Just 2 hours by high-speed rail! These 5 cities will cure all your blues

1️⃣ Xuancheng, Anhui | A poetic Jiangnan hideaway 🖌️ Must-do: • Jingting Mountain hike: Walk where Li Bai wrote "Never tired of gazing at each other," wear Hanfu for bamboo forest photos (¥50 entry) • Peach Blossom Pond boat ride: Find Wang Lun's legacy on black-canopied boats (¥80/boat), sip tea to Huangmei opera • Shuidong Old Street: Explore Republic-era houses, snack on fresh mochi (¥5/pc) with jasmine tea 🍜 Must-eat: • Shuiyang Trio: Duck feet wrap + wings + dried tofu (¥20/box), vacuum-packed souvenirs • Ningguo walnuts: Freshly roasted salted (¥15/jin), perfect binge-watching snack 🚄 Transport: 40min HSR from Nanjing South, ¥8 taxi minimum fare 🏠 Stay: Bamboo-view B&Bs at Jingting foothills (breakfast included, ¥300/night) 💡 Tips: June showers call for foldable raincoats + canvas shoes 2️⃣ Duyun, Guizhou | Slow living in mountain-water paintings 🌄 Must-do: • Qin-Han Film Studio: Hanfu photoshoots (¥45 ticket), chance to see live filming • Luosifen Town: Giant noodle sculpture, pair rice tea with snail noodles (¥20/person) • Mount Doupeng hike: Stream trekking + berry picking (¥80/guide), water shoes essential 🍜 Must-eat: • Sour soup beef hotpot: Wild litsea oil flavor (¥60/person), appetite-boosting • Chongchong cake: Brown sugar glutinous rice + crispy pork (¥5/serving), bamboo-steamed 🚄 Transport: 1h10m HSR from Guiyang North, ¥30 shuttle to scenic spots 🏠 Stay: Qingyun Lake villas (balcony lake views, ¥400/night) 💡 Tips: 25°C June avg, pack light jackets + mosquito patches 3️⃣ Chenzhou, Hunan | Fairy-tale filming locations 🌌 Must-do: • Xiaodongjiang morning mist: Arrive by 5:30 for fisherman's net casting (¥85 combo ticket) • GaoYiling hike: Danxia landforms + emerald canyons, bright dresses photograph best (¥80) • Bailang cycling: Electric bike rentals (¥30/hr), lakeside wild bayberries 🍜 Must-eat: • Dongjiang salmon sashimi: Freshly sliced with wasabi (¥128/jin), melt-in-mouth • Qifengdu fish noodles: Chili broth + pickled peppers (¥15/bowl), addictively spicy 🚄 Transport: 1hr HSR from Guangzhou South, ¥1 local buses 🏠 Stay: Stargazing lodges by Dongjiang Lake (floor-to-ceiling views, ¥500/night) 💡 Tips: Waterproof phone cases + polarizing filters for mist shots 4️⃣ Yixing, Jiangsu | Bamboo forest therapy 🎋 Must-do: • Yixing Bamboo Sea: Cable car to "South Jiangsu's First Peak" (¥125 combo), rustling leaves therapy • Zisha Museum: Handcraft purple clay cups (¥198/person), personalized souvenirs • Longbeishan cycling: Shared bikes through wetlands (¥2/hr), wild sika deer sightings 🍜 Must-eat: • Heqiao dried tofu: Five-spice/numbing flavors (¥10/bag), perfect with drinks • Black glutinous rice: Dyed with mugwort (¥8/box), fragrantly chewy 🚄 Transport: 1h10m HSR from Shanghai Hongqiao, ¥30 taxi to sites 🏠 Stay: Bamboo hot spring hotels (private pools + forest views, ¥600/night) 💡 Tips: Bamboo paths slippery—wear grippy shoes 5️⃣ Lanxi, Zhejiang | Millennia-old living postcard 🏮 Must-do: • Zhuge Bagua Village: Zhuge Liang descendants' enclave (¥80), learn ancient puzzle locks • Underground Long River: Boat through karst caves (¥115 combo), stunning stalactites • Youbu Ancient Town: Morning tea culture (¥5/person), chess-playing elders + storytelling 🍜 Must-eat: • Lanxi egg pancakes: Radish + pork fillings (¥6/pc), crispy-fresh • Crispy cakes: Preserved veg + pork (¥3/pc), flaky perfection 🚄 Transport: 40min HSR from Hangzhou East, ¥1 buses 🏠 Stay: Youbu heritage inns (century-old courtyards, ¥350/night) 💡 Tips: Cave temperature drops—bring jackets + flashlights 💰 Budget guide (2D1N solo trip): • Xuancheng: HSR ¥80 + stay ¥300 + food ¥150 = ¥530 • Duyun: HSR ¥180 + stay ¥400 + food ¥200 = ¥780 • Chenzhou: HSR ¥150 + stay ¥500 + food ¥250 = ¥900 • Yixing: HSR ¥130 + stay ¥600 + food ¥200 = ¥930 • Lanxi: HSR ¥80 + stay ¥350 + food ¥180 = ¥610 🌺 Solo travel kit: • Foldable umbrella + mini tripod (selfie-ready) • Waterproof phone pouch + power bank (no cave signals) • Travel sketchbook + watercolors (capture inspiration) • Solo-friendly toiletry kit (hygienic mini bottles) This summer, converse with mountains, reconcile with yourself—one solo journey at a time. Bookmark this list and just go!