Without the variety of waters crossing and surrounding Hangzhou, the city would not be the first-choice tourist attraction that it is in China.

A close look at the Grand Canal is part of the itinerary of many visitors to Hangzhou. Stretching from Beijing to Hangzhou, the canal dates from ancient times and is the oldest and longest man-made waterway in the world.

Three new travel routes over water are now highlighted for tourists to Hangzhou, including the Xixi Wetlands to the Grand Canal, the Grand Canal to the Qiantang River and the Grand Canal via the Shengli River to the Shangtang River.

The journeys are further divided into eight travel routes, each given a graceful name. Trip to the land flowing with fish and honey

Starting from the Grand Canal, this route links many ancient resorts around the Xixi Wetlands.

The trip provides a transition from a modern downtown city to a suburban water town.

Sites along the way, such as the Fu Yi Warehouse, are part of the time-honored history of the Grand Canal. The warehouse was the last warehouse for cargo on the Hangzhou section of the Grand Canal. A flourishing commercial hub in ancient times, Hangzhou on the southern end of the Grand Canal had many warehouses, most of which are now abandoned or gone.

Scenic sites along the route show the life and habits of locals. The ecosystem in Wuchang Harbor is vivid evidence of how ancient Chinese made good use of nature in a sustainable way. The destination of the trip, the Xixi Wetlands, is the last existing example of a traditional water town in Hangzhou, where the secluded land used to attract hermits, many of whom became famous.

Trip recalling the history of the Grand Canal

Historical records show the Shangtang River was Hangzhou's first man-made river.

Water was the main means of travel in ancient times. Marco Polo, the Italian trader and traveler, boarded a boat on this man-made river from Chang'an County in Haining, arriving at what he called "the most beautiful and elegant city in the world" - Hangzhou.

Traveling along the Shangtang River, visitors will gain a unique perspective on the Hangzhou section of the canal.

Silk Road on water

Since the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties, Hangzhou has played a vital role in foreign trade.

Most of the silk and porcelain products made in the Yuan Dynasty were exported from Hangzhou through Wenzhou, Quanzhou, Guangzhou and then Malaysia, over the Indian Ocean to the Persian Gulf, finally arriving in countries around the Mediterranean Sea.

Even in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), when international trade by sea was officially prohibited, there still remained several official trading spots in Hangzhou.

Hangzhou plans to restore a number of ancient boats and retrofit them as sightseeing craft

Trip to the Wuyue family

Various sizes and shapes of ancient bridges are among the Grand Canal's most important legacies. Each bridge is a story in itself. Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces are home to arch bridges such as Gongchen Bridge and Guangji Bridge.

The huge arches designed by brilliant Chinese architects are still in use for today's modern shipping, even after weathering through hundreds of years.

Destination of this trip is Tangxi Ancient Town in suburban Hangzhou. Built 1,300 years ago, Tangxi is one of the most famous ancient towns in south China. It is said that Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty paid six visits to south China, and each time he stayed in Tangxi for a period.

Trip of canal trade and culture

This trip starts from the Maiyu Bridge port on the Grand Canal and ends at Gongchen Bridge. Historic sites on the west side of the Gongchen Bridge retain many old storefronts such as Xiehexiang Grocer, Renyitang Drugstore, Yuan Da Yu Rice Store, and Wangbaoquan Teahouse, which started their businesses back in the late 1890s.

After 1949, this area is developed as Hangzhou's light industry headquarters.

Trip of seeking the prosperous origin

There are many historic sites along the Shangtang River, such as Fu Yi Warehouse, an ancient round building on Shengli River, Gushui Street, Gusong Old Bridge, Dongxingao Pavilion and Huanxi Yongning Bridge. This route gives visitors an overview of the Grand Canal's Hangzhou section's prosperity.

Trip of moonlit night on the Qiantang River

China has a tradition of enjoying the beauty of the full moon in the Mid-Autumn Festival and Hangzhou has some of the best sites reliving the tradition.

Taking a boat along the canal to the Qiantang River, with a breeze gently touching your face with the silhouette of Liuhe Pagoda in the moonlight will spark a nostalgic feeling for Chinese history.

Trip to Gushui Street

"There is Hefang Historic Street in the south and Gushui Street in the north". This old saying has circulated in Hangzhou for centuries.

Gushui Street used to be one of Hangzhou's two High Streets. The 1,560-m-long Shengli River has the Lianyun River on one side and the Shangtang River on the other, and is lined with teahouses, bars and old shops.

An ongoing reconstruction project for Gushui Street intends to more fully recover the historic look of the ancient street.

Hangzhou China Travel Service: 0086-0571-88398499; 0086-13588476467 (24h)