Criss-crossed by canals and waterways, it’s easy to see why Suzhou is known as the Venice of the East. Scattered between these enchanting waterways, you’ll find the world-famous gardens of Suzhou, tea houses, typical architecture from the Ming and Qing dynasties and, of course, gondolas boats to take you on a ride through the canals.
While many visit on a day trip from Shanghai, there are more than enough things to do in Suzhou to warrant an extended trip.
We think that Suzhou (Sue-Joe) definitely is one of China’s most beautiful cities. A Chinese saying goes: Above is heaven and below is SuHang (Suzhou and Hangzhou). This means that Suzhou and Hangzhou are heavens on earth.
Much of Suzhou’s charm lies in simply wandering along the canals, popping into the many quirky shops, sipping tea in teahouses and, of course, eating. If you’re looking for things to do in Suzhou beyond the famous gardens, then you’re in the right place!
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Quick Guide to Suzhou
Visited: December
Suggested time: 3 days
Where to stay: Alley Sunshine
Famous for: Classic Chinese gardens, water towns, Suzhou Opera, Silk
Transportation: Best reached from Shanghai by high-speed rail.
Tip: Visit the Humble Administrator’s Garden first thing in the morning to avoid the masses.
Unique experience: Suzhou Alleyway Walking Food Tour With Locals
HOW TO GET TO SUZHOU FROM SHANGHAI
Suzhou is only 30 minutes away from Shanghai by bullet train. During peak hours, a train runs every 3 minutes between Shanghai and Suzhou, and a ticket costs only RMB 40 (USD 6).
Shanghai Hongqiao Station has the most trains departing throughout the day, but Shanghai Station also has many trains leaving regularly.
The station you want to arrive at in Suzhou is Suzhou station (苏州), not Suzhou North or Suzhou Industrial Park. Suzhou station is the closest station to Suzhou’s old town and its canals, and a taxi from the station should get you to Pingjiang Road in the old town in about 15 minutes, depending on traffic.
Suzhou is also very well connected to the rest of China. Buy your train tickets to Suzhou online, and just show up at the station to catch your train.
REASONS TO VISIT SUZHOU
Ask any Chinese why you should go to Suzhou, and they will say that the finest things in Chinese culture come from Suzhou: opera, double-embroidered silk and bonsai trees. They might also add that the Suzhou dialect is considered to be the most beautiful in China.
We foreigners come to Suzhou, though, for the classic Chinese gardens, canals, water towns, silk shopping, and delicious food. It is an excellent city to immerse yourself in Chinese culture and learn about the country’s traditional arts and customs
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Suzhou is often overlooked by first-time visitors to China, perhaps because it lacks the incredible ancient sights of Beijing or Xi’an or the bright lights of Shanghai or Hong Kong. That being said, Suzhou does have a history spanning back 2500 years and will reward visitors with a stunning mixture of art, culture, canals, classic gardens, and ambience.
The gardens of Suzhou are world-renowned and are often the only reason people visit. There are about 60 (SIXTY!!!) classic Chinese gardens in Suzhou, of which nine boast UNESCO status. Visiting the gardens of Suzhou is not only the perfect place to reach a Zen state of mind, but it’s also a great place to take photos that capture that classic Chinese look.
Citizens of 51 countries can visit Suzhou visa-free for 144 hours if arriving at Pudong or Hongqiao Airports in Shanghai, Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal or Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport. Thanks to its proximity to Shanghai, Suzhou can easily be visited on a Shanghai layover, or preferably a longer stay.
Being one of the wealthiest cities in China, Suzhou has excellent infrastructure, is clean, and is safe. All that wealth assures that Suzhou’s sights are well kept, and the art and culture scene is well supported and celebrated.
WHERE TO STAY IN SUZHOU
We stayed at Alley Sunshine, just off the pedestrian-only Pingjiang Road, and the location is unbeatable for exploring Suzhou. Located in a quiet alley, meters away from Pingjiang Road and its canal, trendy Alley Sunny is quiet and comfortable. The main road where you can catch a taxi is a minute or two away, so you don’t need to carry your luggage too far.
The famous Humble Administrator’s Garden, Lion Grove Garden and Suzhou Museum are all a short walk away.
We stayed in the Loft Suite, which consists of a small lounge area with a sofa and TV downstairs and a bathtub, shower, and bathroom. Upstairs is a comfy double bed. Upstairs also has the best feature of the property: the view over the old tile roofs of Suzhou.
