Wenzhou 3-Day Citywalk Guide

Wenzhou — birthplace of the Yongjia School of Thought, a thousand-year-old seaport in southern Zhejiang — is where the surreal peaks of Yandang Mountain meet the timeless villages of Nanxi River. On Wuma Street, the aroma of Lamp Cakes (dengzhangao) has drifted for a century; on Jiangxin Island, twin pagodas watch the Oujiang River tides rise and fall. Lonely Planet describes Wenzhou as "a pivotal player in China's wheeling and dealing free market economy" — a prosperous port city famed for shoes and business, yet hiding some of Zhejiang's most breathtaking landscapes just beyond its urban edges.

📅 Itinerary Overview

Day	Area	Theme	Where to Stay
Day 1	Lucheng District (Downtown)	Old Town & River Stroll	Near Wuma Street / Jiangbin Road
Day 2	Yandang Mountain	UNESCO Geopark Peaks	Xianglingtou Village guesthouse
Day 3	Nanxi River	Ancient Villages & Bamboo Rafting	Return to city or stay in Yantou Town

Day 1: Old Wenzhou · Along the Oujiang

Wuma Street (五马街) Wenzhou's premier pedestrian street, dating back to the Eastern Jin dynasty and named after calligrapher Wang Xizhi's "Five Horses" legend. Cobblestone lanes lined with century-old shops make this the perfect entry point into the city known as the "City of Oriental Jews." Grab a Lamp Cake from the legendary Dawang stall and stroll.
Jiangxin Island (江心屿) A thousand-year-old sanctuary in the middle of the Oujiang River, flanked by two pagodas — one from the Tang dynasty (east), one from the Song (west). The old British Consulate building hides among ancient banyan trees. A ¥30 ferry ride delivers you to this poetic oasis; Lonely Planet notes it as the most atmospheric spot within the city limits. Visit at sunset for the best light.
Shuomen Street & Qiaolou Watchtower The sole surviving northern gate of old Wenzhou's city wall, recently restored as a heritage quarter. As evening falls, walk along the Oujiang riverside promenade — the glittering lights of Oubei across the water make this a beloved local evening ritual.
Dinner: Sink into a bowl of Tall Man Wonton (长人馄饨) on Jiefang North Road — wrappers thin as paper, filled with fresh pork, floating in a broth seasoned with laver, egg threads, and dried shrimp. Follow with sesame-filled Xianqian Tangyuan next door.

Day 2: Yandang Mountain · Best Mountain by the Sea

Getting there: High-speed train from Wenzhou South to Yandangshan Station (~30 min, ¥30), then shuttle bus or taxi to Xianglingtou Village (~15 min).

Lingfeng Peak (灵峰) The crown jewel of Yandang. By day, the Hezhang (Palms-Together) Peak is an imposing sight. By night, the "Lingfeng Nightscape" is pure magic — under moonlight and silhouette, the peaks transform into shapes like Husband-and-Wife Peak, Eagle Folding Wings, and more. Lonely Planet calls it "one of China's most imaginative mountain nightscapes."
Dalongqiu Waterfall (大龙湫) One of Yandang's "Three Wonders," plunging 197 meters from the Lianyun Peak. The water column shifts with the wind, dancing down the cliff face. The Qing dynasty poet Yuan Mei wrote: "It is impossible to capture Dalongqiu in words" — an apt warning.
Lingyan Temple & Cliff-Crossing Show Between the towering Tianzhu and Zhanqi Peaks, local "medicine pickers" perform a hair-raising cliff-crossing show daily (10:30 AM / 3:00 PM), sliding across on ropes suspended 200 meters above the valley floor.
Fangdong (Square Cave) A cliffside boardwalk bolted to sheer rock faces, with thousand-meter drops below and a panoramic view of Yandang's peaks unfolding like a lotus bloom. Not for the faint-hearted, but absolutely worth the ticket.

⚠️ Yandang's sights are spread out — hire a car for the day (~¥300-500) or use the park shuttle. Tickets: Lingfeng ¥50 / Dalongqiu ¥50 / Lingyan ¥50 / Fangdong ¥40. Combo tickets offer better value.

Day 3: Nanxi River · 300 Li of Living Landscape

Getting there: About 1 hour by taxi/car from downtown Wenzhou to Yantou Town (~60 km), or take a bus from Oubei Wharf.

Lishui Ancient Street (丽水古街) A 300-meter covered corridor winding along a crystal-clear stream in Yantou Town. Ming and Qing dynasty wooden architecture remains beautifully intact. Arrive early — the morning mist, red lanterns reflected in the water, is a photographer's dream.
Shiwei Rock (石桅岩) A 306-meter red sandstone monolith rising like a ship's mast from the earth, dubbed the "Pillar of Southern Zhejiang." A 1.5-hour loop trail follows a jade-colored stream around its base — every turn reveals another postcard view.
Bamboo Raft Drifting (竹筏漂流) The quintessential Nanxi River experience. From Dutou to Shiziyan (~40 minutes), drift on a traditional bamboo raft over water so clear you can count the pebbles below. Cormorant fishermen working the riverbanks are a common and timeless sight.
Cangpo & Furong Ancient Villages Two millennia-old villages laid out according to fengshui principles — Cangpo in the shape of the "Four Treasures of the Study" (paper, brush, ink, inkstone), Furong following the "Seven Stars and Eight Trigrams" pattern. Cobblestone lanes whisper of a scholarly, agrarian culture preserved since the Southern Song dynasty. Lonely Planet recommends them as "southern Zhejiang's best-preserved Song-dynasty village clusters."

