7 Days in Xuancheng

Jingting Mountain, 5 km north, holds Li Bai's "never tired of looking at each other" — he came seven times. The 1997-rebuilt Xietiao Tower and the free museum (closed Mondays) fill the afternoon.

1. xuancheng jingting mountain
2. xuancheng xietiao tower
3. xuancheng museum

30 minutes by the 2024 high-speed line, then 11 km east to the 5A Longchuan site — the Hu ancestral hall, first built around 1546, is national-listed Ming wood carving. Sleep in Jixi county town.

1. xuancheng longchuan
2. xuancheng jixi museum

The gorge, about 20 km east of town, runs between granite walls — allow 3 hours and start early. Return via Taiji Lake village for its Ming brick-carved gateways.

1. xuancheng zhangshan gorge
2. xuancheng taiji lake village

Watch the UNESCO-listed paper craft (2009) take shape in Jingxian — over 100 hand steps for one sheet. Push on 40 km west to Zhaji, 140-plus Yuan-Qing buildings, and sleep in a village guesthouse among the art students.

1. xuancheng xuan paper culture park
2. xuancheng zhaji

Li Bai arrived here in 755 at Wang Lun's invitation; walk the pool rim and the Qing Wenchang pavilion. Nearby Huangtian keeps the "ship-house" courtyard built by a Qing merchant family.

1. xuancheng taohuatan
2. xuancheng huangtian village

East to Guangde, about 1.5 hours from Xuancheng; the cave, another 35 km out, has drawn visitors for over 2,000 years — Han-era records already call it a sight. Bring a layer, the chambers sit around 18 degrees Celsius year-round.

1. xuancheng taiji cave

The alligator centre south of town, started in 1979, breeds the critically endangered Chinese alligator. Finish at Shuidong old street, 30 km southeast, with its jujube shops, then back to Xuancheng station — high-speed trains reach Hangzhou or Hefei in 1-2 hours.

1. xuancheng chinese alligator lake
2. xuancheng shuidong old street