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When planning my three days in Shanghai, I knew I wanted to visit one of the famous water towns around the city.
While there are some more off-the-beaten-track and supposedly authentic ones, I tend to be a sucker for famous places (often they are famous for a reason!), so I went with the best-known one: Zhujiajiao Water Town.
Not only is it considered one of if not THE best-preserved water town but also it’s super easy to do a day trip from Shanghai to Zhujiajiao. Starting my visit early in the morning, I was able to get back to central Shanghai by mid-afternoon and squeeze in a few more attractions that day.
Overall, I really enjoyed my visit, so I’m writing this guide to share some tips, information about the latest pass options (other info I found online was outdated), local foods to try there, and must-visit spots.
At the very end of the article, I’ll also share how to visit Zhujiajiao for free, but you’d still need to pay individual entrance fees if you want to visit any of the temples or gardens.
Table of Contents
Zhujiajiao Water Town Quick Into
Zhujiajiao Water Town (朱家角水乡), also called Zhujiaojiao Ancient Town (朱家角古镇, the more common term used by locals) is the most famous of several “water towns” around Shanghai.
These are ancient towns built on and around canals or waterways, known for their narrow stone lanes, arched bridges, and boats plying the waters.
Zhujiajiao literally means “Zhu Family Corner”, referring to a family group that originally settled or inhabited this corner of the river.
The town is Qingpu district of Shanghai, right on the edge of the city’s border – think of it like the outskirts of Shanghai – but it feels worlds apart.
Dianpu River (淀浦河), nicknamed “Pearl Stream” (珠溪) in Zhujiajiao is part of a system of distributaries in the Yangtze River Delta, where the longest river in Asia splits into many streams before reaching the sea.
The river flows from Dianpu Lake, the largest lake in Shanghai, and separates the northern and southern sides of Zhujiajiao. Downstream it meets Huangpu River, the main river flowing through central Shanghai.
Zhujiajiao once prospered with rice, silk, and textiles, which could convenient be shipped out on these waterways.
In recent decades, the town has taken off a tourist destination. Like so many other famous ancient towns in China (I would visit several more on the same trip, and they soon started to feel repetitive), it has been heavily restored, filled with shops aimed at tourists, and attracts masses of visitors daily.
Still, I can’t deny that I enjoyed exploring the tourist shops, and I was still able to enjoy the traditional charm that the town has long been known for.
Also, personally, I’ve lived in Taiwan for over a decade, so crowds of people don’t really faze me.
Also read my recommended things to do in Lijiang, Yunnan province, which I flew to after Shanghai, including the awesome Tiger Leaping Gorge trek and Shangri-La!
Getting to Zhujiajiao
In Shanghai, I had chosen to stay at Jin Jiang Pacific Hotel (see on Trip.com / Booking / Agoda) at People’s Square. Click here to read several reasons why I chose this location and hotel.
I found Trip.com to be the best app for booking hotels and high speed rail tickets in China. Because it’s a China-based platform, it has more hotel options than Booking/Agoda and often they are cheaper.
One of the benefits of this hotel is that it was right on Shanghai MRT Line 2 (light green). See the MRT map here.
Line 2 goes directly to Hongqiao Airport (where I flew into and out of Shanghai) and Hongqiao Railway Station (where I would catch an HSR for my day trip to Hangzhou and Longjing Tea Village the day after I went to Zhujiajiao).
Hongqiao Railway Station is also the transfer point from Line 2 to Line 17 (reddish brown, far left of map) to Zhujiajiao.
The ride from People’s Square to Hongqiao took about 35 minutes, and the same again from there to Zhujiajiao, for a total travel time of about 1 hour 15 min.
To ride the MRT, I set my Alipay app to Shanghai, clicked “transport”, and then swiped my metro QR code to enter and exit the MRT stations.
Walking to Zhujiaojiao Water Town Entrance
Arriving at Zhujiaojiao MRT station, it’s not super obvious how to get to Zhujiajiao Water Town, nor are there are signs or maps.
