Things to do in Xuzhou
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Xuzhou
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best weather, mild and walkable, the lake and mountain at their best.
Cold edges but the Yunlong Lake apricot blossom peaks in mid to late March.
Clear and cold, with the Pizhou ginkgo season peaking this month.
Hottest and wettest, heavy July rain, thunderstorms and peak domestic crowds at the lake parks.
Biting cold, thin crowds, cheapest hotels and peak mutton soup season.
What's on
- Spring Festival January to February, date varies
Baolian Temple at its busiest, many small restaurants close, book transport far ahead.
- Yunlong Lake Apricot Blossom mid to late March
Apricot blossom on Hudong Road by Su Gong Tower, best before 9am.
- National Day Golden Week 1 to 7 October
Perfect weather but the hardest crowds of autumn, so visit mid October instead.
- Mid-Autumn Festival September to October, date varies
Moon viewing from Yunlong Mountain and Lake Middle Road over Yunlong Lake.
- Pizhou Ginkgo Season November
Golden ginkgo avenues in Pizhou, a day trip out of Xuzhou city.
Best things to do in Xuzhou
Xuzhou Museum
Start here for the gold threaded jade burial suit and the Chu Han story that makes the tombs make sense.
Xuzhou Han Culture Scenic Area
A Chu king tomb cut into Lion Mountain plus thousands of smaller Han terracotta warriors in their pits.
Guishan Han Tomb
The completed joint tomb of a Chu king and his wife, with linked chambers, a well and ancient drainage.
Yunlong Lake Tourist Area
The city living room, a free lake park with boats, beaches, towers and the best sunset walk in Xuzhou.
Hubu Mountain
Ming and Qing courtyard houses on flood safe high ground, with the Huilongwo lanes lit up below at night.
Xima Terrace
The terrace where Xiang Yu watched horse exercises, the one physical spot tied to his Pengcheng capital.
Baolian Temple
A grand rebuilt Tang style temple near East Station, free to enter and famous for its vegetarian noodles.
Huaihai Campaign Memorial Hall
The memorial to the decisive 1948 to 49 campaign that explains why armies kept fighting over Xuzhou.
Where to stay in Xuzhou
Pengcheng Square / Hubu Mountain
first trip, food and old city
Metro interchange, Huilongwo evenings, barbecue streets and the museum all within easy reach.
Yunlong Lake shore
families, runners and a resort feel
Wake on the water by the museum and mountain, with downtown a short ride away and calm nights.
Dalong Lake / New Urban Area
business, space and quiet
Newer hotels by the Dalong Lake loop and sports centre, but far from the old city food scene.
Think twice about
- Xuzhou East Station surroundings
Modern, isolated and dead at night, with a long ride to every dinner that matters. Fine for an early departure only.
- Dalong Lake / New Urban Area for a first food led trip
An administrative district that empties in the evening and strands you far from Hubu Mountain and the barbecue streets.
- Old Xuzhou Railway Station perimeter
Noise, station churn and the least appealing late night walk in the centre, when Hubushan budget rooms cost little more.
Best restaurants in Xuzhou
Pengcheng No.1 Snack Street
The downtown hunting ground for Xuzhou barbecue, skewers finished at your table then dipped and wrapped.
Lianglaifeng
The named local pick for la tang, Xuzhou peppery spicy soup eaten at breakfast with fried dough sticks.
Sha Tang Breakfast Shops
Sha tang, the silky wheat and chicken soup credited to Peng Zu, with hot shaobing from a street oven.
Youth Road Lamb Restaurant
The documented local recommendation for milky lamb soup with flatbread, a canteen breakfast institution.
Bai Wei Di Guo Ji
A 20 year diguo ji specialist, chicken braised in a wok with flatbreads steamed around the rim.
Dazhang Laomo Village
A village themed laomo specialist where wraps, braised meats and stir fries are rolled at the table.
