HangzhouisthecapitalofZhejiangprovinceanditspolitical,economicandculturalcenter.Withitsfamousnaturalbeautyandculturalheritages,HangzhouisoneofChina'smostimportanttouristvenues.

　　TheCity,thesouthernterminusoftheGrandCanal,islocatedonthelowerreachesoftheQiantangRiverinsoutheastChina,asuperiorpositionintheYangtzeDeltaandonly180kilometersfromShanghai.Hangzhouhasasubtropicalmonsoontypeclimatewithfourquitedistinctseasons.However,itisneithertoohotinsummernortoocoldinwintermakingitayearrounddestination.

　　TheWestLakeisundoubtedlythemostrenownedfeatureofHangzhou,notedforthescenicbeautythatblendsnaturallywithmanyfamoushistoricalandculturalsites.Inthisscenicarea,SolitaryHill,theMausoleumofGeneralYueFei,theSixHarmoniesPagodaandtheLingYinTempleareprobablythemostfrequentlyvisitedattractions.The"TenWestLakeProspects"havebeenspeciallyselectedtogivethevisitoroutstandingviewsofthelake,mountainsandmonuments.

　　AnumberofnationalmuseumscanbefoundinHangzhouandarerepresentativeofChineseculture.FineexamplesaretheNationalSilkMuseumandTeaMuseum.AlongwiththeothermuseumsinHangzhou,theyprovideafascinatinginsightintothehistoryofChinesetraditionalproducts.

　　Oneofthemostimportantpartsoftravelingistastingthelocaldelicacies.Hangzhoudishesarenotedfortheirelaboratepreparation,sophisticatedcookingandrefreshingtaste.Manylocalspecialtieswillbesuretomakeyourtripaculturalexperience.WerecommendthatyoutryBeggar'sChicken(achickenbakedinclay),WestLakeFish(vinegarcoatedfishfreshcaughtfromthelake),DongpoPork(braisedpork)andFriedShrimpswithLongjingTea,etc.

　　TheshoppingenvironmentinHangzhouisexcitingandconvenient.TravelersandtouristsliketogotoQingHeFangStreet.ItisoneofthemostfamousandhistoricstreetsinthecityandreflectsmanyofthefeaturesoftheSouthernSongDynasty(1127-1279).Shopperswilladmiretheantiquebuildingswhilepurchasingitemsfromawiderangeoflocalgoodssuchassilks,teaormaybeasilkparasol,brocadeorabeautifulHangzhoufan.Thesearejustsomeoftheitemstobefoundbuttherearemanymore.

　　AtnightHangzhouhasmuchtoofferandteahousesandvariouskindsofpubsarebothplentifulandpopular.ChoosingoneoverlookingtheWestLakeforapleasantchatoveracupofteaissuretomakeyoufeeltotallyrelaxedandrefreshed.

　　WhilemuchoftheancientcitythathadbeenthecapitaloftheSouthernSongDynastywasdestroyedduringtheTaipingRebellioninthemid-nineteenthcentury,today'sHangzhouisamodernandvibranteconomicalcenter.Assuchitprovidesabaseformanytalentedandskilledpeople.Nevertheless,thankstoitsuniquesettingbytheWestLakeitcontinuestoenjoythemanybenefitsofthenaturalsurroundingsthathavedelightedvisitorsforcenturies.Notonlywasitmuchvauntedinhiswritingsbythe13centuryexplorer,MarcoPolobuttheLakeanditsenvironshaveinspiredpoetsofgreatrenownsuchasBaiJuyiandSuDongpodowntheages.Therecanbenodoubtthatvisithereiscertaintobeamemorableone.

　　AnoldChinesesayingdeclares,"Thereisheavenabove,SuzhouandHangzhoubelow."Centurieslater,MarcoPolocalledHangzhouthemostenchantingcityinalltheworld.ThisismostevidentintheWestLakear