The property has seven ensuite rooms, some of which have balconies. There is also a bright cafe downstairs filled with plants where you can get coffee, tea, or craft beer. Alley Sunshine’s location and uniqueness make it an excellent choice when deciding where to stay in Suzhou.
THINGS TO DO IN SUZHOU
Being China’s Garden City, you absolutely have to visit one of the spectacular gardens. We suggest visiting one of the world-famous gardens of Suzhou (such as Humble Administrator’s or Lion Grove Garden), and one lesser-known garden. The lesser-known gardens are quiet and very enjoyable to stroll through.
Suzhou is easy to visit on your own. However, as elsewhere in China, the language barrier can be difficult at times. Lucky for us, Jin’s Mandarin lessons are finally paying off, so we can do almost anything ourselves.
We spent two full days in Suzhou and one day on a day trip to Tongli Water Town. Here is what we did and where we went for the best cultural things to do in Suzhou.
1. Pingjiang Road
Pingjiang Road, with a row of shops and cafes on one side and a canal on the other, is one of the most pleasant and beautiful areas in Suzhou. This pedestrian street is the historic centre of Suzhou and visitors will find snack vendors, teashops and a timeless atmosphere while strolling along the canal and narrow alleyways.
Pingjiang Road was the main thoroughfare during the Song dynasty (about 800 years ago) and remains an important link to Suzhou’s past today. Traditional white buildings with black tiled roofs line the street and the surrounding old town. Some of these old buildings are tea houses where you can watch a Kunqu opera, bookshops, or galleries, while most others remain residential.
Entrance Fee: Free
2. The Humble Administrator’s Garden
There is nothing humble about the Humble Administrator’s Garden (拙政园). Five hectares in size, it is the largest and most famous garden in Suzhou, if not all of China. This garden has had UNESCO status since 1997.
In 1513, Wang Xiancheng, a retired Ming court official, began to make his garden. He yearned to work and water the land, grow his own vegetables to eat and enjoy the simple things…as humble people do. And that’s where the garden got its name from.
Needless to say, over the next 16 years it took to complete the garden, Wang Xiancheng got a tad bit carried away.
The result of Wang’s humble aspirations is a true delight to explore. There are four ingredients to a classic Chinese garden: rock, plants, architecture and water.
The beauty of the Humble Administrator’s Garden lies in the endless layers in which these four ingredients have been woven together. It’s a maze of zig-zag bridges, pebbled pathways, moon gates, trees, pavilions, bonsais and ponds.
The 36 Mandarin Ducks Hall (卅六鸳鸯馆), with its blue and white stained glass windows, is particularly beautiful.
Get to the garden first thing in the morning (be there 5 minutes before it opens) to enjoy the beauty in peace and quiet before the tour groups arrive.
Opening hours: 7:30 am – 5:30 pm
Entrance fee: 70 RMB (April-October); 50 RMB (November-March)
3. Suzhou Museum
The main reason to visit the Suzhou Museum is the building itself. Its stunning, modern architecture is as much a work of art as the ancient pieces it displays.
Chinese-American architect I.M Pei (also the man behind the Louvre pyramids in Paris) designed the museum, and his modern twist on traditional Suzhou architecture is a real masterpiece. With it being located inside the historic old town of Suzhou adjacent to the UNESCO Humble Administrator’s Garden, the City of Suzhou had two conditions in its design brief:
Make it TRADITIONAL, but make it MODERN
Pei, who spent several summers in Suzhou as a child, worked his magic and the result is a masterpiece in black and white squares, pyramids and rhombuses that is über modern, yet undeniably true to traditional Suzhou.
The art on display is fantastic, especially ceramics, jade, and calligraphy from ancient times to the present day.
Opening hours: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (last entry 4 pm)
Closed on Mondays
Entrance Fee: Free
4. See a Kunqu Opera
For an enjoyable night out, head to the Fuxi Guqin Cultural Clubhouse (伏羲古琴文化会馆) on Pingjiang Road for a night of Suzhou opera. This specific style of opera is known as Kunqu opera and is one of the oldest forms of storytelling using melody in China.
You absolutely MUST come and see a Kunqu when you’re in Suzhou.
