Destinations: Travel routes for visa-free visitors

Editor's Note: Earlier this year, China enacted a policy that means eligible visitors or businesspeople traveling in the Yangtze River Delta area - those arriving in Shanghai, Hangzhou or Nanjing - will automatically qualify for a 144-hour visa-free stay that can be used to facilitate travel elsewhere or to explore the region. For those arriving in Hangzhou for the G20 summit who are interested in nearby sightseeing, here are our recommendations:

To the east of Hangzhou: Xikou scenic spot in Fenghua, Ningbo, about 40 km southwest of Ningbo. In recent history, it was home to Chiang Kai-shek and Chiang Ching-kuo, making it a treasure house for research into the history of the Republic of China (1912-1949). The scenic area of Xikou is 85 sq km and mainly comprises four attractions - the former residence of the Chiang family, the tomb of Chiang's mother, Xuedou Hill and Tingxia Lake.

To the northeast of Hangzhou: Wuzhen in Jiaxing. Wuzhen is a beautiful area that is representative of Jiangnan (the area south of the Yangtze River) and its old towns. It was established more than 1,300 years ago and is seen as the "last site of waterside households in China". It has also been home to many famous people and is rich in culture and folk customs. It is surrounded by a canal and is crisscrossed by rivers, with an East Gate, South Gate, West Gate and North Gate. It has maintained a number of unique Jiang-nan-style residences that date back to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

To the north of Hangzhou: the Historical Cultural City Attractions of Huzhou. The attractions boast a Lotus Village, the Chinese Hu Writing Brush Museum, the Home of Chen Yingshi, Feiying Park, the Feiying Tower and the Temple of the Iron Buddha. It has a long and rich history with profound cultural connotations.

To the southeast of Hangzhou: the former residence of the great writer Lu Xun in Shaoxing. In January 1953, the Shaoxing Lu Xun Memorial Hall was established. It was the first museum to commemorate a celebrity in Zhejiang province to be founded after 1949. Today, the former residence of Lu Xun has become a historic street that possesses the unique Southern Yangtze cultural glamour and is a place where people can interpret the authentic meaning of the writer's works. Visitors can also experience the scenery depicted in writings and feel something of life in Lu's era.

To the west of Hangzhou: the Confucius Family Temple of Nanzong in Quzhou. As one of only two family temples for Confucius in China, the Nanzong family temple has a history that can be traced back more than 800 years. It is a National Historical and Cultural Site under State Protection, and has been praised as the "holy land of Confucius in the southern area" and as the "Southeast Ancestral Home". There are two priceless treasures in the temple: a wooden portrait of Confucius with his wife Qiguan.

To the south of Hangzhou: the Xiandu scenic spot in Jinyun, Lishui. Located at Jinyun county in Lishui, the Xiandu scenic spot gets its name from the writings of Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) emperor Li Longji. The attraction consists of four main scenic areas, and its curving stream, elegant landscape, gauzy mist, rural scenery and rustic charm complement each other.

suzhou@chinadaily.com.cn