Furthermore, because GoogleMaps sucks for China, and the app I used (AppleMaps) only worked well once I was physically in China, I’d had some trouble in my pre-trip planning, trying to figure out where the main entrance to Zhujiaojia Water Town is. So, I’m going to provide ALL the details here.
If you’d like a GoogleMaps link for now, Zhujiajiao MRT station is here and you’ll want to set your destination for Zhujiajiao Water Town’s main entrance here, about 25 minutes’ walk away. The entrance is at the northwestern corner of the large water town.
You’ll also find a map below showing the walking route I took.
From the MRT station, I took exit 1, and right away I was facing a lovely waterway with some traditional boats in it. I walked north up Zhuxi road (珠溪路) for few minutes then turned right on Xiangningbang road (祥凝浜路).
A few minutes down, I took a left and walked north up Caoping Rd (漕平路). The road soon crossed a small canal here and then I crossed a larger arched pedestrian bridge over a river (not shown on GoogleMaps).
From that bridge, I got my first view of Zhujiajiao Water Town, with the Dianpu River splitting the north and south sides of the ancient town (see photo below).
Continuing in the same direction for 10 minutes or so, I reached a large parking lot and Zhujiajiao Visitor’s Center on the right.
My Experience Visiting the Water Town
What follows is my personal experience visiting Zhujiajiao Water Town in 2025. You can also find lots of information on the official Zhujiajiao Water Town website.
Opening Hours and Best Time to Visit
Zhujiajiao is officially open from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, though some shops many stay open later. It inevitably gets very busy on weekends and holidays, so if you can, visit on a weekday.
Because I was visiting on a holiday, I wanted to beat the crowds. I left my hotel very early and got there shortly after opening time. It was pleasantly uncrowded for the first couple hours of my visit. The gardens were practically empty. Therefore, I definitely recommend to go early if you can.
By the time I reached the main tourist street in the late morning/early afternoon, it was pretty crowded, but actually not as bad as I had expected.
Entrance Ticket and Pass Options
Arriving at the visitor’s center around 9 AM, I found there was almost no line. I had the choice of two passes, as indicated in the below table.
The passes are now simpler than they used to be, according to outdated info I’d found online. For example, there used to be more attractions included and the option to add a boat ride.
| Attraction | Complete Pass (80元) | Basic Pass (60元) | Notes |
| Kezhi Garden | ✓ | ✓ | Beautiful, worth it |
| Garden of Inseparable Hearts | ✓ | ✓ | Beautiful, worth it |
| Shanghai Helong Art Gallery | ✓ | ✓ | Nothing special |
| Yuanjin Buddhist Temple | ✓ | Best view in town | |
| City God Temple | ✓ | Normal temple |
I wanted to see as much as possible, so I went for the complete pass, and I’d recommend you do the same. It’s only 20 RMB (less than 3 USD) more than the basic pass, anyways.
After purchasing the pass, I walked along a canal towards the ancient town center. There were some cool robotic boats cleaning the canal as I walked by.
Quanhua Shuicai Art Gallery (additional fee)
After rounding a corner and following another canal south, I came upon the Quanhua Shuicai Art Gallery (全华水彩艺术馆) on the right. It came with a pretty steep entrance fee of 30元.
I took a chance on it so you don’t have to…The art gallery contains some watercolor paintings inside an ancient home. It took me about five minutes to walk through and that was it. It was nice, but in my opinion just not worth the money.
I’m surprised they wouldn’t make this free or just include it on one of the passes.
Kezhi Garden (on both passes)
Just past the art gallery and on the same side is the entrance to Kezhi Garden (课植园), which is definitely worth visiting. The expansive garden spans nearly two hectares and dates to 1912.
My visit began with the residential area, an old mansion with several rooms and objects on display.
Further in, I found myself in an expansive garden, with various ponds, pavilions, arched bridges a beautiful library, flowers, bamboo, maples, and even a few cherry blossoms.
The whole garden was almost entirely free of people, in stark contrast to the crowds I would soon face in the ancient town. This alone made me thankful I’d come early.