A Suzhou opera is told through a style of storytelling called Pingtan, which is a graceful blend of singing and talking in the local Suzhou dialect. UNESCO recognizes Kunqu Opera as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
What makes the Kunqu at the Fuxi Tea House so special is that you get to see a normal woman transform into a masterful performer. The performer does her makeup on stage while the small audience sips their tea and watches. The highlight of the transformation is when she pulls her skin so tight behind her head that the shape of her eyes changes. She explained that it was very painful.
After the makeup session, she started her entertaining, singing, playing various instruments and sing-telling stories. Even though everything is in Chinese, it is very enjoyable and entertaining. She even asked someone to translate for us to apologize for not speaking English and then went ahead to play a short rendition of Jingle Bells for us.
You don’t need to understand any Chinese to enjoy the show. Master performers entertain across language barriers.
Entrance: RMB 80, including tea
Performance time: 8 pm-10 pm, every night
5. Shantang Street
Pedestrian Shantang Street is one of Suzhou’s most beautiful streets, with old whitewashed buildings lining the canal banks, red lanterns and boats plying up and down the water. The street is more than 1000 years old and still retains much of its historic beauty and charm.
One half of the street is very tourist-orientated, with lots of red lanterns, souvenir shops, eateries, and shops. This is also where most visitors choose to stay.
The other half is much more traditional, and here, you’ll see locals going about their business, washing and drying their laundry, fruit stalls, and eels and fish being sold straight out of the bucket. We bought the most delicious strawberries from one of the little hole-in-the-wall shops.
Definitely make sure you have enough time to see both sides and decide for yourself which part you like better.
Shantang Street is beautifully lit up at night, and after dark, it is perhaps the best time to appreciate its beauty. Come an hour or so before sunset and stay until the lanterns go on. The transformation is quite special.
Entrance: Free
7. Couple’s Retreat Garden
The Couple’s Retreat Garden (耦园) is another UNESCO-recognized garden of Suzhou, but it’s not nearly as busy as the more famous gardens. Compared to Suzhou’s other gardens, the Couples’ Retreat Garden is young, only created in 1874.
We really liked this intimate garden for its quiet and serene atmosphere, just like a garden is supposed to be. We probably saw ten other visitors there during our visit. This garden definitely has a maze feeling to it. In fact, we got lost and struggled to get out!
You’ll love the Couple’s Retreat Garden if you’re looking for a garden with small details and quite a few surprises or simply if you need a quiet space to contemplate life.
Opening hours: 7:30 am – 5:00 pm
Entrance fee: 25 RMB (April-October); 20 RMB (November-March)
8. Enjoy Suzhou Food
Squirrel Fish!
You must eat squirrel fish when you go to Suzhou!
That’s the chorus everyone on the internet chimes to. But we’ll let you in on a secret…DON’T.
Unless you like your fish drenched in a sweet, sticky sauce, squirrel fish is a disappointing dining experience. The novelty quickly wears off after you have taken a snap of it as proof that you’ve been to Suzhou and start battling with fish bones and sticky sauce.
“So what shall we eat then in Suzhou?” I hear you ask.
Here are our favourite things to eat in Suzhou. If you don’t speak Chinese, consider going on this walking food tour so that you don’t only have to eat squirrel fish 😂
Su-Style Noodles(苏式汤面)
Suzhou noodles, or just Su-noodles for short, are very popular everywhere in the Yangtze Delta. We were told the secret to a good bowl of Su-noodles is the broth, which can take hours to prepare, and the recipe is kept top secret.
Su-noodles are served with either a white broth or a darker red broth with a stronger taste. To complement the broth and noodles, delicious toppings such as fish, duck, braised pork, eel, or vegetables are also served.
For the best noodles in Suzhou, head to Tong De Xing (同得兴). This noodle joint is a Suzhou institution and is well-known all across China for its superb noodles. Depending on the season, TongDe Xing offers a mind-boggling 500 toppings to choose from.
We had the white and red broth noodles with sliced pork. The pork was incredibly tender, and the proverbial melted in your mouth got a new meaning as we slurped up those pork noodles.
There is absolutely no English here, so come prepared with someone who speaks Chinese or a translation app and a lot of patience.
Tong De Xing opens at 9:00 and closes at 13:00, which makes it a good spot for a Chinese brunch. It’s located on Jiayufang Lu and sits right behind the Garden of Pleasance, which you can visit after your meal.
