Hangzhou offers a rare mix of natural beauty, a top-five Chinese university and the energy of being Alibaba's home town. You can cycle around West Lake between lectures, the streets are cleaner than most big cities, and Shanghai is a quick train away when you want more buzz. Summers are hot and humid, but spring and autumn by the lake are hard to beat.

• West Lake (Xi Hu), a UNESCO site, is free to wander and only minutes from the centre.
• Shanghai is around an hour away by high-speed rail for weekends.

Zhejiang University anchors a big, active student scene, and days off mean cycling the lake or lingering in a teahouse. Nights out cluster near the lake and along the Binjiang riverside.

• Zhejiang University's Zijingang campus drives student life, with clubs and societies to match its size.
• Evenings out gather around the bars near Xihu and the Binjiang riverside.
• Ask the Hangzhou group on Studcasa which lakeside cafes and teahouses students actually use.

As a prosperous tech city, Hangzhou is mid-to-high for China, though still far cheaper than a Western capital. Budget roughly 4,500 to 7,500 yuan a month (about 580 to 970 euros).

• A canteen meal is 15-25 yuan; a bowl of pian er chuan noodles at a local shop is under 30 yuan.
• A shared room near Zijingang or Xixi runs about 2,000-3,500 yuan a month.
• Hangzhou is largely cashless, so set up Alipay, which was born here, before you arrive.

Dorms are the default first term, with flats in the West Lake and Xixi districts a popular next step. Most private listings are in Chinese and move quickly.

• University dorms are the default; many students later move to flats in Xihu or Xixi districts.
• Ziroom and Lianjia list managed private rooms, mostly in Chinese.

Hangzhou pioneered China's public bike scheme, and cycling the lakeside is a joy, backed by a metro that now reaches most of the city. Getting around is cheap and pleasant.

• Pay for the metro with a QR in Alipay or a Hangzhou Tong card.
• Shared bikes are the nicest way to lap West Lake and cover short trips.
• Budget around 150 yuan a month for transport, with metro fares from 2 yuan.

Hangzhou punches well above its weight academically, led by one of China's very best universities and a celebrated art academy. Exchange programmes are well organised and internationally minded.

• Zhejiang University (Zheda) is one of China's best, strong across engineering, business and the sciences.
• The China Academy of Art draws design and fine-art students to its striking Xiangshan campus.

For a full semester you need an X1 student visa; anything under 180 days uses the X2. Your host university sends an admission letter plus a JW201 or JW202 form, and you take both to a Chinese embassy or visa centre back home. Requirements and fees swing a lot by nationality, so check your own local embassy rather than trusting a mate from another country.

The bit people forget: an X1 visa only gets you in the door. Within 30 days of landing you must convert it into a residence permit at the local Public Security Bureau (Entry-Exit office), which means a health check and passport photos. Miss the deadline and the fines are real.

• X1 visa, stays over 180 days, needs JW202 + admission letter
• Residence permit, apply within 30 days at the local PSB
• Medical exam, required for the permit, budget €50–80
• Rules vary by nationality, always check your own embassy

Hangzhou cuisine is delicate and slightly sweet, and the surrounding hills grow China's most famous green tea. Everyday life revolves around the lake, the tea and the seasons.

• Taste fresh Longjing (Dragon Well) tea in the hills of Meijiawu village where it is grown.
• Local classics include Dongpo pork, West Lake vinegar fish and beggar's chicken.
• Hefang Street is the touristy but fun place to graze on Hangzhou snacks.

You can live beside the lake, across the river in the tech belt, or out by the quieter wetlands near several campuses. All are well connected by metro.

• Xihu district, around the lake, is the prettiest and most walkable place to be based.
• Binjiang across the river is the tech hub, modern and well connected.
• Xixi Wetland offers a quieter, greener setting near several campuses.

Hangzhou sits among the classic sights of the Yangtze delta, from water towns to sacred mountains. A weekend covers almost any of them.

• Wuzhen and Xitang water towns are an hour or so away and best seen in the evening lights.
• Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) is reachable in about 1.5 hours by high-speed rail.
• Moganshan's bamboo forests and old villas make a cool mountain escape in summer.

Hangshou rewards good timing and a little tech prep. Dodge the holiday crowds and the muggy weeks, and sort your apps before you fly.

• Set up a VPN before you land if you need blocked apps or sites.
• West Lake is mobbed on public holidays, so go early morning or on a weekday for calm.
• Summers are muggy, so plan your trips around spring and autumn.