Jiangnan has been a place with outstanding people and beautiful mountains and rivers since ancient times. The beautiful and rich water towns have also made many wealthy people in history. It is because of them that they have left unique Jiangnan water towns for future generations. Ancient towns. Zhouzhuang, Wuzhen, Xitang, Tongli, these familiar names may have become tourist destinations for you countless times, and my trip is to visit these places that have been recited by countless people and are full of poetry. The three-day and two-night journey is not too slow, just to appreciate the ancient town of Jiangnan that has been preserved for a century, just to feel the ancient charm of the prosperous place, and just to pursue the poems and distance that are still alive!

Zhouzhuang

Wuzhen

Xitang

Tongli

The Jiangnan we often refer to refers to southern Jiangsu, northern Zhejiang, southern Anhui and northern Jiangxi on the south bank of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The area is not large, but its influence is really amazing. The reason why Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty wanted to go to Jiangnan was not only the beautiful scenery here, but also the wealth of those rich people. Hundreds of years have passed, and things have changed, but the surviving ancient towns are witnesses of history and the best wealth left to future generations.

There are six ancient towns in Jiangnan, each of which is well-known. Perhaps many friends who have never been there will think that they should be representative attractions of a place like the Forbidden City in Beijing, the West Lake in Hangzhou, and the Huangshan Mountain in Anhui. However, in fact these ancient towns are surprisingly concentrated, so close that you feel like you are next door.

In order to make travel more convenient, I chose one of the most concentrated hotels in the ancient town for this trip, Wyndham Suzhou Zhiyin Hotel (Zhouzhuang Branch) located in Wujiang District, Jiangsu Province. Starting from Hangzhou by car, it only takes about an hour and a half to reach the hotel on the full highway, so I didn't get up early and slept until I woke up naturally before setting off.

I like to settle in my place first when I am away from home, so that I can enjoy it comfortably. The journey was smooth and there were no traffic jams and we arrived at the hotel very quickly.

As a five-star hotel, the luxury and style of Wyndham Suzhou Zhiyin Hotel are still very satisfactory. Walking into the lobby, the nearly ten-meter high floor fully reflects the atmosphere of a five-star hotel. The top three groups are called the crystal chandeliers at the bottom of sailboats. They are extremely luxurious and full of infinite creativity, less local tycoon flavor and more fashionable. It is worth mentioning that the room prices of such hotels are not high, and even only reach the price of ordinary B & Bs, which is enough to reflect its value for money.

The staff in the lobby were so polite that we checked in quickly. The entire building has 25 floors with a total of four elevators. Our room is on the 23rd floor, which belongs to the executive floor. There is also a presidential suite above the 23rd floor, and a business room below the 22nd floor.

When I arrived at the room, I was very surprised the moment I pushed open the door. The entire room was very large, covering more than 60 square meters. This area far exceeds the configuration of an ordinary five-star hotel. The room is luxuriously decorated and has warm colors, giving people a feeling of home. In addition to an oversized bed, there is also a set of sofas, a desk, and a walk-in closet, and all kinds of facilities and equipment are also available.

It is worth mentioning that this south-facing room has a full floor-to-ceiling glass window. Standing in the room, you can have a panoramic view of Fenhu Lake around the hotel. The weather is not very good today, but when standing at the height of the 23rd floor, the line of sight is very good and the scenery is quite good. It is estimated that it will be better on sunny days.

The area of the bathroom is also quite large. It has two independent washbasins and the entire glass wall, which can reflect your beauty 360 degrees without dead corners. There is also a special dressing table in the bathroom, which provides convenience for female friends and is very considerate.

The toilet seat in the bathroom has a separate space, just opposite the door to the bathroom. It is equipped with a separate induction sink. This is quite humane from the perspective of the residents.

In addition to a shower room, there is also an oversized bathtub in the bathroom. You can drink red wine, soak in a hot bath, and admire the beautiful lakes and mountains. This is definitely a supreme enjoyment. Do you really want to know how much such a room costs? If you order it online, it's only about 1000 yuan. Do you think it's very cost-effective? Are you already a little tempted? No hurry, I haven't finished introducing it yet. There are more to come.

Although the hotel is very comfortable, our theme this time is a tour of the ancient town. We will come back and enjoy the hotel's services after the tour. The first thing we want to go to is Zhouzhuang, the largest water town in China and the first of the six ancient towns in the south of the Yangtze River. The hotel is not far from Zhouzhuang and only takes about 15 minutes by car. There are many parking lots around Zhouzhuang, which can be parked for an afternoon for 10 yuan.

Zhouzhuang is located in the southwest of Kunshan City, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province. In ancient times, it was the land of Wu and Yue. As early as the Spring and Autumn Period, it was called the "Shaocheng". During the Northern Song Dynasty, Zhou Di Gonglang, a native of Li, donated farmland to build a temple here and set up a village. From then on, it was renamed "Zhouzhuang" and has been used to this day.

