Huzhou Nanxun Old Town, Zhejiang, China
4.5 (157 reviews) Wednesday: 7:55 AM - 4:33 PM Spent Ranking #1 in Huzhou Historic Walking Areas
Unexpected gem
Drove here from Shanghai, which might be a better option than what others went through. That said, we were on a road trip heading further west. Entrance payment has been abolished. I wouldn't call this place overly commercial. There are a lot of artists and craftsmen selling their wares in an exceedingly laid back vibe. The place is atmospheric and tranquil. At this stage it is a good sign to see Chinese tourists in a scenic spot and they are of a fairly high quality. If you are at all interested in Chinese dialect, the sounds of chatter around your will be an added simulatory bonus as the local dialect is comparatively delicate and soft spoken..
Address
No.38 Shiyuan Road, Nanxun Town, Nanxun District, Huzhou 313009 China
Mobile
Website
http://foreign.chinananxun.com
Working hours
Monday : 7:55 AM - 4:33 PM
Tuesday : 7:55 AM - 4:33 PM
Wednesday : 7:55 AM - 4:33 PM
Thursday : 7:55 AM - 4:33 PM
Friday : 7:55 AM - 4:33 PM
Saturday : 7:55 AM - 4:33 PM
Sunday : 7:55 AM - 4:33 PM
Current local date and time now
Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 23:12
User Ratings
4.5 based on (157 reviews)
Reviews
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4yfylou 5:00 PM Jan 9, 2020
'Well-preserved Traditional Residential Buildings'
The authentic and tranquil water village that has managed to retain its original features and traditional culture. I have always been fascinated by ancient buildings and history. I did enjoy a short pleasant boat rides here at the Nanxun old town.
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5Raymond W 5:00 PM Oct 13, 2014
Best of the Canal Towns
One of the most widely promoted tourist attractions of the Yangtxe River Delta Area are the so-called canal towns. These towns typically boast whitewashed houses with black-tiled roofs, courtyard gardens of osthmanus trees and weirdly shaped rocks, and picturesque old stone bridges over narrow canals. "Gondolas" offer a ride along narrow canals, providing a chance to step back into the region's watery past. You can experience these things at quite a number of towns, but for several reasons Nanxun is the pick of the crop. First and foremost, this town is simply less commercialized than many of its competitors. In other words, it is more authentic and soulful. Old people still sit in little restaurants here playing mah-jong and drinking tea, and most of the food offerings are local specialties. The two parts of the old town are split by a vegetable market, showing that this is still a lived-in town, not just a sterile museum piece. Secondly, the town has an interesting mix of European styles which makes this place a little different from the other canal towns. Liu's House, for example, features a classical portico and a red-brick residence with French balconies and stained glass in the windows. Due to the proximity to tehlate 19th century boom in Shanghai, Western influences began to circulate amongst the elite families here and their mansions are often offer a unique mix of Western ballrooms and Confucian family altars. The 100 yuan entrance ticket is quite steep, but you can easily spend half a day or more here if you visit all the hsitoric houses and gardens that the ticket covers. It is a possible day trip from Shanghai, Suzhou or Hangzhou, or you could also stay overnight in the modern town of Nanxun.
