Suzhou 苏州
Classical gardens and canal-side lanes
Good forCulture, History, Easy first trip
Suggested stay1–2 days
Best timeMarch–May and September–November
An old canal city known for its classical gardens, nine of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Most visitors come for the gardens and the canal streets. It is close enough to Shanghai for a day trip.
Highlights
- Humble Administrator's Garden — book ahead in busy periods
- Lingering Garden and the smaller Master of the Nets Garden
- Pingjiang Road — canal-side lane in the old town
- Suzhou Museum, designed by I. M. Pei — reservation required
- Shantang Street and Tiger Hill
- Tongli or Zhouzhuang water towns nearby
Food to try
- Squirrel-shaped mandarin fish (sweet and sour)
- Suzhou-style noodles
- Sweet osmanthus pastries
- Hairy crab from Yangcheng Lake (autumn)
Getting there
No major airport; fly into Shanghai. About 25–30 minutes by high-speed train from Shanghai; about 1 hour from Nanjing.
Train times are typical; check current timetables on 12306 or Trip.com.
When to go
Best: March–May and September–November. Avoid or plan for: Weekends and holidays in the main gardens; June plum-rain season; hot July–August.
Good to know
- Suzhou has several rail stations; Suzhou Station is closest to the old town and gardens.
- Gardens are busiest from late morning; arrive at opening.
Visa notes
- Visa-free entry: citizens of 79 countries can visit China for up to 30 days or more without a visa. Check your passport →
- 240-hour transit: Suzhou is inside the area you may visit on China's 240-hour visa-free transit (for 57 nationalities, flying on to a third country).