Address: 江苏省苏州市姑苏区嘉馀坊6号
Hairy Crab of Yangcheng Lake (大闸蟹)
For something equally unique to Suzhou, you should definitely try the hairy crab. These freshwater crabs come from Yangcheng Lake near Suzhou, and it’s one of the most sought-after delicacies in China.
Fresh hairy crab is only available from autumn until winter. Come during spring and summer and you’ll have to be content with frozen crab served in congee or dumplings. You’ll need to specify whether you want a male or female crab when ordering. Female crabs are prized for the sweeter taste and will also be packed full of bright orange roe, while males might have a bit more meat.
The crab is traditionally steamed and served hot with vinegar and ginger, or it can be soaked in a concoction of Shaoxing wine, sugar, salt, oil and ginger for a whole day before making it to your plate (cold). Come to Suzhou in hairy crab season, and you’ll find crab on almost every menu in town.
Jin hunted down a very good crab place, a short taxi ride away from Shantang Street. We had both the tasty steamed and drunken crab. We also ordered fried rice, vegetables, and a pork dish. This place also has spicy freshwater crayfish on the menu, which goes very well with beer.
There is no English, spoken or written, at this friendly place, so come with a Chinese friend, translator or translation app.
Name: 江舟记(姑苏店)
Address: 江苏省-苏州市-姑苏区-学士街489号
9. Visit Tongli Water Town
There are numerous scenic water towns in this region of China, and visiting them on a day trip from either Shanghai or Suzhou is very popular. Choose one instead of trying to see them all.
We decided to go on a day trip to the water town of Tongli (同里). We decided on Tongli since it’s supposed to be one of the least commercial water towns. It’s also said to be one of the most beautiful water towns in China. We got a DiDi (Chinese Uber) from our guesthouse on Pingjiang Road and reached Tongli in just under an hour.
Tongli lived up to its promise, and it is indeed very beautiful. Once in Tongli, there are even more UNESCO gardens to see, alleys to walk down and canals to float on.
The most scenic part of town is the centre, where three small stone bridges cross the canals. Each of these bridges has a different meaning when you walk across them. Crossing one will give you good health for one year. The other will ensure wealth and good business ventures, while crossing the other bridge will ensure good health.
The whole town is extremely photogenic and atmospheric and well worth the trip.
Entrance: RMB 100
The entrance fee covers all the major sights to see in Tongli, so there’s no need to pay separate entrance fees.
10. No 1. Silk Factory
Suzhou is as famous for silk as it is for gardens and canals. Silk production is an integral part of Chinese culture, and the earliest traces of silk-making date from 3600 BC! China is still the world’s largest producer of silk, and Suzhou is undoubtedly the capital of Chinese silk.
To learn more about silk production, visit the historic No1 Silk factory. This state-owned silk factory, founded in 1926, shows you the process from worm to scarf…or bedsheet…or pyjamas. The highlight of your visit will be seeing the 80-year-old silk spinning machine at work.
After the cocoons are graded, they are boiled to kill the larva inside. A few cocoons are kept in warm water and put on the silk spinning machine. It’s incredible to see how a single silk thread from each cocoon is spun together and woven into usable silk thread.
Of course, you’ll exit the No1 Silk Factory via the factory shop, where you can buy silk products in every size and colour you want. Luckily the salespeople are not pushy at all, and you can browse in peace.
THINGS TO DO IN SUZHOU MAP
And THAT’S How You Do Suzhou!
We hope you’ll have a great time in Suzhou. Let us know in the comments below if you have any questions ✌️
I must admit China has never been at the top of my wish list but your guides for Suzhou and Hangzhou have changed that. This part of the country looks magnificent! Beautiful photos as always! I have friends who just moved to Nanjing so I think a Suzhou-Hangzhou-Nanjing-Shanghai trip might be on the horizon.
Thanks Emily.
We’ve heard only good things about Nanjing, it might be our next weekend away. Shanghai-Suzhou-Hangzhou (and Nanjing) does indeed sound like a fantastic trip. We’ll give you the inside scoop on Shanghai when you get here 🙂
I have been following your blogs from the very first time we went china Yunnan last December and needless to say your articles are very very informative and beautifully written. Thank you so much for all of this content that helps fellow travellers like us..fun fact that we went to tiger leaping in december just like you guys went did it in winter, we actually looked your blog very carefully to decide the choice of our clothing for the trek:)
Hi Mayer,
Thank you so much for your kind words. It’s always good to get feedback like this. Hope you enjoy Suzhou.