Fuzhou Urban Area

Fuzhou, the capital of the ancient Min kingdom: Three Lanes and Seven Alleys, Yantai Hill, Shangxiahang and Gushan's Yongquan Temple, with winter hot springs and authentic Fuzhou fish balls, meat swallows and Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.

Fuzhou is the capital of Fujian Province, on the lower Min River close to where it meets the sea. Nicknamed the "Banyan City" and "Capital of Min," it has been a city for more than 2,200 years. Its urban districts include Gulou, Taijiang, Cangshan, Jin'an, Mawei and Changle, and the ground beneath the city is rich in hot spring resources. The main areas to explore are: first, the Three Lanes and Seven Alleys in Gulou District and around it (Lin Zexu Memorial Museum, West Lake Park, Fujian Museum, Wushan, Yushan, Kaiyuan Temple), the heart of old Fuzhou; second, both banks of the Min River, with Shangxiahang and the Min River night cruise pier in Taijiang District on the north bank, and the Yantai Hill colonial consulate quarter and Luozhou ancient town in Cangshan District on the south bank; third, Gushan's Yongquan Temple and the Guling summer retreat in the eastern suburbs, plus the Mawei Shipbuilding culture district; and fourth, mountains, waters and old temples in the nearby countryside: to the west are Qishan, Shibachongxi, the Fudao skywalk and Fuzhou National Forest Park, to the south are Shizhu Mountain in Fuqing and Wanfu Temple on Huangbo Mountain, and to the southwest, Yongtai's Qingyun Mountain, Yunding and Songkou ancient town suit a one- or two-day trip. The climate is subtropical monsoon. October to April is warm, comfortable and dry, the best season, and winter is ideal for hot springs, with plum blossoms at Linyang Temple in January–February. May–September is hot and humid, with frequent typhoons in July–September. Getting there: Fuzhou Changle International Airport is about 50 km from downtown, and Fuzhou Station and Fuzhou South Station are the main high-speed rail stations (about 1.5 hours from Xiamen). The metro reaches the Three Lanes and Seven Alleys (Dongjiekou Station), Shangxiahang (Dadao Station), Yantai Hill (Shangteng Station) and Gushan (Gushan Station); driving is recommended for Yongtai and Fuqing. Plan on 2–3 days: Day 1, Three Lanes and Seven Alleys, West Lake and Fujian Museum, then Shangxiahang at dusk and a Min River night cruise; Day 2, Yongquan Temple on Gushan in the morning, Yantai Hill in the afternoon and a hot spring in the evening; Day 3, Mawei Shipbuilding district or Yongtai's mountains and waters. Pingtan Island is now its own destination and can be planned separately. Notes: Fuzhou snacks are best represented by fish balls, meat swallows (pork-filled wrappers), guobianhu (rice-batter soup), and lychee pork; try Buddha Jumps Over the Wall at a time-honored restaurant. The Three Lanes and Seven Alleys is extremely crowded on holidays, and quietest before 8 a.m.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries