Suzhou

Brief Introduction

The beautifully landscaped city of Suzhou is located in the south-east of Jiangsu province. The Grand Canal (Sui Dynasty 581-618), which flows from Beijing to Hangzhou (the capital of Zhejiang province) has irrigated Suzhou aiding its illustrious culture and turning it into prosperous land. It is of little surprise that Suzhou is called ''Heaven on Earth''.

Built in 541BC by He Lv, the king of Wu, 2500 year old, Suzhou is the birthplace of wu culture. The 8,483km2 city is bustling with historical remnants and culture, thus placing Suzhou third behind beijing and Xi'an for its historical and cultural significance. It has been named as one of China's top 24 historical and cultural cities and is only one of the four tourist cities with environmental protection (the other three being Beijing, Hangzhou and Guilin). in 1997, Suzhou caught the world's attention by having its classic gardens placed on the UNESCO list as a world cultural heritage site.

Suzhou is a key silk production centre in China and the embroidery school here is ranked in the "top 4"  for the whole of China.

The attractiveness of Suzhou is also evident in its performing arts (folk songs of Wu), kunqu opera and storytelling, as well as stelle carving, calligraphy and painting.

Transportation

Train: Suzhou is a major stop along the Beijing-Shanghai railway line and there are more than 40 daily train services which stop at Suzhou railway station. There are daily services to and from Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Guilin and many more main tourist areas in China to and from Suzhou. the suzhou railway station is located on the north side of the city.

Bus: There are 4 long distance bus stations having services to the nearby cities and beyond. there are plenty of buses heading to Shanghai, Hangzhou, Wuxi, Zhouzhuang, Tongli, to and from Suzhou.

Ferry: Boats running along the great canal can take visitors up to the north, Zhenjiang, Yangzhou( two well-known cities in the area) or down to hangzhou in the south. boat travel from Suzhou to Hangzhou has become increasingly popular due to the amazing country scenery witnessed during the journey.

Local Transportation: Being a developed city, Suzhou has good public transportation. public buses routes run into all parts of the city. Fares are flat rated, usually 1 yuan for a non-air-conditioned bus and 2 yuan for an air-conditioned one. There is no fare collector on the bus, so please ensure that you have small denominations of change ready for the driver when boarding.

Taxi: Taxis are convenient and are generally a hassle-free alternative to public transportation. there are lots of taxis looping the city so there is usually no problem to flag one down to stop for you.

Accommodations

Being one of the most popular tourist cities in China, Suzhou is proud of its hotels, luxurious accommodations and budget hostels scattering everywhere around the city. It is usually very easy to find one. but please be advised not all the hotels can accommodate foreign visitors. Try to stay in a nice one to avoid possible trouble which may ruin your trip.

Food

Suzhou could be a paradise for gourmets. Suzhou cuisine features slightly sweetness in taste with fresh and seasonal vegetables as one of its raw materials. the vegetable and fish dishes of that region are especially famous. Famous restaurants here includes Songhelou restaurant, Deyuelou restaurant, Nankai restaurant, Wanjiadenghuo restaurant and much more. bordering the taihu lake, Suzhou has developped a special kind of cuisine, called taihu lake boat dishes, the main materials of which are productions of the taihu lake.
 

Tourist Attractions

Suzhou enjoys great fame internationally for its elegant gardens. small private gardens with delicate layouts, decorations scatter around the city. The most beautiful and famous ones include humble administrator's garden, lion grove, garden of master of the nets, lingering garden and much more. when in Suzhou, travelers may also consider visiting some other sights except the city's garden architecture. in such case, the Suzhou silk museum, Panmen gate, hanshan temple are good choices.

Recommanded Suzhou Tours

• SH-5: 4 Days Shanghai and Suzhou Memories Tour
• SHALC-8: 1 Day Suzhou Classic Tour