Garden of Inseparable Hearts (on both passes)
Right next to Kezhi Garden is the similar Garden of Inseparable Hearts (和心园), named so after the supposed fact that the officials living there had hearts joined with the people they ruled.
This garden is smaller than Kezhi but equally worth visiting. Again I entered through the residential compound, which features some ancient stone tablets and stunning fabric screens.
I emerged to face a beautiful pond, with a unique two-storey cojoined pavilion to the right that I could climb up into. Dating to the Qing dynasty, it definitely felt that old.
Canal and Yongan Bridge (free)
The two gardens face a narrow canal where groups of boats wait to take tourists on rides. The boat rides cost 200-300元 depending how far you want to go, and each boat can take up to six people.
As I followed the canal south, I passed several shops with a variety of foods and local items, just a taste of the many more to come.
In one herbal tea shop, I was surprised to find a variety of flower and tea cigarettes (no nicotine whatsoever). I didn’t realize you could smoke flowers and tea!
At the southern end of the canal, before it meets Dianpu River, the small Yongan Bridge (永安桥) crosses over the canal to the eastern side.
This was a nice spot to watch the boats passing below the bridge.
Apo Teahouse (free to visit, fee for tea)
On the other side of the canal, the narrow tourist street continued between two rows of buildings packed with tourist shops.
On the right side, I entered Apo Teahouse (阿婆茶楼) just to take a look. Apo, which means “Grandma”, refers to the custom of elderly women coming here to do needle work, chat, and drink tea.
On the second floor, I found a lovely tea room overlooking Dianpu River and Yuanjin Temple on the south side of town. I was tempted to have tea, but was saving it for another teashop on the other side.
Continuing along, I passed many more shops filled with colorful offerings.
I could no longer resist the many foods on offer. But now I’d seen a few repeat items that I wanted to try.
First, I went for a piece of stewed pork wrapped in some kind of leaf. The fatty meat was super soft and flavorful.
Next, I tried a steamed rice dumpling (粽子 or zongzi) that contained egg yolk and “five flowers meat” (五花肉), referring to a cut of pork bellow with five layers of meat and fat – a common combination in Southern China. And wow was this ever good!
Fangsheng Bridge (free)
At the end of the lane, the pedestrian route turns and crosses Fangsheng Bridge (放生橋) over Dianpu River to the southern (and busier) part of Zhujiajiao Water Town.
Fangsheng Bridge is the most famous in Zhujiajiao. A monk raised money to construct the bridge in 1571. The name means “releasing life”, as the temple would regularly release saved fish and tortoises into the river there.
The bridge is 71 meters long with five arches – the largest of its kind in Shanghai and arguable the city’s most iconic traditional bridge.
When I crossed the bridge, it was full of tourists. There were guards stationed there to prevent tourists from blocking the way or from sitting on the sides to take photos – there are no railings so it would be easy to fall in.
Despite its significance, I personally liked some of the other smaller bridges in Zhujiajiao more.
Great North Street (free)
Great North Street (北大街) is the main street of Zhujiajiao Water Town. Fangsheng Bridge leads to it, then it follows the river then a canal with several smaller bridges through the southwestern side of town.
The street is the busiest in town and lined on either side with traditional and tourist-oriented shops.
Jiangnan First Teahouse (fee for tea)
Before coming I knew I wanted to stop for tea at Jiangnan First Teahouse (江南第一茶楼), a historical teahouse facing the Dianpu River.
The two-story brick teahouse is built in the long and skinny shikumen-style that Shanghai is known for.
I entered and, despite the thick crowds on the street outside, got one of the best seats at the back with a gorgeous view of the river and boats going by.
I ordered a Longjing tea, which was not cheap (138元 or USD 20), but came with so many snacks that I couldn’t even finish them. These included fresh and dried fruits, tea-flavored cakes, chestnuts, sunflower seeds, traditional candies, and more.
Some swallows which had built their nest on the ceiling above chirped away as I took in the view. Sitting in this spot was my most memorable experience Zhujiajiao Water Town.
Shanghai Helong Art Gallery (on both passes)
Shortly after the teahouse, and also on the right side, I found the Shanghai Helong Art Gallery (上海市鹤龙美术馆), which is included on both entry passes.
