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Zhujiajiao, the closest water town to Shanghai
Just one hour from Shanghai There is a place where time seems to run at a different pace: Zhujiajiao, the village on the water closest to Shanghai.
With more than 1,700 years of history, this ancient and quiet Chinese village offers a unique landscape, with canals that run through the town, centuries-old stone bridges and narrow alleys that have barely changed in recent centuries. Walking through its streets is a great contrast compared to modern Shanghai, the cultural and architectural wealth of Zhujiajiao seems anchored in the past
Discover in this article everything you can see in Zhujiajiao, a must-see destination if you are looking for a different experience during your days in Shanghai.
- How to get from Shanghai to Zhujiajiao
- Where to stay in Zhujiajiao
- What to see in Zhujiajiao in 1 day
- Fangsheng Bridge, the most famous bridge to see in Zhujiajiao in 1 day
- North Street Alley
- Yuanjin Temple
- Tongtianhe Pharmacy
- Kezhi Garden
- Lang Bridge
- Zhujiajiao Post Office, the most important historical building to see in Zhujiajiao in 1 day
- Take a boat ride along the canals
- Temple of the City God
- Have a tea or coffee by the canals
How to go from Shanghai to Zhujiajiao
Near Shanghai there are several water villages such as Zhouzhuang, Xitang or Tongli but in this article we are going to focus on Zhujiajiao because it is the water town with the easiest access. It can even be reached by subway from downtown Shanghai.
How to get to Zhujiajiao by subway from Shanghai
Getting to Zhujiajiao by subway is an economical and comfortable option, just It costs 8 yuan If you are coming from central Shanghai, that is why we chose it. The first thing you need to do is get to the metro stop at Hongqiao Train Station. You can get here on either metro line 2 or line 10. Once at the station, you can take the metro line XNUMX or line XNUMX. You have to take metro line 17, which runs along the outskirts of Shanghai, and gets off at Zhujiajiao Station. The total journey time from the centre is approximately 1 hour.
La The station is about a 15-minute walk from the old town. and interesting part of the town. We went for a walk, but if you prefer, you can also approachcarRikshaws and some taxis will offer you their services.
How to get to Zhujiajiao by bus from Shanghai
You can also get to Zhujiajiao by Huzhu Express bus. which departs from Shanghai Pu'an Road Bus Station near People's Square. The journey takes approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes, although during rush hour traffic out of Shanghai can be very heavy and make the journey considerably longer. This bus terminates its route at Zhujiajiao Bus Station near the main entrance to the Old Town.
Visit Zhujiajiao with a tour
If you are traveling with your family or a group, you may be interested in doing a private tour with a guide in Spanish and includes transfers from Shanghai.
where to stay in Zhujiajiao
Although Zhujiajiao is ideal for a One day trip from Shanghai and it is the favorite option for most visitors, spending a night in this charming town on the water allows you to enjoy its tranquility when the crowds have left. That's what we did so we could enjoy the town with hardly any tourists, living with the locals. The price is another big advantage, hotels in Zhujiajiao are much cheaper than in Shanghai.
These are the hotels we recommend in Zhujiajiao, the village on the water:
- Yiyun Boutique Hostel: Good price and good location ⭐️
- Hello Hotel: Central, very modern and with breakfast
- La Joie Resort: Hotel facing the canals
What to see in Zhujiajiao in 1 day
Now that you know what to get to Zhujiajiao It's simple, let's go for what's really interesting, what to see in Zhujiajiao in 1 day. The town can be explored entirely on foot and is not too large, so you have enough time to get to know it in one day. We visited it on a couple of days during the week to coincide with fewer tourists because it is a very popular destination for spending the weekend thanks to its proximity to Shanghai. Without a doubt We recommend you do the same and come on a weekday..
It seems like On weekends there are even access controls because we saw many fences and controls at the entrances to the town that seemed to be used to limit capacity. I don't want to imagine how full the town must be for them to have to resort to this.
Fangsheng Bridge, the most famous bridge to see in Zhujiajiao in 1 day
We started talking about most famous spot to see in Zhujiajiao, Fangsheng BridgeThis bridge was built in 1571 and offers views of the entire main canal. It is an iconic photo spot, especially during sunset.
The bridge is completely built of stone and is by far the highest and largest bridge in the town. However, it was not our favorite bridge because it is where you will find the most people and, as it is on the main canal, it is a bit far from the houses. Later on we will tell you about some bridges that are much more intimate and beautiful.
