After visiting Shaoxing 5 times, here's the curated itinerary

As a frequent visitor to Shaoxing, I can honestly say: the charm of this ancient city lies in slow exploration. After five scouting trips, I've compiled this route that avoids crowds while immersing you in local life—3 days are enough to savor the soul of this "Jiangnan water town." Shaoxing's beauty isn't in Instagram spots, but in the morning shadows of black-canopied boats and the aroma of yellow wine in alleyways. Follow this guide to understand why literati adored this place. DAY1: Savor the Old Town, Drunk on Yellow Wine Aroma🍶 Cangqiao Straight Street → Lu Xun's Hometown → Shen Garden Dawn: Arrive at Cangqiao Straight Street by 6:30am when flagstones still glisten with dew. Watch century-old wooden gates creak open as grandmothers wash clothes by the canal. Start with ¥2 soy milk and ¥5 fennel beans by the water—this is authentic Shaoxing morning🌅. Morning: At Lu Xun's Hometown, don't just visit the museum—enter the adjacent "Zhou Family Compound" (¥10) for intact Jiangnan architecture. Avoid tour groups (after 10am) and hear guides explain "four ways to write 'fennel'", far livelier than textbooks. Noon: Try ¥5 yellow wine ice cream (creamy with wine aroma) and ¥30 "Shaoxing Three Delicacies" (bamboo shoots, meatballs, river shrimp). Pair with ¥10 yellow wine milk tea for gentle tipsiness. Afternoon: Shen Garden (¥20 ticket includes engraved poems) reveals exquisite landscaping. Sit on stone benches listening to pingtan ballads about Lu You's romance, as sunlight filters through oak trees⏳. Evening: With lanterns lit, enjoy "yellow wine banquet"—¥25 drunken crab, ¥38 wine-braised pork, and local rice wine (¥10/cup) beside canal views. DAY2: Water Town Serenity, Rowing into Poetry🚣 East Lake → Keyan → Anchang Ancient Town Dawn: Take black-canopied boat at East Lake (¥85/boat for 3). Watch rowers use foot-paddles! Passing "Peach Cave", stalactite reflections create living ink paintings—far quieter than West Lake. Morning: Keyan's "Cloud Stone" (¥30 ticket includes Jianhu Lake) is breathtaking. Take painted boat to lake center, photographing distant black-canopied boats—pure poetry. Noon: Nearby, try ¥25 preserved vegetable pork belly (crispy skin, fatty goodness) with plain noodles. Afternoon: Free Anchang Town! Minimal commercialization—¥35 soy-sauce ducks, ¥20 sausages at old workshops. Watch elders weave baskets under eaves amid authentic "small bridges over flowing water" scenes. Night: Stay in waterside B&B (¥120/night). Fall asleep to oar sounds, wake to market cries. DAY3: Literary Footsteps, Textbook Shaoxing📖 Orchid Pavilion → Cai Yuanpei's Residence → Souvenirs Morning: Orchid Pavilion's "Floating Wine Cups" (¥40 includes rubbing experience). Sit where Wang Xizhi wrote his masterpiece, watching wine cups float—true scholar's delight. Noon: Nearby "Jidong Steamed Dishes" (¥30)—bamboo-steamed pork and shoots with earthy aroma. Afternoon: Free Cai Yuanpei Residence showcases manuscripts. Visit Shaoxing Museum for 2,500-year history visualized. Evening: Buy souvenirs! Cangqiao Street's "Xianheng Hotel" fennel beans (¥8/bag), "Daughter Red" wine (¥50/bottle, shippable), and sesame cakes (¥10/box). Transportation🚄🚌 • High-speed rail: Shaoxing North Station (metro Line 1 to downtown in 40min). Direct trains from Shanghai (1.5h), Hangzhou (30min). • Driving: Old town restricts cars. Park at "Lu Xun's Hometown" lot (¥10/h), use bikes/walking. Getting Around🚲 • Black-canopied boats: Short trips (e.g. Cangqiao Street) ¥60; long (East Lake-Keyan) ¥85. Share with 3 people. Wear non-slip shoes. • Bikes: ¥3/h for 10min rides between old town sites—more flexible than taxis. • Buses: Routes 5/8 cover major attractions (¥2/ride), ideal for Orchid Pavilion/Anchang. Must-Eats🍜 • "Grandma's Soy Milk Stall" (Cangqiao): ¥2 milk + ¥5 fennel beans—classic breakfast. • "Old Wonton Shop" (Lu Xun's Hometown): ¥15 yellow wine wontons—fragrant yet light. • Anchang's fresh sausages (¥20/jin): Buy hanging ones to steam at home. • Xianheng Hotel's "Drunken Chicken" (¥30): Tender, wine-infused perfection over rice. 5-Trip Wisdom✨ • Avoid holidays! Weekday mornings/evenings reveal true Shaoxing. • Choose foot-paddled boats (¥85 fair price)—more authentic than motorized. • Buy yellow wine from "Shaoxing Yellow Wine Group"—5-year aged for gifts, bulk for drinking (¥10/jin). • Wear comfy shoes—cobblestones are uneven. Heels ruin the mood. Shaoxing's soul lives in boat wakes, wine jars, and unfinished poems. This itinerary shows a Jiangnan more flavorful than imagined—worth revisiting endlessly.