Reasons Why I Like Wuzhen the Most

Among the six ancient towns in Jiangnan, for me personally, Wuzhen is still my favorite. In terms of overall layout, architectural style, and landscape decoration, each of the six ancient towns has its own characteristics, but it’s hard to say which one is better. What attracts me most about Wuzhen is its well-managed operation, making the atmosphere more comfortable and relaxing. With the involvement of commerce, many ancient towns nowadays are overly commercialized, with shops densely packed and excessive competition, and merchants shouting to attract customers one after another. Some merchants even place goods at the door, giving a noisy and chaotic impression, resulting in a poor experience. Apart from the houses looking rustic, the atmosphere is no different from ordinary streets. Wuzhen, however, gives a different feeling. It is lively yet orderly, with commerce integrated just right—there’s no flashy, noisy hawking, nor are the shops lined up uniformly, all looking the same. Here, you can leisurely stroll, admire the ancient houses, watch an open-air movie, feel the accumulation of time, and when tired, take a break. You might casually pass by a snack shop and naturally buy your favorite snack. Walking here feels like a time travel back to a simple era of life. Of course, the night in Wuzhen’s historic district is even better than the day. When night falls, the lights outline the contours of the ancient town along the river, not glaring or ostentatious but soft, giving a gentle and healing water town vibe. For young people who like lively bars, this place can also satisfy your desire. The bars are concentrated in one area, bustling with people, but without the discordance in the overall layout of the ancient district. Besides the two ticketed historic districts, East Gate and West Gate, there are actually many undeveloped natural streets in town. You can stroll along Changfeng Street by the river from Ganquan Road freely all the way south to the South Gate. The street is narrow, flanked by old residences, with several ancient stone bridges. There are also a few famous old houses where you can enter and take photos for just one yuan by scanning a QR code. The old street is not very commercialized, but shops selling antiques, food, and small crafts occasionally appear as you pass by. The old street doesn’t have many visitors, probably because most people head to the East Gate and West Gate historic districts, so Changfeng Street is mostly forgotten by the majority. The snacks you’d expect in a scenic area are all available here. If you don’t like crowds and want to shop in a relaxed and quiet environment, this place is a good choice. In terms of travel convenience, staying in the middle between East Gate and West Gate is more suitable. We stayed at Home Inn on Ganquan Road, which is very convenient for walking to both East Gate and West Gate—about 900 meters to West Gate, 400 meters to East Gate, and less than 200 meters across the river to Changfeng Street. There are many restaurants along Ganquan Road, so eating is not a problem. Next door, there are two farmers’ markets: Wuzhen Farmers’ Market and Ginkgo Community Self-produced and Self-sold Market. After your trip, you can buy some fresh local farm produce to take home. The last four pictures were all taken on Changfeng Street old street.