North Street Alley
This narrow street It is the most important and historical of Zhujiajiao, Shanghai's water town. It runs parallel to the river and its origins date back more than 500 years. North Street It has always been a street famous for its large number of shops and restaurants. typical, although today almost all of them have been replaced by souvenir shops for Chinese tourists.
Although from our Western perspective everything they were selling seemed amazing and made it a very interesting street to see in Zhujiajiao.
You'll find dried fruit, traditional sweets, frog legs, live crickets in small cages (they're used to bring luck to businesses; you might remember them from the movie Mulan), handicrafts, and many other interesting things. On this street, we made our first ear cleaning, A very unusual and difficult-to-describe traditional treatment. If you dare to try it, don't worry; it won't hurt at all.
Yuanjin Temple
This Buddhist temple located next to the Tai'an bridge and facing the canals of Zhujiajiao It was founded in 1341. The temple itself is quite beautiful and can be seen from many points in the town. What makes it even more unique are all the traditional boats that are moored in front of it.
Tongtianhe Pharmacy
Tongtianhe Pharmacy is an old traditional pharmacy china what to see in Zhujiajiao.Its origins date back to the Qing Dynasty. Founded in 1882, this pharmacy has retained its original structure and continues to offer a wide variety of Chinese herbal medicines, ointments and traditional remedies.
The interior of the pharmacy is filled with very old-looking wooden shelves filled with drawers labeled with the names of different herbs and medicines. The pharmacy also houses a vast collection of medical utensils and tools that were used in the preparation of traditional remedies.
Kezhi Garden
This 19th-century private garden is a hidden gem that combines classical Chinese architecture with a labyrinth of gardens, pavilions, and a small lake. Not too many tourists come to this garden so it makes for a perfect place for a quiet stroll.
Lang Bridge
For us this is the best bridge in the whole town. Coincidentally, it is the only one built of wood and is roofed. Although it is narrow and very short, the surroundings and architecture of the bridge make it a unique place, one of the most calming in all of Zhujiajiao.
Zhujiajiao Post Office, the most important historical building to see in Zhujiajiao in 1 day
This former brick post office building is one of the first of its kind in this region and also dates back to the Qing DynastyIt currently functions as a museum and is used as an example to explaincar The history of the postal service in China and is one of the most famous museums to see in Zhujiajiao.
Inside the building you can explore exhibits that showcase old postage stampsenvelopes, and tools used in mail processing. There are also samples of carThe building houses historical records and documents that highlight the evolution of the postal system in the region. The building itself is well-preserved, with traditional architectural details that reflect its age.
Take a boat ride along the canals
This is the most popular activity What to do in Zhujiajiao and other water towns. For some reason unknown to us, we didn't see anyone offering this service or any tourists going by boat during the two days we spent here.
As this service was not offered during the days we were there, we cannot give our opinion on whether it is worth it or not. On the local tourism website they explain that the service operates from 8:30 a.m. to 16:00 p.m. and can be taken at the Kezhi Garden pier, the one on North Street and the one at the city temple. The price of the trip is 200 to 300 yuan per person depending on the route chosen and an additional 100 yuan if you want to return to the starting point.
Temple of the City God
The City God Temple is located on one of the main streets of Zhujiajiao and is one of the most prominent historical sites to see in Zhujiajiao. It was built during the Qing Dynasty, at the time of greatest splendor of the town and has great cultural and religious importance for the local community.
In Chinese culture, The City God is a local deity who protects the city and its inhabitants.. Each important city had its own temple dedicated to this deity.
The temple is designed in the traditional chinese architectural style, with curved roofs, wood carvings, and ornate columns. This temple remains an active place of worship, where locals and visitors often come to pray. During holidays such as Chinese New Year, the temple comes alive with special ceremonies and processions.
Have a tea or coffee by the canals
A great way to end your visit to this important water town is to have a cup of tea by one of its canals. You will find many shops offering tea and coffee on their small, charming terraces by the river. Try the famous Chinese tea in front of a traditional and relaxing landscape.
If you decide to visit a water town from Shanghai, you won't regret it. As you can see, there is a lot to see in Zhujiajiao in 1 day! If you have any questions or contributions about this place, we'll read them in the comments 😊.
To see what our experience was like in the Asian Giant, you can check out the featured stories of Instagram and read the rest of our Guides for traveling to China.
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