Featured by National Geographic! Step into a 600-year-old Ming-Qing ancient village

🌿 Songyang's beauty lies in the dancing sunlight on earthen walls, and the rustling sound of clouds brushing through book pages. 🔥 Must-visit ancient villages (all free admission!) 1. 🏘 Yangjiatang Village – Catch the "Golden Potala Palace" at 16:00 🌅 Sunset bathes 300-year-old "couple trees," turning earthen walls into gold foil! Capture panoramic views from the village viewpoint. ❄ Fun fact: Villagers follow a tradition of "no photography on odd-numbered days"—ask before shooting. 2. 🏞 Chenjiapu Village – Enjoy cliffside bookstore clouds at 7:00 📚 Pioneer Bookstore's glass room floats 800m above cliffs—shelves framed by sea of clouds! Arrive before 8am on weekends for fewer crowds. 3. 🌉 Songzhuang Village – Hidden afternoon waterplay under ancient bridges 📰 Cool off in the stream beneath National Geographic-cover stone arch bridge, shaded by century-old maple trees. Bargain cow-led photo ops to ¥20. 🚗 Transport tips - 🚙 Drive: 3.5hrs from Hangzhou; last 20km has sharp mountain bends—newbies should hire drivers - 🚄 Train: Right-turn at Lishui Station → rent SUVs or shared vans to Songyang (¥12/person) - ⏰ Warning: Buses only reach Yangjiatang/Pingtian (last bus 16:30); no buses to Songzhuang/Youtian 🍜 Food recs - 🍜 Baixian Noodles: Wood-fired wheat noodles with preserved veggie omelet - 🍗 Old Street Salt-baked Chicken: Paper-wrapped juicy whole chicken - 🍙 Xu's Qingming Dumplings: Mugwort dough stuffed with bamboo shoots—steamed or fried 💡 Hidden itinerary 📅DAY1: Hangzhou → Songyang → Youtian's red-earth walls → stay at Tianyuan Mingdu Hotel 📅DAY2: 7:00 Chenjiapu (bookstore clouds) → 13:00 Songzhuang waterplay → 16:00 Yangjiatang sunset → return ⚠️ Pro tips - 🏨 Stay: Chenjiapu homestays overpriced—county hotels 30min drive away - 📸 Photo hacks: Bargain cow/herding shots from ¥50 to ¥20 - 📍 Secret spots: Yangjiatang mist viewpoint before 6:30—bring mosquito spray & grippy shoes > 🚶 Hiker routes: ①🌲 Langshu Village → Chenjiapu (6hrs to cliff bookstore) ②🌾 Youtian → Songzhuang (1.5hrs stream trek) 🎋 Bamboo Theater Trail (beginner-friendly with giant woven installations) 💰 All villages free! Only Huang Family Compound's woodcarving museum charges ¥30