Stand on Wuhu Road on a spring morning and Lord Bao Park is already busy: tea drinkers under the trees, joggers circling the lake, and the restored tomb of Lord Bao at the quiet end of the grounds. Hefei is not a city that presents its sights all at once. It is a working provincial capital whose pleasures are spread across parks, museums and a pedestrian mall, with a long history underneath.
This guide suits travellers stopping in Hefei as part of a wider Anhui trip, or anyone with a free day or two who wants to see what the city actually offers rather than chase a checklist. The parks and gardens are the strongest draw, followed by the museums, most of which are free.
Below are the places worth your time, ordered with the most rewarding first, followed by a single-day plan and answers to the questions visitors ask most.
Top things to do in Hefei
1. Lord Bao Park
A combination of a very pleasant park with tea houses, gardens, a lake and a tower, plus the restored underground tomb of Lord Bao himself and the tombs of his family. The park is free to walk through, and it is worth doing so even if you skip the ticketed attractions.
The attractions, and in particular the exhibition in Qingfeng Tower, require some background in Chinese history to get much from. A through ticket for the attractions costs ¥50, or you can buy individual tickets for ¥5–35 each. Summer hours are 08:00–18:00 and winter hours 08:00–17:00.
2. Sanhe Ancient Town
A small but orderly town south of Hefei, known for its rice wine and with cultural attractions including temples and pagodas. Streets are unusually wide and straight, and most buildings are newly built in a style resembling old Chinese houses.
It makes a pleasant trip out of the city, especially if you have not visited any Chinese ancient towns yet. The regular bus costs ¥15 and departs from Xinya station near the train station, stopping at the Southern Bus station; from the bus stop in Sanhe, continue down the street for around 300 metres.
3. Anhui Museum - Shushan Branch
Also known as the new museum, this branch includes the massive Warring States Chu Cauldron and a full-scale relocated Huizhou ancient residence, with wood, stone and brick carvings tracing Anhui's history from prehistoric times to the Qing Dynasty.
It is free, open 09:00–17:00 with last admission at 16:30, and closed on Mondays. It sits on Metro Line 3 at Provincial Museum Station, and the Anhui Geological Museum is directly opposite its northeast side, so the two combine well in one outing.
4. Former Residence of Li Hongzhang
The Hefei home of Li Hongzhang, an important statesman and military leader of the late Qing Dynasty, now a museum with exhibitions on his life. He was originally from Hefei and often stayed here when he returned to his hometown.
Entry is free, hours are 09:00–17:00 with no entry after 16:30, and it is closed on Mondays. It sits on the Huaihe Road pedestrian mall, about 350 metres north of Sipailou Station on Line 4, so you can fold it into a walk along the mall.
5. Anhui Museum - Luyang Branch
Known as the old museum, this branch has exhibitions on modern art and Communist Party history. It is a smaller, quieter counterpart to the Shushan Branch.
Entry is free and it is open 09:00–17:00 with last entry at 16:30, closed on Tuesdays. It is at 268 Anqing Road in Luyang District, served by Metro lines 2 and 5 at Sanxiaokou Station.
6. Xiaoyaojin Park
A park with many amusement rides and duckboats for hire. It gets very crowded on weekends and holidays, so time your visit accordingly if you want space to walk.
The name comes from Xiaoyao Ford, where the Battle of Xiaoyao Ford was fought in the 3rd century AD. It is on Shouchun Road, an easy pairing with the Huaihe Road pedestrian mall nearby.
7. Xinghua Park
Usually less crowded than Xiaoyaojin Park, with amusement rides and duckboats for hire. In spring and summer people fly kites there and practise tai chi early in the day.
If you want a park without the weekend crush, this is the better choice. It is on Huaihe West Road in Luyang District.
8. Memorial Museum of the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign
A museum dedicated to the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign, the major military campaign launched by the People's Liberation Army in the final stages of the Chinese Civil War, which culminated in the capture of Nanjing. A second museum on the same campaign can be found in Nanjing.
Entry is free, hours are 09:00–17:00 with no entry after 16:30, and it is closed on Mondays except when Monday is a public holiday. It is near the metro station of the same name on Line 5, and the Anhui Art Museum is directly opposite its west side.
