Plan at a glance
Open town area and visitor center
Anchang Ancient Town is in Anchang Subdistrict, Keqiao District, Shaoxing. The usual entrance is the visitor center near Parking Areas 1 and 2. The town streets have no enclosing gate and are free to enter all day; exhibition halls such as the Shaoxing Shiye Museum, Wupeng boats and shops have their own charges or business hours. The all-day access to the street area does not mean that every venue is open all day.
A quick visit takes about 1.5–2 hours, while a first leisurely walk takes about 3 hours. If you want to see the river in the early evening, enter at around 16:00 and allow about 2 hours. The internal exhibition halls are usually open from 8:00 to 16:30, but they may close or shut earlier on Mondays, so confirm the same-day arrangement.
Street tickets and Wupeng boats
Walking through the street area is free. A reference price for the internal exhibition-hall pass is RMB 50, while individual halls are around RMB 10–15; tickets can be bought on-site. Wupeng boat rides are charged separately, with a reference price of RMB 68–80 per boat for 2–3 people. Boat schedules, prices and pier operations follow the arrangements on the day.
Tickets and visit details
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Cured-food promenade and sauce workshop
Anchang suits visitors who enjoy everyday water-town life, local food culture, photography and unhurried walks. The town's more than 1,700 metres of riverside covered walkways, cured sausages and cured duck show its local way of life, while the open-air sauce vats and preserved products at the Renchang Sauce Workshop are distinctive. When buying cured sausages, cured duck or other food products, ask first about the price, weight and whether vacuum packing is available.
The town's water-town character is spread across residential areas, bridges, waterways and small street-front shops, making it suitable for exploring on foot. Shops, exhibition halls and teahouses keep their own hours, so you can visit only the free street area or choose one or two paid halls.
Shiye culture, bridges and boats
The Shaoxing Shiye Museum is housed in a Qing-dynasty residence and introduces local culture connected with Shaoxing shiye. Stone arch bridges such as Fulu Bridge, Wan'an Bridge and Ruyi Bridge offer views of the waterways, homes and the space used by passing boats, while a Wupeng boat provides a water-level perspective.
Wupeng boats are a separate paid experience, and intangible cultural-heritage performances, teahouses and snacks may also vary by date. For photography, the 15:00–17:00 period can be useful for observing bridge openings, the cured-food promenade and the water, but weather and shop hours can change the scene.
Build your day
1.5–2-hour quick route
Enter through the visitor center, walk along the cured-food promenade, then see Fulu Bridge or Wan'an Bridge. Continue past the Renchang Sauce Workshop to the boat pier and ask about the Wupeng boat before leaving through the exit. If time is limited, focus on the riverside covered walkway, the bridges and one sauce workshop, and choose exhibition halls only if time remains.
3-hour complete route
First-time visitors can enter from the direction of Parking Area 2, pass the visitor center, City God Hall, Shaoxing Shiye Museum, Folk Customs Museum and Renchang Sauce Workshop, then take a Wupeng boat. Return through the lanes on the opposite side of the river and leave after passing the former Bank of China site. Exhibition halls, boats and shops have different hours and charges; if one activity is closed, continue on foot through the residential lanes.
Evening route
For evening water views and lanterns, enter at around 16:00, walk along the cured-food promenade and bridges, then arrange a Wupeng boat at around 17:30 according to the boat schedule. Afterward, photograph the riverside night scene or stop briefly at an open teahouse. Sunset times, lantern-lighting times and boat schedules vary by season and day, so adjust the route to the on-site timing.
Get there
Driving, high-speed rail and buses
If driving, navigate to Parking Area 1 or 2 at Anchang Ancient Town. Parking is usually reasonably available, with a reference price of RMB 10 for 4 hours. A taxi from Shaoxing North Railway Station takes about 20 minutes and costs around RMB 15–20. City buses 818 and 118 can go directly to Anchang Ancient Town Station.
Parking Area 1 is closer to the entrance, while Parking Area 2 is also convenient for the visitor center. Parking Area 4 may be cheaper, but it has a gravel surface and charges by the day. Choose the parking area according to your group's walking ability, and avoid parking so far away that you have to carry luggage through a long stretch of stone lanes.
Walking in the old town
Anchang stretches along the river, with bridges, stone lanes and small alleys connecting the two banks. A Wupeng boat covers only one section of the water experience and cannot replace walking on both banks. Before boarding, confirm the pier and return exit, then decide which side to explore first.
Know before you go
Shopping, shop hours and timing
There is no single fixed price for cured duck, cured sausages and other local products. Compare several shops before buying and confirm the unit price, weight and whether vacuum packing is available. Many local shops close around 16:00–17:00, so plan to buy products or eat hot food before noon or earlier in the afternoon.
The town street area is open all day, but exhibition halls, boats, teahouses and shops each have their own hours. Exhibition halls may be closed or finish early on Mondays; if you arrive late, prioritize the lanes and waterways that are still open.
Surfaces and waterside safety
The old town has many stone-paved lanes and some steps, making it inconvenient to push a stroller. With young children, consider using a carrier and hold their hands on bridges and beside the river. Steps by the water and boat piers can be slippery; stay away from the edge when taking photographs and follow the railings and staff instructions when boarding or leaving a boat.
The street area, exhibition halls, Wupeng boats and food shops charge separately, and food prices and business status should be confirmed on-site. Reaching Anchang from the China Yellow Wine Museum requires an actual transfer; the two places do not share a ticket and are not suitable for an improvised walk between them.