Wenzhou (温州 Wēnzhōu) is a city in Zhejiang Province. Wenzhou is not on many China tour itineraries and despite being a Chinese cultural hotspot, it is not the most foreigner friendly of cities (compared with Hangzhou and Ningbo, for example). However, there are plenty of things to do and see should you find yourself with time on your hands in Wenzhou.
Wenzhou is the third city of Zhejiang Province and one of the economic power houses of the region. Famed for its businessmen and women of the night (and the Wenzhou model of business), Wenzhou is frequently used by Western media as a barometer of the Chinese export economy; among other things, Wenzhou manufactures around 90% of the world's spectacles and massive quantities of shoes. The city has a resident foreigner community that is below average for the city's size (100-200), although foreign businessmen often pass through. Wenzhou is near the East China Sea (called East Ocean in Chinese) in the south-eastern part of China.
As of the end of 2022, Wenzhou City administers four districts: Lucheng District, Longwan District, Ouhai District, and Dongtou District, as well as five counties: Yongjia County, Pingyang County, Cangnan County, Wencheng County, and Taishun County. It also oversees three county-level cities: Rui'an City, Yueqing City, and Longgang City.
Although there is two metro line, the Wenzhou Metro (WZ-MTR) is its useful to travelers. Line S1 connects the two train stations, the city centre and the airport. The first phase of Wenzhou Rail Transit Line S2 starts from Xiatang, Chengdong Street, Yueqing City in the north and ends in Ruian City in the south. The line length is 63 kilometers and intersects with Line S1 at Lingkun Station. Line S2 will be opened to traffic in August 2023 Buses cost ¥1.5-2.5 within the city and can be very useful once you figure what number goes where. Useful buses include the 81 that goes between the old train station and the new south train station (¥2).
1 Baizhangxia (百丈漈; bǎi zhàng jì), Wencheng County, ☏ +86 57767780616. Adult: original price 65 CNY/ticket Children/seniors/students: 33 CNY/ticket. (updated Sep 2024) 2 Dongtou Islands (洞头列岛), Dongtou District (洞头区) (buses leave from the Wenzhou South Railway Station Bus Station (温州火车南汽车站), cost about ¥30 and take aboute 90 minutes), ☏ +86 577 63385180, mail@dtly.cn. Group of islands off the coast. There is a bunch of "scenic spots"; you have to pay for some. Once there, it is probably easiest to take a taxi to the different scenic spots. Do not believe the touts that approach you when you get off the bus.
Double Deer Factory. If you are a foreigner, you can wander around the Double Deer Factory. There is some amazing machinery, such as the one that sticks on the labels. You will likely be thrown out after a little while, but it is well worth it. Try not to get your pictures deleted. If you are pretending to write an article about the brewery, then you should have business cards made beforehand. Pool Halls. There are many pool halls dotted around Wenzhou, ranging from free to ¥30/hour. (updated Oct 2023) Taxi rides. Taxis are cheap enough that you can just get driven around for an hour or so and not be out too many dough. Learn Chinese.
Potatoes. Many "Potato-men" stake out good spots around Wenzhou and sell you potatoes. ¥2. Muslim Noodles. The generic name for an extensive chain of restaurants offering bargain basement prices for solid meals from the Muslim regions of Western China including Pulled Noodles, Fried Rice, and Curries. There are at least 30 of these restaurants in the city and most have a menu on the wall which is helpful for finger-pointing foreigners. Look for the blue shop header with ‘正宗兰州拉面’ or ‘新疆牛肉拉面’. There is normally a boiling pot in the front of the restaurant and one of the staff pulling the noodles fresh to order...
Do not miss out on the locally brewed delight, Double Deer Beer, ¥2-2.5 on the streets. Also, do not forget to look under the cap for a free beer or ¥1 refund. Known as Shuan1 Lu4 in Chinese. It also has a more expensive, premium light counterpart. Wenzhou four four main areas for nightlife. European City (Ou Zhou Cheng). La Luna (Yong nan lu and Jiang bin xi lu) has the best burgers and french fries in Wenzhou. It has a foreign menu including nachos! It also has English-speaking staff. A favorite of the foreign community. Occasional karaoke or live music. Opens at 20:00. La Luna offers a foreign teacher discount card, so bring copy of contract or foreign expert papers.
Wenzhou is not a dangerous city for foreigners, especially foreigners that are careful. Taxis — When taking a taxi alone, especially at night, it’s still important to remain aware of your surroundings. While robbery is extremely rare, it's a good idea to sit in the back of the taxi for personal space and security. Many taxis today have partitions separating the driver from passengers, adding an extra layer of safety. Additionally, avoid displaying large amounts of cash, as it's always better to use mobile payment methods, which are now common in Wenzhou.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
Top-rated tours and tickets from €48 — book ahead for the popular ones.
Tours and tickets provided by Viator (a Tripadvisor company). Some links earn Stayonomy a commission.
In Sep, Wenzhou typically sees ~33°C daytime highs and 23 rainy days.
Cheapest destinations travellers searched recently — refreshed daily.
Flight prices are real fares travellers found in the last 48 hours, refreshed daily — the booking site confirms the final price. Train, bus and ferry fares are shown on the operators' booking sites. Weather data by Open-Meteo; exchange rates: ECB reference. Data updated 2026-09-21. Some links earn Stayonomy a commission at no cost to you.
stayonomy