Ten Directions Vegetarian Restaurant
Temple vegetarian noodles and pastries at Baolian, a light mushroom broth reset between barbecue nights.
Xuzhou Banquet
Banquet style Xuzhou cooking in private rooms, bazirou and the storied mutton stuffed fish in one sitting.
Outdoor things to do in Xuzhou
Yunlong Mountain
A gentle wooded climb from the museum to the city best panorama, with a cable car down to the lake.
Yunlong Lake
Ride the shore paths then take a boat into the dawn redwood water forest at Xiaonan Lake in late light.
Pan'an Lake Wetland Park
A coal subsidence wasteland restored into lakes, reed beds and boardwalks, plus a lively heritage village.
Dalong Lake
A flat, landscaped lake loop in the New Town, ideal for a dawn run or an easy evening lap.
Xuzhou Amusement Land
A full amusement park and water world on the lake resort shore, the high energy family day in Xuzhou.
Xuzhou Fantawild Wonderland
A newer high tech theme park retelling Chinese legends, with the city strongest night show programme.
Yaowan Ancient Town
A preserved Grand Canal port town of stone lanes and guild halls, best as a slow third day trip.
Best hotels in Xuzhou
Hyatt Regency Xuzhou
The downtown flagship atop a mall, with the city highest views, a pool and a serious breakfast buffet.
Suning Galaxy International Hotel Xuzhou
The high volume downtown workhorse by Pengcheng Square, efficient, friendly and close to food and metro.
Hanting Hotel (Xuzhou Hubushan Pedestrian Street)
A reliable budget chain room on the Hubushan pedestrian street itself, ten minutes from the museum.
Xuzhou Marriott Hotel Lakeview
The lake international flagship with lake view rooms and a spa, good for families based on the water.
Sheraton Xuzhou Hotel
The other lake five star, praised for its environment and breakfast, a close rival to the Marriott.
Grand New Century Hotel Xuzhou
A big family friendly lake hotel with a large pool, tagged great for kids at a mid range price.
Primus Hotel Xuzhou Dalong Lake
The New Town best reviewed stay, with strong breakfast and service scores by the Dalong Lake loop.
Crowne Plaza Xuzhou Dalong Lake
The international chain heart of the New Town by Dalong Lake, familiar and well reviewed in English.
Is Xuzhou expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | CN¥250 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | CN¥550 a person |
| Splurge | CN¥1,200 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Xuzhou Museum: a few days ahead
- Xuzhou Han Culture Scenic Area: a few days ahead
- Guishan Han Tomb: a few days ahead
- Xima Terrace: a few days ahead
- Xuzhou Amusement Land: a few days ahead
- Xuzhou Fantawild Wonderland: a few days ahead
- Hyatt Regency Xuzhou: weeks ahead
- Xuzhou Marriott Hotel Lakeview: weeks ahead
- Xuzhou Museum is free but needs a real name advance reservation and closes on Mondays, as does the Underground City museum.
- Buy Han Culture Scenic Area and Guishan tickets online a day ahead, and book lake hotels weeks ahead for Golden Week.
Is Xuzhou safe?
- Check the daily air quality index, Xuzhou can spike, and save museum and tomb days for bad air days.
- Carry layers in winter and plan for heavy July rain, heat and thunderstorms in summer.
Xuzhou travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Do not measure the Han terracotta warriors against Xi'an, they are smaller by design and reward a different eye.
- Hubu Mountain and Huilongwo feel empty by day out of season, so visit after dark when the lanterns are on.
Getting around Xuzhou: public transport and more
- Use the metro spine, Lines 1, 2 and 3 via Pengcheng Square, and DiDi for Guishan, Baolian Temple and Pan'an Lake.
- Xuzhou East is the high speed station, the old Xuzhou Station is more central, and Guanyin Airport has no direct metro.
Who Xuzhou suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Good |
| Bachelor parties | Good |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | OK |
Make Xuzhou your trip
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