Hangzhou | I declare this one of the best neighborhoods to visit!

The Hangzhou Grand Canal Historical and Cultural District includes Dadou Road Historical and Cultural District, Xiaohe Straight Street, and Qiaoxi Historical and Cultural District. Each of these three districts has its own characteristics. Xiaohe Straight Street is the most well-known, with a focus on cultural and creative industries, coffee, tea houses, and other businesses, and has the largest commercial scale. Next is Qiaoxi Historical and Cultural District, which is famous for Gongchen Bridge, a number of museums, and traditional Chinese medicine halls. Finally, there is Dadou Road Historical and Cultural District, which is centered around Xiangji Temple and the National Silk Warehouse, and features Zen culture, tea, dining, and supporting facilities. I don't recommend Xiaohe Straight Street right now, as it's full of flower shops and street photography, and the shops are seriously homogenized. This is my first time visiting Dadou Road Historical and Cultural District, and I highly recommend it! It's close to Xiangji Temple Station on Metro Line 3, and it's only a 5-minute walk from the metro station to Xiangji Temple. Cross the square in front of Xiangji Temple and you'll reach Dadou Road District. The whole district is relatively narrow and long, with the main line along the canal, so on one side is the thousand-year-old canal, where you can occasionally hear the sound of cargo ships' engines, and on the other side are various tea houses, restaurants, and tea and pastry shops. During the Spring Festival, the festive atmosphere is overwhelming! There are also many options for shopping and dining. Based on my experience, I recommend a few shops: 1. Seventh Polyphony: A perfume and fragrance shop. The scents are high-end and the prices are moderate. 2. Light and Firefly: A handmade goods shop selling bags, felted wool pendants, and more. The shop has a super cute Yorkshire Terrier. 3. Wanshiwu: A great choice for dining and coffee.