around 200-300 RMB per day for meals.
π Best Evening Spots
Evenings are best spent along the Dongguan Street night market, open until 22:00, with live music and food stalls. For a quieter option, take a sunset walk along the Slender West Lake's causeway. The Wenchang Pavilion area also has several tea houses open late for a relaxing cup of Biluochun.
honestly the guide's pretty thorough but one thing it glosses over is how good the bike share system is here. the blue hellobikes are everywhere and it's like 1.5 RMB per 30 minutes, way easier than dealing with bus schedules. i spent my whole second day just biking between spots, the flat streets make it super chill
for day 3 i'd swap he garden for a morning at the yangzhou paper-cut museum on wenhe road. it's free and you can watch actual artisans working, they'll even let you try cutting a simple pattern for like 20 RMB. the stuff they sell there is way more unique than the mass-produced junk on dongguan street
also the biluochun recommendation in the guide is spot on but the tea houses near wenchang pavilion close by 9pm sharp, not 10 like some places claim. found that out when i showed up at 9:15 and got turned away
solid framework but you're missing the best part of yangzhou imo - the morning canal walk. skip the tourist boat and walk the section between wenchang pavilion and the old canal museum around 6am, it's free and you'll see locals doing tai chi, old guys playing chinese chess, and ladies washing vegetables in the canal like they've done for centuries. way more authentic than any cruise
for day 2 dinner on dongguan street, avoid the main drag and go one block north to the little food alley that runs parallel. there's a guy who's been selling huaiyang lion's head meatballs from the same cart for like 20 years, 15 RMB for two and they're way better than any restaurant version. also the biluochun tea they sell at the stalls near the night market entrance is usually last year's harvest, the real stuff is at the small tea shop on caoyuan alley, ask for the guy with the glasses
one practical thing - the public buses don't run super late, last ones around 9pm from most stops so if you're out late on dongguan street just budget 15-20 RMB for a taxi back to your hotel. and the museum is free but you gotta show your passport at the desk, learned that the hard way
This is a solid plan. One thing I'd add is that if you're there on a weekend, the morning tea at Fuchun gets absolutely packed by 8:30. I've had better luck at Yechun for a more relaxed start, and their crab meat soup dumplings are worth the extra few yuan. For the Grand Canal cruise, the 5 PM departure gives you a nice transition from daylight to the lights coming on along the banks, which is prettier than the midday ride. Also, don't skip the little alley behind Ge Garden where old ladies sell homemade osmanthus cakes for like 3 RMB, they're a better souvenir than anything on Dongguan Street.
Things to Do in Yangzhou (2026)
Slender West Lake is Yangzhou's crown jewel, a scenic canal lined with pavilions and bridges. The park opens at 7:30 AM and costs 100 RMB for adults. Arrive early toβ¦ π― Start at Slender West Lake
Slender West Lake is Yangzhou's crown jewel, a scenic canal lined with pavilions and bridges. The park opens at 7:30 AM and costs 100 RMB for adults. Arrive early to enjoy the morning mist over the water before the crowds arrive.
π Morning Tea Culture
Yangzhou is famous for its morning tea tradition, known as 'zao cha'. Head to Fuchun Teahouse at 35 Deshengqiao Road for steamed buns and green tea. A full set costs around 60 RMB per person, and the best time is before 9 AM to avoid queues.
π³ Explore the Ancient Canals
The old city is crisscrossed by canals that date back to the Tang dynasty. Take a boat ride from the Dongguan Gate pier for 80 RMB per person, which lasts about 40 minutes. Evening rides are especially atmospheric with lanterns lit along the banks.
ποΈ Visit the Daming Temple
Daming Temple, located at the foot of Shugang Hill, is a historic Buddhist site with a 1,500-year history. The temple grounds include the Qiling Pagoda, which you can climb for a panoramic view of the city. Admission is 45 RMB, and the temple opens at 8 AM.
π Watch a Yangzhou Opera
Yangzhou opera is a local art form combining singing, acting, and acrobatics. The Yangzhou Grand Theatre at 1 Dongfeng Road West hosts performances on weekends, with tickets starting at 120 RMB. Check the schedule in advance, as shows are not daily.
ποΈ Shop at Dongguan Street
Dongguan Street is a restored Ming-Qing dynasty pedestrian street filled with shops and snack stalls. Try the local 'wenhu cake' and buy hand-painted fans as souvenirs. The street is busiest in the late afternoon, so visit around 3 PM for a relaxed stroll.
π² Getting Around by Bike
Yangzhou is flat and bike-friendly, with many rental stations around the city. Use the HelloBike app to unlock bikes for 1 RMB per 30 minutes. Cycling along the moat near the old city walls is a pleasant way to see hidden corners.
π Evening Stroll on Songjiacheng
Songjiacheng is a restored historical area that comes alive at night with soft lighting and open-air bars. It is located near the Slender West Lake's south gate and is free to enter. Grab a drink at one of the canal-side cafes and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere.
fwiw the He Garden is prob a better bet if you're short on time compared to Ge Garden. it's 45 rmb too but the layout's more open and there's this two-story corridor that wraps around the whole thing. took me like 30 min to walk through and i got some solid photos of the rock gardens without anyone photobombing
also the guide's missing a good spot for dinner - try the food stalls on Caoyuan Street near the old city wall. it's not touristy at all, mostly locals grabbing lamb skewers and beer after work. the grilled eggplant there is 10 rmb and they load it with garlic and chili. way better than the overpriced stuff on Dongguan Street imo
one thing about the bike rental - the HelloBike app sometimes glitches if you're a foreigner with a non-Chinese number. i had to use the WeChat mini program instead which worked fine. just scan the qr code on the bike and it unlocks in like 5 seconds. 1.5 rmb for the first 15 min now i think, still cheap
the opera tip is solid but ngl the schedule's a pain to figure out. i went last month and ended up at the small teahouse stage on Dongguan Street instead - they do shorter 30 min excerpts for like 40 RMB with tea included. less polished but way more intimate and u can actually see the performers' expressions up close
also if you're hitting Daming Temple skip the pagoda climb on a hazy day. the view's just grey smog and you're better off saving the energy for the bamboo grove behind the main hall. super quiet back there even when the temple's busy
one thing nobody's mentioned yet - the Ge Garden bamboo forest is 45 rmb and like a 10 min walk from Dongguan Street. it's this tiny hidden scholar's garden with like 60 different bamboo species and these crazy rock formations that change color depending on the light. way less crowded than the main sights and you can finish it in under an hour
also if you're doing morning tea and want something different than the classic buns, try the 'qianceng yougao' at Fuchun - it's this layered scallion pancake thing that's way better than it sounds. costs like 15 rmb and goes perfect with the green tea. most tourists just order the xiaolongbao and miss it
the bike tip is good but honestly the city's small enough that walking between most of these spots is fine. i did Slender West Lake to Daming Temple to Dongguan Street in one afternoon and it was like 40 min total walking. saves u the hassle of finding bike parking which can be a pain near the popular areas