Tour Overview
This action-packed one-day high-speed-rail day trip departs from Shanghai to Linhai, home to the famous Jiangnan Great Wall, also known as the Taizhou Prefecture City Wall. Travellers will hike the well-preserved mountain city wall built for military defence and flood control, wander Ziyang Ancient Street — a living ancient Song-Dynasty neighbourhood — taste authentic local Zhejiang snacks, and take the high-speed rail back to Shanghai on the same day. This tour combines grand ancient fortification history, traditional street culture and local food experience.
We take early-morning high-speed rail southwards. Upon arrival, private ground transfer brings us to the ancient city area. We will hike the Jiangnan Great Wall from Lansheng Gate downhill towards Xingshan Gate, visit East Lake Garden, explore Ziyang Ancient Street for lunch and casual wandering, and return to Linhai Railway Station for the evening high-speed-rail service back to Shanghai. Significant uphill and downhill walking is required. All train tickets, meals and attraction entrance fees are at guests’ own expense. Two ground-transport options are available within Linhai city.
Highlights
Detailed Itinerary
Gather at the designated meeting point inside Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station. Meet your professional English-speaking guide, collect train tickets and board the high-speed rail towards Linhai. Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station is the main high-speed-rail hub for short-distance trips to Zhejiang province; the train ride to Linhai lasts approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, passing through the picturesque hilly landscapes of southern Zhejiang.
Enjoy the inter-city high-speed-rail journey south across Zhejiang province — comfortable railway travel connecting modern Shanghai with the well-preserved ancient prefecture city of Linhai.
Arrive at Linhai Station, exit and take pre-arranged ground transport to the Jiangnan Great Wall (Lansheng Gate entrance). Linhai Railway Station sits outside the old town; it takes roughly 15 minutes by car to reach the Taizhou Prefecture ancient city scenic zone.
Start from Lansheng Gate and climb the famous 198-stone-step Hero Slope. Walk along the mountain ridge city wall, visiting Gujing Building, Baiyun Tower (the highest point of the wall), watchtowers, Chenghuang Temple and Wangtian Platform, then descend towards Xingshan Gate, with a short stop inside East Lake classical garden for lakeside sightseeing. The Jiangnan Great Wall was initially built in the Eastern Jin Dynasty and reinforced by General Qi Jiguang against coastal pirates in the Ming Dynasty. Differing from the northern Great Wall, this wall also performs critical flood protection for the Lingjiang River; the surviving section stretches over 4,700 metres along mountain ridges. East Lake is a traditional Chinese garden built in the Northern Song period, with pavilions, stone bridges and lake reflections of the city wall.
Walk down from Xingshan Gate directly into Ziyang Ancient Street. Independent lunch at your own cost. Wander bluestone-paved lanes, view ancient arch-walls, browse handicraft stores and local time-honoured food shops, and taste well-known Linhai street snacks. Ziyang Ancient Street retains the original Song-Dynasty neighbourhood pattern, and local residents still live within the street — it is not heavily commercialised compared with many tourist ancient towns, delivering a genuine old-town atmosphere with abundant local-food choices. Dining Tip: all food and beverages are self-funded; multiple local restaurants and street-food stalls are available along Ziyang Street.
Stroll the surrounding old lanes near Ziyang Street, with an optional quick visit to Longxing Temple and its Thousand-Buddha Pagoda. Free time for souvenir shopping before returning to Linhai Railway Station. Longxing Temple is an ancient Tang-Dynasty temple adjacent to the ancient street, featuring the well-preserved Yuan-Dynasty Thousand-Buddha stone pagoda — its quiet temple grounds offer a peaceful contrast against the busy ancient street.
Ground transfer from the ancient-city area to Linhai Railway Station, arriving in good time to complete check-in procedures for the evening return high-speed-rail train.
Board the return high-speed-rail train back to Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station, concluding the full-day historical day trip while travelling back Shanghai
The tour formally ends upon arrival at Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station. Guests may take the metro or a taxi onward to their accommodation.