Baopu Taoist Temple sits on Gem Hill above West Lake, away from the busiest lakeside causeways but still firmly within Hangzhou's classic landscape. The temple is associated with Taoist practice and alchemical tradition, and the hillside setting gives it a calm that the lakefront often lacks.
It is a good stop if you are walking the paths north of West Lake or climbing toward Baochu Pagoda. Come for the shift in atmosphere: incense, courtyards, trees, and glimpses of the city and water below.