Yangzhou is really a comfortable city. No wonder everyone loved Jiangnan back then! You can be satisfied with eating, drinking and having fun in Yangzhou. Eating morning tea, visiting the gardens, and soaking in hot springs is simply too refreshing!

Although Yangzhou is indeed a very beautiful time after fireworks in March, it also attracts the most tourists. Of course, Yangzhou itself has a long reputation, so it has always been a city where tourists are keen to check in.

Start the day in Yangzhou from morning tea

The day to start Yangzhou must start with morning tea! Yangzhou morning tea is what I miss most, and I will definitely have a good meal when I come to Yangzhou!

What you must order are emerald steamed dumplings, fine sand buns, fresh meat steamed dumplings, hot dried shredded silk, etc. Don't forget to also have crab powder soup dumplings! There is also a mantra for eating crab powder soup dumplings: "Gently lift, move slowly, open the window first, then drink the soup, and finally sweep it off."

When it comes to Yangzhou where to eat morning tea, Quyuan, Yechun and Fuchun are all good choices. Quyuan also has several branches in Yangzhou, and the one near Slender West Lake is the best business. After all, the restaurant has an antique environment and the surrounding environment is comfortable. It's like in everyone's garden, where you can also play and take photos while waiting.

In the recent tourist season, it is said that the morning tea restaurant will be waiting at 5 a.m. So... make plans in advance!

Shangri-La's Xianggong has also launched Liuyuan Spring Morning Tea. It is very pleasant to eat morning tea while looking at the garden scenery! In addition to traditional Yangzhou cuisine, this morning tea is also combined with Cantonese morning tea, such as milk yellow buns, steamed chicken feet, etc., and the crab powder soup dumplings are also made differently and refreshing.

Slender West Lake, take a cruise ship and watch the spring breeze

The reason why it is called Slender West Lake is indeed because it is thinner than West Lake. The entire lake stretches long and narrow, surrounded by lush vegetation on both sides, just as beautiful as the West Lake.

Of course, Slender West Lake also has its own unique features, that is, it is home to simple and colorful garden buildings, such as Xiaojinshan, Xuyuan, etc., and there are many arch bridges in Slender West Lake in different shapes, such as the 24th Bridge, which has a long-standing reputation. Isn't there a poem that says,"There is a bright moon on the twenty-four bridges, where can the jade man teach to play flute?"

The most representative part of Slender West Lake is Wuting Bridge. Wuting Bridge is a bridge with southern characteristics. It is said that when the full moon reaches, a moon can be seen in all 15 bridge holes under the bridge.

Taking advantage of the pure color, you can really see the scenery of Wuting Bridge in various places in Slender West Lake. Walking through Wuting Bridge, you can still hear the bells at the eaves being blown by the wind and shaking out a string of crisp sounds.

The spring breeze blows willows, water, and faces. Such exquisiteness is indeed rare.

Diaoyutai is also a must-check place for tourists, not only because of the interesting stories passed down here, but also from the entrance of this Diaoyutai, you can see the interactive scenery of the White Pagoda and Wuting Bridge at the same time! Of course, it's too difficult to take pictures when no one is around.

Many pavilions and buildings in the scenic area are antique, and some shops have been used as souvenirs and cultural and creative products. You can visit and buy some as souvenirs.

I think the best way to visit Slender West Lake is to take a hand-operated boat and shuttle leisurely through various attractions and bridge holes to feel the beauty of Slender West Lake.

The hand-operated boat ladies in Slender West Lake must have the skill to sing Yangzhou minor. Listening to the small tune and blowing the lake wind, I feel really comfortable ~

There are also food gathering places in Slender West Lake, such as 1757 Food Street or Food Court near Wuting Bridge. Enjoy a meal of Jiangnan food, which not only has local characteristics in Yangzhou, but also snacks from other places!

If you come at 6 o'clock in the morning, there are really few tourists and it will be very quiet!