9. Anhui Art Museum
An art museum in Baohe District, sitting opposite the west side of the Memorial Museum of the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign and roughly 900 metres south of the Memorial Museum Metro Station on Line 5.
Entry is free, opening hours are 09:00–17:30 with no entry after 16:30, and it is closed on Mondays. Pair it with the memorial museum across the road.
10. Anhui Geological Museum
A large natural sciences museum with an extensive collection of rocks, minerals, gemstones and fossils, including dinosaur fossils. It is free to enter.
Hours are 09:00–17:00, extended to 18:00 on weekends in July and August, with no entry in the last 30 minutes, and it is closed on Mondays. It is at 999 Jiahe Road in Shushan District, opposite the northeast side of the Anhui Museum's Shushan Branch.
11. Dashu mountain
The view across Hefei is great on a clear day, and there is a TV tower at the top. The walk up to the summit takes about 30 minutes, and it can get crowded when the weather is nice.
Reach it in about 20 minutes by taxi, or catch any bus that goes to the end of Changjiang Road or Huangshan Road. The Hefei Zoo is near the bottom of the mountain, though it is a long walking distance along Wangjiang Road.
12. Chao lake
One of the great lakes of China, with sights on or around it including Lao Shan in the middle and Zhongmiao Temple on the northern bank, as well as some natural springs.
Catch a bus at Hefei Bus station on Mingguang Road. Note that the lake has been polluted with nitrogen and phosphorus in recent decades, though the situation is improving through efforts by both the government and the people.
13. Zi Peng mountain
A forest park in Feixi county with some walking tracks, a large Buddhist temple at the top of the mountain, and multi-storey Buddhist statues carved into the side of the mountain.
It is best to have a driver or take a local bus, and the drive from Hefei takes about 30–45 minutes. Stop somewhere to try Feixi old hen for lunch.
14. Emerald Lake scenic area
Hire tandem bikes and pedal around the lake. It is a good place to have a picnic or read a book, with few people and quiet surroundings.
It sits in the development zone University City area, next to the Anhui University Feicui hu campus.
15. Hefei Pedestrian Mall
A pedestrian shopping street with two named sights along it: the Former Residence of Li Hongzhang and Mingjiao temple. From the Suzhou lu end of the mall is the Municipal government square.
It is the easiest place to combine shopping, a museum visit and a temple stop in a single walk.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at Lord Bao Park on Wuhu Road while the tea houses and gardens are still quiet, and walk the grounds before deciding whether to buy a ticket for the tomb and Qingfeng Tower. Then head to the Huaihe Road pedestrian mall for the Former Residence of Li Hongzhang, and continue along the mall to Mingjiao temple.
Afternoon. Take Metro Line 3 to Provincial Museum Station for the Anhui Museum - Shushan Branch, and cross to the Anhui Geological Museum opposite its northeast side if you have time for the fossils and minerals. Both are free and both close on Mondays.
Evening. Finish at Xiaoyaojin Park on Shouchun Road for the duckboats and amusement rides, or choose Xinghua Park instead if you would rather avoid the crowds. Either works as a relaxed end to the day.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time of year to visit Hefei?
Springs are generally relatively pleasant if somewhat erratic, and autumn sees a gradual cooling and drying. Summers are hot and humid, with daily temperatures in June through August, and often September, reaching or surpassing 37 °C, while winters are damp and cold with January lows dipping just below freezing.
Are Hefei's museums free to enter?
The Anhui Museum's Luyang and Shushan branches, the Anhui Geological Museum, the Anhui Art Museum, the Memorial Museum of the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign and the Former Residence of Li Hongzhang are all free. Lord Bao Park is free to walk through, with a ¥50 through ticket for its attractions or individual tickets at ¥5–35.
Which days are the museums closed?
The Anhui Museum's Luyang Branch closes on Tuesdays. The Shushan Branch, the Anhui Geological Museum, the Anhui Art Museum, the Memorial Museum of the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign and the Former Residence of Li Hongzhang all close on Mondays, with the memorial museum making an exception when Monday is a public holiday.
How do I get to Sanhe Ancient Town?
The regular bus costs ¥15 and departs from Xinya station near the train station, stopping at the Southern Bus station. From the bus stop in Sanhe, continue down the street for around 300 metres.
Pick the parks and museums that match your interests, check the closing days before you set out, and start planning your Hefei stopover.