Time of the visit: the 20th and 21st of nov.,2025

All in all I spent almost 10 hours,(both late afternoons of my stay )in Fuzhou 's historical block+ 30 min.observing it from above in the nearby Dongbei Department Store(top floor,not easy to find,you have to go through a tea shop). I enjoyed every minute of my spent time there.

Sanfangqixiang (Three Lanes and Seven Alleys) in Fuzhou is a fantastic destination where you can immerse yourself in history. While some of the former residences and museums charge an entrance fee, most of the state-run historic houses don't; the area's unique atmosphere and the exteriors of its magnificent historic buildings can be enjoyed for free as you explore the ancient lanes and alleys. Just by strolling through SanFangQiXiang and entering quite a lot of the countless historic houses showcasing a wide range of topics of Fuzhou 's history like traditional food or its link with the maritime world for example, I got a good impression and overview of the historical and cultural block in Fuzhou City, which is often called a "living fossil of the ancient city street system" and an "architecture museum of the Ming and Qing dynasties".

The district is structured with "three lanes" (Yijin, Wenru, and Guanglu) to the west and "seven alleys" (such as Yangqiao and Langguan) to the east, all branching off from the central and very touristy Nanhou Street which is packed with souvenir shops and crowded till 21/22.00. The area is characterized …

Three Lanes and Seven Alleys is a small block in Fuzhou city that represents its old town. Having seen grande old towns at Lijiang and Pingyao makes this seem very puny. The entire urban planning aspect is invisible to visitors. I also did not see any guided tours coming in to explain anything but I'm sure there are. I think that may be worth it as like I said it just feels like a modernized old town with the McDonald's (or was it Starbucks) disguised in a tiled roof and wooden facade.

Whereas I'm glad this part of the city is protected and the snacks don't seem overpriced to make you think it's a tourist trap, I wouldn't come this all this way just for seeing Sanfangqixiang. It was actually a stopover from Wuyishan to flesh the trip out a bit. You can stroll around the alleys for a good hour or so, having snacks and taking pictures of the buildings.

I can see this making the inscribed list in a few years seeing that it's China and the cultural aspect is genuinely interesting.