Ticket prices for Slender West Lake: 120 yuan in off-season and 150 yuan in peak season;

Cruise boats in the scenic area: electric boat 35 yuan/hour; pedal boat 25 yuan/hour; manual boat 20 yuan/hour charter deposit 50 yuan.

Geyuan, named after bamboo, is comparable to the four major gardens

Speaking of Yangzhou, there is actually one garden that is comparable to the four major gardens in China, and that is Geyuan. You will wonder why it is such a name? Because the owner of the garden particularly likes bamboo, a lot of bamboos are planted in the garden, and the shape of the bamboo leaves is like the word "ge" and half of the word "bamboo" is named after the word "ge".

Representative buildings in the garden include Baoshan Tower, Qingyi Pavilion, Yiyuxuan, etc., and walking in the bamboo forest in the northern part of the garden is also a very pleasant thing. Even on a scorching summer day, you can feel the coolness.

The Geyuan was built during the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty and is divided into the northern bamboo-tasting area, the central garden and the southern residential area. The biggest feature of the Geyuan is the concept and architecture of the "Four Seasons Rockery." Behind the gate is the spring scenery, the summer scenery is located in the northwest of the garden, the autumn scenery is in the northeast of the garden, and the winter scenery is in the east of the spring scenery. The so-called spring, summer, autumn and winter scenery is displayed in the form of a rockery. For example, in Chunshan, stalagmites are planted in bamboo bushes to show the appearance of bamboo shoots after rain. In Xiashan, bluish-gray Taihu Lake stone is mainly used, in Qiushan, Yellowstone rockery is used, and in Dongshan, white Xuan stone is used.

There is also a residential area in the Geyuan, because Geyuan was originally a private garden of the Yangzhou salt merchants 'residence in the Qing Dynasty. It is very spacious and atmospheric, and traces of historical times can be seen.

Dongguan Street is the busiest and has everything you need

Geyuan is Dongguan Street, the busiest neighborhood in Yangzhou. It is more than 1000 meters long and extends from Guoqing Road to the ancient canal. Some people say that the must-visit neighborhood when visiting Yangzhou must be Dongguan Street. You can go directly to Dongguan Street when you come out from the south entrance of Geyuan.

Tourists are really crowded with each other on Dongguan Street. There are also a variety of restaurants, souvenir shops, inns and B & Bs on both sides of the street. It takes an hour to walk the entire journey.

You may wish to try street snacks. I think there are many queues for coarse tea and rice. Other local restaurants in Yangzhou are also doing very well.

He Garden, the first garden in the late Qing Dynasty

Don't think that this He Garden is less famous than Geyuan, but it doesn't have to have fewer tourists! It is a representative work of Yangzhou gardens in the late Qing Dynasty. The main attractions include rockery, complex road corridors, horse-riding buildings, etc.

The whole park is divided into four parts: East Park, West Park, Garden Residential Courtyard, and Pishishan Mountain House. Recommended places to check in include East Garden, West Garden, Peony Hall, wall-mounted rockery, Fudao Corridor, Shuixin Pavilion, etc.

The biggest feature of He Garden is that it gives full play to the function and charm of corridor buildings. The 1500-meter complex corridor is a rare sight in Chinese gardens. Tourists can visit the gardens in all directions, different angles and different experiences, truly embodying the beauty of Chinese garden art of changes and the beauty of extending in all directions.

I like walking in every corridor, every water pavilion, every corridor, and every rockery in He Garden. It is really like exploring. It is not only beautiful, but also full of fun.

Lu's salt merchant, a mansion in the late Qing Dynasty

Lu's Salt Merchants Residence is the largest luxury residence for salt merchants in Yangzhou in the late Qing Dynasty. I think this is a must-check historical site in Yangzhou. The most important thing is that there are relatively few tourists here, and it is even more shocking as an ancient house of salt merchants.