Just like the other art gallery I’d paid to enter at the beginning of the day, this one was quite small and really nothing special. At least this one was included. It only has two rooms – I was in and out in less than five minutes.
Handalong Sauce Shop (items for purchase)
A few steps further but on the left side, Handalong Sauce Shop (函大隆醬園 or Handalong Jiangyuan) is a generations-old (1886) shop selling a variety of sauces and condiments.
Chinese people still flock there today to buy their homemade soy sauce, vinegar, fermented bean curd, and pickled vegetables.
The shop feels legit and non-touristy.
Four Cool Bridges (free)
Right around the sauce shop, Great North Road passes the first of four cool ancient bridges over the canal on the opposite (right) side.
The four bridges all cross from Great North Street to another main road on the other side called Caohe Street (漕河街), which we will also take to leave the town.
These are (from first to last) Tai’an Bridge (泰安桥), Lang Bridge (廊桥), City God Temple Bridge (城隍庙桥), and Qijia Bridge (戚家桥). You can cross any of them to get to the two temples on the other side (see below).
I thought these four bridges were cute, but especially liked the covered Lang Bridge. Also called the “Corridor Bridge”, it is the only wooden bridge in town. Despite the ancient look, the current structure is actually modern (1996).
Yuanjin Buddhist Temple (complete pass only)
In my opinion, it’s worth getting the complete pass specifically for Yuanjin Buddhist Temple (圆津禅院).
The temple itself is interesting, and I heard some monks chanting in a room at the back when I visited.
But the biggest reason to visit is for access to the second floor of the main hall, which offers one of the best views in town, looking down on the river and canals.
City God Temple (complete pass only)
Like most cities in the Chinese-speaking world, Zhujiajiao has a City God Temple (城隍庙 or Chenghuang Miao). This is where the deity thought to look over the city is worshipped.
This temple didn’t really stand out to me in any major way, but it’s on the pass so it’s at least worth a quick look.
The temple is right on Caohe Street, so it’s on the way out of town anyways.
Gingko Tree Square (autumn detour)
If you happen to be visiting in autumn, then before leaving town, make a small detour to see Gingko Tree Square (银杏树广场).
From City God Temple Bridge, follow Meizhou Road to the east for a few minutes to find a town square with a statue of Huaiyu, a 19th-20th century Chinese medicine doctor from Zhujiajiao.
In autumn, the large gingko trees in the square will have beautiful yellow leaves.
Tong Tianhe Chinese Medicine Shop
At the southern end of Great North Street, near the last of the four cool bridges (Qijia Bridge) is Tong Tianhe Chinese Medicine Shop (童天和国药号).
The 120+ year old shop used to be on the Zhujiajiao Pass but is currently closed for renovations. Still, I was able to step inside and take a quick look.
Post Office of Qing Dynasty (free)
Post Office of Qing Dynasty (大清邮局) is as the name suggests a post office building dating to the Qing Dynasty.
I found it on the left side of Caohe Street (actually called Xihu street or 西湖街 from this point on) on my way out of the tourist part of town. The building dates to 1903, when it one of only 13 major post offices in the Shanghai region.
It’s one of the best-known buildings in town, but I have to say there really isn’t much to see besides a quick look at the exterior and small shop inside.
Leaving the Ancient Town
I followed Xihu street east out of the tourist area, soon passing under a bridge (the same pedestrian bridge I’d crossed earlier on the way to the Zhujiajiao Water Town entrance).
Caohe street then entered what felt to me more like a more authentic part of the water town, with local residents hanging the laundry on racks by the canal and some nice arched bridges.
The street eventually met up with Zhuxi street, which is the first street I’d walked up from the MRT station. It was a straight shot down Zhuxi streeet to return to the MRT.
Exiting the ancient town here also made me realize something. If I had entered Zhujiajiao Water Town here, there’s no gate.
In other words, you could visit Zhujiajiao for free if you walk in from here and visit the town in reverse. If you want to visit any of the temples or gardens, you can just pay individual entrance fees at each of them.
