Coined the Venice of China, come and explore the ancient wonder of Zhujiajiao Water Village.
Zhujiajiao, is a charming water town that feels like stepping into another era. With its network of ancient canals, wooden boats, and picturesque bridges, it’s a place that captures the essence of old-world China while offering a peaceful escape from the hustle of the modern city. The town’s rich history dates back over 1,700 years, and wandering through its narrow streets lined with traditional architecture, small shops, and quiet temples gives visitors a sense of how life once unfolded along these waterways. It’s a perfect destination for those looking to experience the quieter, more authentic side of China, far from the crowds and neon lights of Shanghai.
One of the best parts of visiting Zhujiajiao is simply getting lost in its maze of alleys and canals. Whether you’re taking a boat ride down the waterway or enjoying a leisurely stroll along the cobbled paths, the town invites exploration at every turn. Don’t miss the chance to admire the well-preserved Ming and Qing Dynasty architecture, visit local artisan workshops, or stop by one of the many teahouses to sample a cup of traditional Chinese tea. Whether you’re shopping for unique souvenirs, enjoying the scenic views, or soaking in the history, Zhujiajiao offers a timeless and unforgettable experience for travellers of all ages.
A Perfect Day on the Water
If you’re staying in central Shanghai (think close to the Bund), there are a few ways to get to Zhujiajiao:
Metro
Zhujiajiao is easily accessible from the Metro in central Shanghai. This is a cheap and easy way to leave the city for the day, and a fare from central Shanghai to Zhujiajiao will cost approximately ¥10 – ¥12 ($2.50 NZD) each way. You’ll want to catch lines 2 and 17 on the subway, and the ride will take you just over an hour to get there. If you’re looking to catch the Metro, make sure you plan in time to walk/bus to and from the Metro to the historic village (about a 15-20-minute walk). Download and load the Metro card on your Alipay app (more info below) to make it easy to scan on and off while catching the subway.
Taxi
We opted to catch a taxi from our hotel (near the Bund) to Zhujiajiao Water Village. Taxis in China are cheap and readily available. We opted to catch a taxi because we knew we would be spending all day exploring and wanted the convenience of not having to wrangle public transport. We booked all our taxis through the Alipay app. You can do it through WeChat too if you prefer. A taxi to and from Zhujiajiao will cost approximately $80 NZD return and will take just over an hour as well.
Alipay
If it’s your first time in China, you’ll want to download the Alipay app. I would suggest doing this before getting to China so you can download the International Version of the app. This will be a big help if you don’t speak or read Mandarin, as the core functions of the app are in English. There is also a built-in translator to help you use the mini-apps within Alipay easily.
Make sure to connect your credit card or international money card to your Alipay account to make paying for things easy! We like to use the Wise Card — it connects super easily and gives you total control of your money overseas, with the lowest exchange fees around.
If you want to know more about Alipay and WeChat, check out my blog post on all things money when travelling China, here.
Getting to Zhujiajiao
Through Alipay, make sure to download the mini-app “Didi.” This is what you’ll use to call a taxi. Enter your pick-up location and enter “Zhujiajiao Water Village” as your destination. We were traveling in a party of 5, so made sure to pick the van option for 5+ passengers. Interestingly, the 5+ option always seemed to be a premium vehicle – we definitely weren’t complaining.
The trip will take approximately an hour but will offer interesting scenes between Shanghai and Zhujiajiao. We particularly enjoyed seeing where the city ‘ended’ and the country began.
Zhujiajiao, Old Town
The ancient water town of Zhujiajiao is a bit of a walk from Zhujiajiao if you are inclined to catch public transport. We were dropped just outside the gates to the city and used the same spot to call our return Didi. Use our pin here for the best drop-off location (download the Alipay app first—this won’t work on a PC/Computer).
We visited on a weekday, and it was the week following Golden Week, so the village was lively but not overly crowded. It’s free to enter during the week, and there are toilet and information facilities at the entrance gates. If you’re not used to traditional squat toilets, don’t worry—there are always one or two Western toilets available. I would suggest ensuring you bring your own toilet paper/tissues and soap to use when finished doing your business, as these aren’t often provided.
The first thing you’ll notice in Zhujiajiao is the cobbled footpaths. If, like us, you were traveling with a little person and expecting to push them in a pram, be prepared to either have them walk or carry them. We used the pram as a great shopping trolley, as it wasn’t easy to push with our daughter in it down the narrow and cobbled streets.
What to expect in Zhujiajiao
Zhujiajiao isn’t a large village, but it will provide enough for you to explore thoroughly in a day. There are shops that sell traditional, historic-inspired Chinese clothing, traditional medicine, and our favorite store—a stone stamp-making store.
At the stone stamp store, they carved the stone stamp right in front of us. Once we had picked our favorite stone (I chose one with a lion carved on top), you can choose what you’d like to stamp with it. I got my name, and they carved it on the bottom of the stamp in less than 5 minutes. The result was beautiful, and along with some oil-based ink, it will make the perfect sign-off on Christmas cards, postcards, and letters (yep, I still use snail mail).
We also bought 4 different traditional-looking dresses for my daughter. I had been looking around Shanghai for some unique dresses to take home for her to wear to special occasions but wasn’t really finding anything that caught my eye. The clothing shops in Zhujiajiao fixed that. Although the sizing for adults is very small (Asian sizing), the kids’ clothes have a large range, and we were able to buy her 2 dresses that fit her (a bit big now), allowing her to grow, and another 2 for in about a year’s time.
There are plenty of great eating options, including restaurants that give you a perfect view of the waterways. We opted for something Western for lunch and found it at the end of Xijing Street—choosing burgers and chips at a small bar with chairs by the water. To be honest, the food was average, and I think had we seen what we were in for, we would have gone traditional, but we redeemed it with Luckin’ Coffee.
If you’re up for something a little more exotic, check out the deep-fried bug stalls, some traditional teas, or even various animal parts cooked to your liking (all-animal parts).
After lunch, we opted for some more exploring, picking up cute trinkets and gifts to take home. Prices are very reasonable, and you will find a lot of interesting souvenirs if you wander some of the back alleys. We picked up hand-painted bookmarks, good luck charms, and even some Chinese dragon hats for the kids.
The highlight was catching a red moon from the top of one of the ancient bridges that cross the waterways. The evening did invite midges, so make sure to pack bug repellent like we did, and enjoy the cool evening air.
Conclusion
If you’re thinking about adding China to your travel list, then you have to check out Zhujiajiao. Such an awesome trip back in time that the whole family will enjoy. This water town is age-friendly, although there are stairs and uneven walkways, so ensure you are wearing good walking shoes. Don’t forget to take a ride on the traditional boats, checking out the maze of canals, and let your curiosity drive your wandering. We visited in Autumn and it was still relatively warm. During winter, they do get snow and the place looks truly magical. I can’t wait to visit in the Winter, but for more information checkout the towns local website here.
Checkout our blog for more information on how to plan the BEST family adventures here. If you have some favourites you’d love to share with our readers, on your travel to China, then send me an email at nicola@prettyfarfromhome.com or share it with us on instagram.