5 Days in Changsha

Founded in 976 and counted among the four great Song academies — ticketed inside the free mountain area — take the woods paths down for river views.

1. changsha yuelu mountain
2. changsha yuelu academy

Free with an online reservation, 9:00-17:00 and closed Mondays — the Mawangdui galleries hold pieces excavated 1972-74, sealed over 2,100 years, including the 49 g gauze garment.

1. changsha hunan museum

Metro Line 2 stops mid-isle — about 5 km long, free entry, shuttle train for a fee — fireworks nights run on selected evenings mostly May to October, so check the calendar; the riverside paths fill at dusk.

1. changsha orange isle

The pavilion sits on the last surviving stretch of the old city wall, then the snack lanes — stinky tofu and sugar-rice cakes — and numbered queues at the retro food court; off-museum days suit a rail hop toward Xiangtan and the Shaoshan direction (about 20 minutes) if you want one.

1. changsha tianxin pavilion
2. changsha taiping old street
3. changsha wenheyou

A slow snack-street morning, riverside walk, and the station — the HSR spine at Changsha South covers most of the country.

1. changsha pozi street