In the middle of the Yuan Dynasty, Shen You, a native of Nanxun, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, moved to Dongzhai Village, east of Zhouzhuang. Because he was good at doing business, his fortune here also led to the prosperity of the entire Zhouzhuang, and also formed the old market town on the north and south banks of the river with Fu 'an Bridge as the center we see today.

Perhaps someone wants to ask, who is Shen You? It seems that he is not very famous in Zhouzhuang. But I want to say Shen Wansan, whether you have been to Zhouzhuang or not, you should have heard of his name. This Shen You is Shen Wansan's father. In a sense, Shen Wansan is a real rich second generation, but he is also good at doing business. He not only became the richest man in the Ming Dynasty, but also made Zhouzhuang more prosperous. The Shen family and his son contributed greatly to Zhouzhuang becoming China's number one water town.

In fact, I have been to Zhouzhuang before, but it brings me different feelings and experiences every time. Zhouzhuang is not large among the many ancient towns in the south of the Yangtze River, but it is more concentrated, more refined, and more culturally inherited. Every river, every bridge, every ancient house, and even every stone slab is engraved with its history. You need to taste and interpret it slowly and quietly. Only in this way can you listen and touch it. Visit the land and water left by the ancients.

For visiting Zhouzhuang, I personally suggest not to spend holidays, because it is not large in area and concentrated in scenic spots. If there are many tourists, they can only see people and cannot appreciate its beauty at all.

Main attractions: Shenting, Shuangqiao, Quanfu Temple, Fu 'an Bridge, Ancient Theater, etc.

Recommended delicacies: Wansanti, Wansanjiao, Apo tea, sock sole crisp, etc.

After visiting Zhouzhuang, our arrangement was to go back to the hotel directly, because there were a sumptuous delicious meal waiting for us here. As a hotel that started with catering, Wyndham Suzhou Zhiyin Hotel's catering is also highly regarded. It is said that the Soviet-style cuisine here is quite authentic, and many Suzhou people even come here to eat. We booked a private room, which gave me the first impression that it was spacious, luxurious and tall. Before dinner, you can sit on the sofa and rest, drink tea, and chat. Of course, you can also repair the photos you took in the afternoon and post them to show them on your circle of friends.

It's time to serve. Look at this dish, it's like a work of art. This one is hand-peeled river shrimp. With the selected ingredients, careful cooking, and exquisite serving, I am a little embarrassed to destroy this exquisite work with chopsticks. This is a local specialty in Wujiang. It must be ordered when you come. Fresh shrimp meat and Zhenjiang vinegar are served. I can only use two words to describe "perfect".

Handmade sausage sets are also a local specialty. Putting the cleaned pig's large and small intestines together layer by layer is really difficult for ordinary people. It requires a local person with some experience to complete it. The taste it presents is completely different from the pork water you usually eat, and it is a very recommended dish.

How can I not eat fish when I come to Jiangnan? Not many people know this fish. I will keep it in suspense and see who knows it. This is absolutely the best delicacy. It is steamed with red soup and the fish is extremely tender and delicious. However, this fish was served without scraping the scales. It is said that this fish is a unique way to eat, and the scales are very nutritious and can be eaten. Everyone remember to try them.

In addition, there are: Chaoshan Lion-head goose, old Shanghai rice pie, white cucumber with gravy and other dishes that taste very good. I personally recommend a snack: onion sesame cake, which can be said to be the best sesame cake I have ever tasted.

Do you feel guilty after eating so many delicious food for dinner? It's okay, the hotel has a well-equipped sports venue. First go to the gym to burn fat, sweat a little, and then go to the swimming pool for a swim. You will feel much more relaxed and at ease.

Midnight life in the city has just begun at this time. Do you want to have a drink with friends and confidants and enjoy the quiet night? No problem, this 1000-yuan executive room also allows free access to the rooftop executive lounge. It provides a variety of drinks, drinks, snacks, delicious food, fruits, etc., and of course there is an elegant and comfortable environment.

This is where we end a rich and fulfilling day. The executive corridor is open until 10 p.m. every day, so everyone needs to arrange the time reasonably to avoid missing it.

The comfortable queen bed gave me a perfect sleep and woke up to start the next day. Since we didn't want to waste time changing hotels, we booked the hotel for two consecutive nights. After getting up and washing, we went to the cafeteria on the second floor of the hotel for breakfast.

There are many varieties of breakfast, combining Chinese, Western, Japanese and other delicacies. You can choose according to your preferences. Personally recommended that the chef's freshly made Red Soup Noodles, also known as Aozao Noodles, is a traditional snack in Suzhou and is known as one of the top ten noodles in China. The noodles are paired with a piece of meat and a piece of five-spice dried bean curd, and it is very perfect.

Breakfast ends at 10 o'clock every day, so everyone has to arrange the time and don't miss this delicious food.

