Quanzhou 3-Day Tour Ultimate Guide: Ancient Temples + Hairpin Flowers + Puppet Shows!

Half the city is bustling with life, and the other half is like a fairyland. A temple every three steps, a hall every seven steps⛪️ There are numerous temples here, humorously referred to as 'the office of the gods on earth'. Bai Yansong said that Quanzhou is a city that one must visit at least once in their lifetime. The atmosphere of Minnan culture is strong, filled with the breath of everyday life🌇 This guide is for those of you who are about to come to Quanzhou～ Transportation 🚝High-speed train: Take the high-speed train directly to Quanzhou Station. ✈️Plane: Arrive at Quanzhou Jinjiang International Airport. 🚶‍♀️Recommended itinerary: D1: West Street—Kaiyuan Temple D2: Bell Tower and Zhongshan Street—Guanyue Temple D3: Tianhou Palace—Cizao Village ✅Must-visit attractions: 1️⃣Kaiyuan Temple⛩ ⏰Opening hours: 06:30-17:30 🎫Ticket: Free (limited flow, reservation required) The largest Buddhist temple in Fujian Province, with the iconic East and West Towers located here, the red walls inside the temple are very photogenic. 2️⃣Guanyue Temple🕍 ⏰Opening hours: 06:00-18:00 🎫Ticket: Free The most visited temple in Quanzhou, said to be very efficacious, is a good place to pray for blessings for oneself and family🙏. 3️⃣West Street🛤 ⏰Opening hours: All day 🎫Ticket: Free A must-visit place in Quanzhou, whether it's the morning's lively atmosphere or the evening's bustle, it's worth savoring. 4️⃣Cizao Village Hairpin Flowers🌸 ⏰Opening hours: All day 🎫Ticket: 40💰 Experience the intangible cultural heritage of hairpin flowers, 'Wear flowers in this life, be beautiful in the next', becoming a Cizao woman for a day is probably what every girl coming to Quanzhou looks forward to the most. 5️⃣Tianhou Palace🕌 ⏰Opening hours: 07:00-17:30 🎫Ticket: Free A Mazu temple with strong Minnan characteristics, the architecture is very ornate and exquisite. 🤳Recommended photo spots: ▪️Berry Crazy Rooftop Many people come to Quanzhou just for this rooftop spot, drinking beverages🧋while admiring the beautiful scenery of the East and West Towers at sunset🌅, truly a longing experience. ▪️Kaiyuan Temple Red Wall The red wall of Kaiyuan Temple is just too photogenic, not just a simple red wall but also with the shadows of bamboo swaying in the wind, capturing the atmosphere perfectly🥰 🎭Quanzhou Must-Experience ▪️Nanyin 🎫Ticket: Free ⏰Time: Fridays, Sundays 19:30 📍Location: Nanyin Art Garden Revered as the 'living fossil of Chinese music history', sung in Minnan dialect accompanied by musical instruments🪕, one story after another is vividly told. ▪️Marionette Puppet Show 🎫Ticket: 30/50/80💰 ⏰Time: Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays 16:00 & 19:30 📍Location: Quanzhou Puppet Theater One of Quanzhou's intangible cultural heritages, you must see a marionette puppet show🤹‍♀️ when you come to Quanzhou. It's also a nice choice to experience the everyday life in a small city after seeing many romantic cities～