If time allows, stay an extra night in Nanxi River — the morning river mist and evening chimney smoke are postcard-grade scenes.

🚗 Getting Around

Transport	Details
✈️ Air	Wenzhou Longwan International Airport (WNZ), served by 40+ airlines. Airport bus to city ~¥15; taxi ~¥80-120.
🚄 High-Speed Rail	Wenzhou South Station (main hub): Shanghai Hongqiao ~3h, Hangzhou East ~2h. Wenzhou Station (old): conventional trains.
🚌 Long-Distance Bus	New South Station (Shanghai/Fuzhou), New City Station (Hangzhou/Ningbo), Shuangyu Station (Yiwu/Qingdao).
🚕 City Transport	Taxis start at ¥11 (fuel surcharge included); Didi works great. City buses ¥2 — Bus 78 connects the old train station to Wenzhou South.
⛴️ Ferry	Anlan Wharf ⇄ Oubei: ¥2 each way. Jiangxin Island tourist ferry: ¥30 round trip.

🍜 Food Guide

Dish	Description	Where to Try
🐟 Wenzhou Fish Balls (鱼丸)	Made from pounded mi-iuy croaker fish, springy and smooth, served in a clear broth with laver and scallions. The city's #1 street food — a fish ball stall on nearly every street.	Qiangneng Fish Balls, A-Wai-Lou
🏮 Lamp Cake (灯盏糕)	Shaped like an ancient oil lamp, stuffed with shredded radish, pork, and shrimp, then deep-fried to golden crispness. Eat it hot, straight from the oil.	Dawang Lamp Cake (239 Jiefang North Rd)
🍚 Glutinous Rice (糯米饭)	The soul of a Wenzhou breakfast — steamed sticky rice topped with crispy youtiao, pork floss, and a ladle of mushroom-minced-meat gravy. Simple, deeply satisfying.	Street breakfast stalls, Three Sisters Sticky Rice
🥟 Tall Man Wonton (长人馄饨)	Wrappers thinner than paper encasing a fresh pork filling, blooming like translucent flowers in the bowl. Named after the tall wonton master of the 1930s. Served with seaweed, egg threads, and tiny dried shrimp.	Changren Huntun (531 Jiefang North Rd)
🍡 Xianqian Tangyuan (县前汤圆)	Glutinous rice balls with sesame, red bean paste, or pork filling — round and white, symbolizing reunion. A century-old Wenzhou institution.	Xianqian Tangyuan (111 Xianqian St)
🎣 Three-Shred Fish (三丝敲鱼)	Fish fillet pounded paper-thin with a mallet, then poached with shredded chicken, ham, and mushroom. Silky texture, essential at banquets.	Wenzhou Restaurant (106 Chan St)
🧄 Garlic Fish Skin (蒜子鱼皮)	Edible shark skin braised with copious garlic until melt-in-your-mouth tender. Locals swear by its detoxifying properties.	Seafood restaurants citywide
🍘 Short Man Sponge Cake (矮人松糕)	A rectangular steamed cake of glutinous rice, lard, and sugar — soft, sweet-savory. Named after a short pastry chef from the 1940s.	Airen Songgao (116-1 Xiaonan Rd)
🦀 Drunken Crab (江蟹生)	Wenzhou's iconic raw dish: fresh swimming crab marinated in wine, sugar, ginger, and garlic. An acquired taste that becomes an addiction. Brave stomachs only — but worth it.	Seafood stalls, Tianyijiao
🥮 Nanxi Wheat Cake (楠溪麦饼)	A Nanxi River specialty — dough stuffed with preserved mustard greens and pork, baked against the wall of a clay oven until golden. The perfect hiking snack.	Snack stalls throughout Nanxi River

💡 Practical Tips

Best Time to Visit: March-May (spring blooms) and September-November (crisp autumn). Summers are hot and rainy but waterfalls are at full flow; winters are mild with fewer tourists. Yandang Mountain is most beautiful in spring and autumn; Nanxi River's rapeseed blossoms in April are poetry.
Language: Wenzhounese (Ou dialect) is notoriously one of China's most difficult dialects — it was used as a secret code by Chinese resistance fighters during WWII. Standard Mandarin works everywhere downtown; you'll be fine.
Trip Pace: Three days is the Wenzhou "starter pack." If you have more time, add an extra night in Nanxi River to explore deeper villages like Linkeng and Jijiazhai; Dongtou Island is worth a bonus day too.
Where to Stay: Downtown: near Wuma Street / European City (¥200-500/night in high season). Yandang Mountain: Xianglingtou Village guesthouses near Lingfeng (¥150-400). Nanxi River: Yantou Town or near Shiziyan Rock (¥200-500).
Yandang Mountain Tickets: Sights are individually ticketed. Lingfeng has separate day and night tickets (¥50 each) — missing the night view means missing the point. Combo tickets (Lingfeng + Lingyan + Dalongqiu) offer savings.
Getting Around: Didi is the most convenient way between downtown sights (~~¥10-25 per trip). Within Yandang, hire a car for the day (~~¥300-500) or use the park shuttle bus.
Seafood Advisory: Wenzhou locals love raw-marinated seafood (drunken crab, blood clams). If you have a sensitive stomach, approach with caution. Bring your own digestive meds just in case.
Rainy Day Alternatives: Wenzhou Museum (free, excellent overview of Ouyue culture), Nantang Street (a tastefully recreated canal-side quarter), Wanda/MixC malls.

This guide draws primarily on Lonely Planet's Wenzhou coverage (Archived 2015) alongside TravelChinaGuide, Wikitravel, and multiple travel resources.