Suzhou

Suzhou has been renowned for beauty for two thousand years. Marco Polo called it "the Venice of the East" — and the comparison holds in the best possible sense. The city is threaded with canals, punctuated by classical gardens, and built on a tradition of silk production and refined aesthetic culture that persists today. The nine classical gardens that have survived (four listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites) are among the greatest achievements of Chinese landscape design: carefully composed miniature worlds of rock, water, pavilions, and planting.

Suzhou is on the Shanghai-Nanjing high-speed rail corridor. From Shanghai Hongqiao: 25 minutes (G-train). From Shanghai Railway Station: 30–40 minutes. From Nanjing: 60 minutes. Suzhou Railway Station in the north of the city is the main station. Suzhou North Station serves some additional high-speed services.

Stay in or near the Old City — the canal district around Pingjiang Road and Shantang Street for atmosphere, or near the main gardens. Tongli and Zhouzhuang water towns are pleasant alternatives for overnight stays if you want a quieter, smaller-town experience.

Book gardens in advance during peak season (Chinese holidays, April-May cherry blossom period). The Humble Administrator's Garden is the largest and most famous; the Master of Nets Garden is the smallest and most intimate — best visited at night when candlelit performances occur. Pingjiang Road along the canal is the best street for walking, eating, and seeing old Suzhou. Visit weekday mornings for the fewest crowds.