Situated near the confluence of the Oujiang and Nanxi rivers, ringed by mountains, and located along the East China Sea, Wenzhou is a city with natural charms. It's got man-made charms, too—it was famously laid out by Guo Pu, the father of feng shui. This port city of 4 million is regarded as a major industrial hub with modern skyscrapers to match. However, the best things to do in Wenzhou involve escaping into nature (or into a museum or temple).
Wenzhou is named for its mild climate (“wen” means “warm” in Mandarin Chinese), with cool, relatively brief winters and warm, humid summers. It’s not generally known for weather extremes. That said, check the forecast when visiting in late spring and early summer when monsoon rains arrive. The same goes for late summer when typhoons can cause damage. For an especially lively atmosphere, time your visit with local festivals like the Cherry Blossom Festival in spring or the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Wenzhou is served by Wenzhou Longwan International Airport, which connects it to destinations across China and other East Asian countries. It also has two major train stations: Wenzhou Railway Station with slower intercity trains and the newer Wenzhou South Railway Station with bullet trains. In the city, transit options include the Wenzhou Rail Transit system, numerous buses, taxis, and ferries that frequent the region’s tourist islands.
No trip to Wenzhou is complete without seeking out its dynamic and distinctive cuisine. For a wide-ranging taster, head to central Wuma Street, lined with bars and restaurants selling all manner of local delicacies. Seafood is unsurprisingly popular in this waterfront city, including fish cakes and river crab, as are wontons, glutinous rice, and baozi steamed buns. And don't forget to seek out Wenzhou’s famous “potato men”—street vendors selling irresistible potato skewers for next to nothing.