It is known as the first floor of the Salt Merchants. It is located next to the Kangshan Cultural Park. It has a depth of more than 100 meters and covers an area of more than 6,000 square meters. The gate facing south is very magnificent.

After entering from the gate, you will pass through various halls and corridors, including Huaihai Hall, Lanxin Hall, Hanbi Hall, and Yiqing Building. The halls and halls are connected, and the halls are particularly spacious.

From the inside of the house, there are small gardens distributed on both sides of the patio, with rockery, flowers and plants, and layout styles and exquisite ideas.

I prefer the backyard of the house, which is a green garden. The hexagonal pavilion, stone boat boat, pool, etc. interact with each other, creating a beautiful scenery in the south of the Yangtze River!

In fact, the current Lu's ancient residence is also a good place to taste Huaiyang cuisine. Under the management of Yangzijiang Group, refreshments and delicious food have been newly launched to allow tourists to taste Huaiyang delicacies in the ancient residence, which has a unique flavor. However, lunch requires reservations, morning tea does not accept reservations and is open only from 7:00 to 10:00.

Itinerary, hotel, food recommendations

DAY1jQuery17103850175162730014_1620457104876 Yangzhou East Railway Station-He Garden-Lushi Salt Merchants-Lion Tower

DAY2jQuery17106354041007119058_1620459234380 Morning Tea-Geyuan-Dongguan Street-Yangzhou Banquet

DAY3?? Slender West Lake-Soak in Hot Springs-Return Trip

For Huaiyang cuisine, you can choose from several famous restaurants in Yangzhou City. However, the business is really good and positioning is difficult. It is best to ask in advance, such as Quyuan Tea House, Yangzhou Banquet, etc.

You can also go to Xishi Lou to eat lion's head. Hahaha, Causeway Huaiyang cuisine will definitely satisfy your taste buds!

You can also see the chef performing Wensi tofu personally. The cutting skills are simply amazing! Cut a piece of tofu into thousands of pieces and spread it in the water, it's really amazing!

When it comes to where to stay in Yangzhou, there are several hotels that recommend it, but it depends on your own needs. Do you want to have morning tea or soak in the hot springs, haha. If you want to have morning tea, you can choose from these two hotels.

Slender West Lake Songcheng Resort Hotel is great because there is also an interesting garden on the first floor of this hotel! There are not many waiting tables compared to Slender West Lake, and the environment is equally comfortable. The hotel itself also has an outdoor garden.

After all, it is Quyuan, so you can eat authentic and delicious morning tea and Huaiyang cuisine.

The hotel rooms are elegant and spacious. In order to improve comfort and cleanliness, each room is equipped with an air purifier and disinfection cabinet. I like to sit on the sofa by the bed and quietly watch the scenery and drink tea.

By the way, there are also benefits for staying here to soak in hot springs. There is a small yellow car to take it to Slender West Lake Hot Spring Hotel for free hot springs ~

The other is Shangri-La Hotel, Yangzhou. This Xianggong restaurant has launched Liuyuan Spring Morning Tea. In the garden-designed pavilions and pavilions, you can quietly enjoy a morning tea combining Huaiyang cuisine and Cantonese cuisine. It is also a different experience! However, most of them will be in the indoor dining environment of the hotel, such as gardens and pavilions, which require reservations in advance to make arrangements.

If you want to soak in hot springs, Slender West Lake Hot Spring Resort is a great choice. But you really have to book in advance. Business is very good!

What you have to experience when you come to Yangzhou is water wrapping. If you stay in this hot spring hotel, you won't have to go to the attractions to be crowded with people. The hotel's hot springs have various soup ponds, some for health preservation, some for skin preservation, as well as fish treatment ponds. It's really comfortable to spend most of the day, which is especially refreshing!

There are also some private soup ponds that can have a different experience. A floating afternoon tea in an undisturbed environment is really enjoyable. There are also some interesting ones like hot pot soup ponds that feel like you are being stewed and eaten, haha.