Due to the hotel's very good location, it is surrounded by many ancient towns, including Tongli Ancient Town, Lili Ancient Town, Xitang Ancient Town, Zhujiajiao Ancient Town, and a little further away, Wuzhen and Zhenze Ancient Town. Although it was a trip to the ancient town, we didn't want to rush too much, so my decision was to take Lili and Xitang first. They were on the same line, Lili is closer. It takes about 20 minutes to drive from the hotel and about 30 minutes to drive to Xitang.

Xitang is located in Jiashan County, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Wu Zixu, a doctor of the State of Wu, dug Wuzitang for water transportation, so he was first called "Xutang". Villages and markets existed only in the Southern Song Dynasty. By the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Xitang became one of the most prosperous commercial towns in the south of the Yangtze River. Most of the buildings we see today were built at that time.

There are three things in Xitang: many bridges, many alleys, and many corridors and sheds. This is also a major feature of Xitang. Compared with Zhouzhuang, Xitang will be larger in scale. When "Mission Impossible 3" was filmed here, it also made Xitang famous overseas, and countless tourists came here.

Main attractions: Shipi Lane, Wufu Bridge, China Button Museum, Yanyu Corridor, Ni Zhai, etc.

Recommended delicacies: Xitang small wonton, Guan Laotai stinky tofu, Xitang tofu flower, smoked green beans, the world's best noodles, etc.

Today we will visit two ancient towns, and the next stop is Lili Ancient Town. Compared with the reputation of the six ancient towns in the south of the Yangtze River, Lili's reputation is slightly lower, but Lili Ancient Town was only developed late, and its scale and scenery are not at all lost. As a rising star force in the ancient town of Jiangnan, the all-open Lili Ancient Town has no entrance fee.

Lili Ancient Town has a similar development history like many ancient towns in the south of the Yangtze River. It was founded more than 2500 years ago. Villages began to be built in the Tang Dynasty, and merchants began to gather in Nancun. During the Ming Dynasty, wealthy people from Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and Anhui came here to do business. Finally settled here, eight major families led by "Zhou, Chen" and others were formed, which also made Lili Ancient Town glorious.

It's a little hard to travel to two ancient towns in one day. Since the hotel food tasted good yesterday, we still choose to eat in the hotel today. However, today we have to change our eating method and choose the set menu launched by the hotel. This package form is also suitable for the family, and the price will be more affordable.

Set A includes: two plates for appetizers, northern Zhejiang mixed dishes (vegetable salad, which tastes good and I like very much), braised shark's fin (shark's fin), Meiji Jiwei shrimp, brine platter, western cabbage stewed pigeon soup, onion fragrant sesame cakes and handmade yogurt (this handmade yogurt is a specialty of the hotel and is also available at breakfast, which is highly recommended). The price is: 399 yuan.

Set B includes: Hong Kong-style baked little green dragon, black fish slices in sour soup, Kobe black beef bones, watercress stewed pigeon soup, two appetizers, salad black fungus, onion sesame cakes and handmade yogurt. The price is: 399 yuan.

The quality of the dishes is as high as ever, but the price is more affordable and it also gives guests more choices. This is another manifestation of the hotel's humanity. Of course, the hotel also has more people-friendly packages, which are around 58 yuan each. If you are in a hurry, you can choose. Personally, they are also very good.

Since we went on a non-weekend trip, we couldn't catch the hotel buffet. It was said that it was worth the money, so we would definitely try it next time we have the opportunity.

After a hard day, I want to relax after dinner. There is a pure Thai SPA on the eighth floor of the hotel, which can eliminate your fatigue throughout the day. Of course, if you want to have another drink, you can also go to the executive lounge on the top floor. Drinking a little wine will help you sleep better.

You can also sleep naturally and start the third day of the trip. Breakfast is still eaten at the wine bar. There are many varieties of food that are enough for you to choose from. Of course, a special yogurt is essential. Start today's itinerary after breakfast. You can visit one or two ancient towns before going home. About 35 minutes 'drive from the hotel is Tongli Ancient Town, one of the six ancient towns in Jiangnan. Tongli is a good tourist destination.

Tongli's history is similar to that of other ancient towns. The difference is that the ancients in Tongli were particularly rich, so the name was "Futu" at the beginning, which was quite straightforward and domineering.

Main attractions: Tuisi Garden, Sanqiao, Geng Le Tang, Chen Qubing's Former Residence, Wang Shaoao Memorial Hall, Songshi Wu Garden, Luoxingzhou, Chongben Tang, etc.

Recommended delicacies: Zhuangyuan hooves, sock soles, Min cakes, green dumplings, lard rice cakes, etc.

Of course, if time permits, you can visit Wuzhen or Zhenze Ancient Town a little further away. In short, the most important thing in Jiangnan is the ancient towns in water towns. Although they have similar development histories, each ancient town has its own unique scenery. These simple and vicissitudes of ancient buildings are witnesses of history and a microcosm of Jiangnan's past glory. When you taste it carefully, you can always feel the unique charm it retains.