Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai Weekend Getaway | This Underrated Summer Escape is a Hidden Gem! A 26°C Jiangnan Paradise is Absolutely Stunning!

Guys! I've struck gold 😭 Tongling, this treasure of a city in central Anhui, is the ultimate weekend destination from the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai area! With summer temps averaging just 26°C, ancient villages more picturesque than Hongcun, fewer crowds, and refreshing coolness, bookmark this guide now! 🌿 Yongquan Town: A Real-Life Fairy Tale Just 1-2 hours by high-speed rail from Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai to Tongling! Whether arriving at Tongling Station or Tongling North Station, you'll reach Yongquan Town in no time—this year's biggest summer surprise! Step into this town and enter a storybook 🌳 Summer nights here are firefly heaven! Lanterns along bamboo paths mingle with real fireflies, creating a flowing galaxy of light ✨ Stroll through the Twelve Scenes of Jiangnan—dense tree shade blocks the heat, mountain streams babble, black swans glide gracefully, and mountain breezes carry bamboo fragrance, instantly melting away the summer heat! Hiking is a breeze! Take the mountainside cable car if tired, then zoom down via a 1500-meter granite slide—thrilling! Unwind afterward at Jiubao Hot Springs ♨️ with 18 mineral-rich pools nestled in greenery, perfect for stargazing or forest bathing! At night, the town transforms into a luminous forest 🎑 Exchange for ancient copper coins to savor delicacies at "Jiangnan Flavors" food street—copper-pot lamb, BBQ, chilled tremella soup... A uniquely nostalgic culinary experience! 🏯 Ancient Villages: More Serene Than Hongcun - Longtan Xiao Village: A deep-mountain "Shangri-La" where the legendary Longtan pool never dries 🌊 Mossy stone steps lead to Hui-style houses with weathered carvings and murals whispering history. Dine in an 18°C cellar-turned-restaurant, pairing chilled Zongyang duck with mountain spring water—pure refreshment! - Liqiao Water Town: White walls, black tiles, willow-fringed bridges—a living ink painting. Glide on paddle boats past horse-head wall reflections by day; by night, marvel at iron-flower fireworks and bonfire parties 🔥 At just ¥37.5 admission, it's a steal! 🏭 Where Industry Meets Nature - Tongguanshan 1978 Cultural Park: Revamped miners' quarters where red-brick factories house retro dormitories and mining tools, pulsating with 20th-century nostalgia. Sip coffee beside vintage mine carts as steel frames drip with pothos—history reborn! - Binjiang Ecological Park's Misty Quarry: A cyberpunk wonderland where rusty machinery coexists with ferns, with timed mist effects for maximum atmosphere. "Copper Glamping" lets you sleep to river breezes—utterly romantic! - Tongling Museum (Free!): Be awed by its 3000㎡ diamond-shaped copper wall. Exhibits span Shang-Zhou bronze ritual vessels to modern smelting tech—a complete "History of Chinese Copper"! 🌌 Summer Night Magic - Xihu Wetland Park: Pitch tents by thousand-acre lotus ponds ⛺️ Rent e-bamboo rafts through reeds, startling egrets. Sip chilled mung bean soup at dusk, soaking in spectacular sunsets—pure therapy! - Laozhou Sun Island: Ferry to this Yangtze sandbar for beach BBQs and camping 🍢 Pair river fish with ice-cold beer as city lights twinkle across the water. Fall asleep to lapping waves—ultimate stress relief! 🚗 Travel Tips - Transport: High-speed rail to Tongling Station (downtown) or Tongling North (near Yongquan). Drive from Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai (~3hrs). - Stay: Downtown's Yuanyi Boutique Hotel (family-friendly lofts) or Yongquan's hot spring resorts/Jiangnan B&Bs for immersive experiences. - Eat: Must-try large intestine noodles, Shun'an crispy candy, pepper-salt pork knuckles, Datong tea tofu. Yongquan's "Jiangnan Flavors" with copper coins is a blast! - Itinerary: - Day1: Tongling Museum → Tongguanshan 1978 → Liqiao Water Town (iron-flower show + bonfire night) - Day2: Yongquan Town (Twelve Scenes + firefly hot springs) OR Fenghuang Mountain bamboo forest/Tianmen Mountain creek trekking While other hotspots overflow with crowds, Tongling remains unspoiled and magical. Here, bronze's gravitas and mining's fiery legacy transform into gentle coolness, where ancient villages harbor poetic authenticity ✨ This summer, don't hesitate—come experience Tongling's unique romance!