Hangzhou, with its long history of high culture and its modern booming economy, offers the best of traditional Chinese entertainment alongside the bars, discos and karaoke rooms that are part of life in every big city today.

If you are interested in traditional musical theater, you should inquire about the performances at the Shengli Theater. If you are lucky, you may get to see Shaoxing Opera, a lyrical and colorful form of musical theater which originated in Zhejiang province. More modern Chinese comic art forms are on display at the Hangzhou Comic Art Theater. Non-Chinese speakers can still have an entertaining time there: plenty of audience members will be happy to explain the fun.

For classical Western and Chinese music and Western opera, check the program at the city's magnificent Hangzhou Grand Theatre. Opened in 2004, it has already attracted an impressive list of international performers, and many more are on the way. The Zhejiang Concert Hall also offers classical music as well as jazz and big-band performances.

Hangzhou has plenty of cinemas offering a range of first-run Chinese and Western movies, as well as revivals of old favorites, and of course once the sun goes down the city's nightlife, with its bars, nightclubs and discos, is everything you would expect in a modern Chinese city. Take a walk along Nanshan Road, the heart of Hangzhou's after-dark world: you're sure to find a place that suits your mood and your budget. If a more refined and traditional ambiance is what you're looking for, Hangzhou's teahouses are a delight. And if you prefer to pass the time in a colorful, bustling atmosphere outside, have a look at Hangzhou's night market.

The city also has a number of special events throughout the year, and you may want to try to time your visit to coincide with one. They include the West Lake Lotus Festival, the Hangzhou Lantern Festival, the Dragon Well Tea Festival (also known as the Longjng Tea Festival) and the West Lake Osmanthus Festival, which showcases the Sweet Osmanthus (or Tea Olive), which is Hangzhou's city flower. The Qiantang Tide Watching Festival centers on the amazing sight of a tidal wall of water that comes surging up the Qiantang River when tides are particularly high. The Xihu Expo of Hangzhou, held in October, is an annual trade and cultural fair that draws business people and tourists alike.

Warning：The use of any news and articles published on eChinacities.com without written permission from eChinacities.com constitutes copyright infringement, and legal action can be taken.