‘Hangzhou is the most beautiful and elegant city in the world’! said Marco Polo when he came here in 13th century. Another saying goes, ‘There is a paradise in heaven, On earth there is Hangzhou’. So you get the idea – when you visit Hangzhou you’ll see that it’s a really lovely place, with willow-lined banks, ancient pagodas, and mist-covered hills. It’s one of the seven ancient capitals of China and the the political, economic and cultural center of the Zhejiang province. Check out our Jobs in Hangzhou now!
Old meets new
The city is a lovely mix of old and new with West Lake as the heart of the city, famous all over China for its beauty and culture and is one of the most visited tourist cities in the world – despite this, it’s still a delight to explore, either by foot or bike. See our Cost of Living Guide for Hangzhou.
Mmmmmm
As you’d expect, the food is incredible- the city is a culinary paradise with a large number of delicious dishes, and Hang Bang Cai or Hangzhou Cuisine is characterized by freshness and sweetness – Dongpo pork (东坡肉), beggar’s chicken (叫花鸡), long jing fried shrimp (龙井虾仁) and West Lake vinegar fish (西湖醋鱼) are all local specialities.
Tea and silk!
It’s a shoppers paradise, famous for its tea, in particular lóngjǐng (Dragon Well) green tea as well as silk, fans and scissors! You can find all these things at the bustling Wúshan Lu Night Market, and Xinhua Lu Silk Market.
It has a large expat community, and English teacher community, with many excellent bars, restaurants, sports facilities and teams, and entertainment options.
