People wait in line at a pastry store in Hangzhou. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

As the May Day holiday wrapped up, tourists in Hangzhou turned to local specialties and souvenirs to take a piece of the city home with them. From traditional pastries and silk scarves to creative fridge magnets, shops near West Lake saw crowds picking up their own Hangzhou souvenirs.

On May 5, long queues formed at time-honored brand Zhiweiguan, where tourists like Hu from Anhui stocked up on handmade treats such as lotus pastries and Longjing tea cakes. "It's the perfect end to our trip," she said.

A scarf shop in Hangzhou welcomes crowds of visitors. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

Popular items included West Lake lotus root starch, zongzi (glutinous rice dumplings) for the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival, and themed gift boxes of pastries. Meanwhile, cultural and creative stores offered items like silk fans, osmanthus-printed scarves, and novelty fridge magnets featuring West Lake landmarks.

"Fridge magnets are a fun way to remember a city," said visitor Qin, who chose a stampable scenic set. "It's a small souvenir, but full of meaning."

Fridge magnets feature various Hangzhou landmarks and cultural symbols. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

Store owners reported brisk business, especially for new product lines launched during the holiday. One cultural store sold around 500 items daily at its peak, with hand-painted bookmarks and glow-in-the-dark magnets among the bestsellers.

For many, these souvenirs weren't just gifts — they were tangible memories of Hangzhou's beauty, culture, and charm.

Hangzhou-themed bookmarks. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]