(Photo: Hangzhou, China via CHEN WS/Shutterstock.com)Hangzhou
Voted one of China's top five destinations in TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice 2012 awards, Hangzhou has long been regarded as one of the country's most beautiful cities. Its fans span the ages, from Marco Polo to UNESCO (which named the city's famed West Lake a World Heritage site in 2011). In 2013, with a new train station, high-speed service to nearby Shanghai, and a new metro opening phase by phase, it will be easier than ever to explore this undiscovered gem of China.
The Hangzhou East Railway Station looks likely to open in the next few months and will serve as the new hub for current high-speed rail services to Shanghai and other cities. The Hangzhou Metro just opened the first of 10 eventual subway lines connecting the city. Line 1, a 30-mile transit corridor running south to north through the city, has 31 stations, including stops for bus and train stations and the West Lake Culture Square.
