It's really convenient to travel from Shanghai to Suzhou. Like Hangzhou, Suzhou is also a great place for weekend short trips for people living in Shanghai.

It only takes 25 minutes to get there by high-speed rail. This time, I went to Suzhou with my friends for a few days and chose relatively niche attractions and gardens. I hope it will give everyone a different inspiration!

Day 1

The first stop of the Suzhou trip is the Suzhou Silk Museum. The white bundle style on the exterior of the building adds a touch of modernity to the Suzhou atmosphere.

The Suzhou Silk Museum was completed in 1991 and is the first professional silk museum in China. The museum has six exhibition areas: History Museum, Modern Museum, Children's Science Popularization Museum, Sangzi Garden, Silk Weaving Machinery Exhibition Room, and Qian Xiaoping Silk Culture and Art Museum. The History Museum includes six parts: Ancient Hall, Silkworm and Mulberry House, Weaving and Dyeing Workshop, Tribute Weaving Courtyard, Republic of China Street, and Intangible Cultural Heritage Hall.

Entering the exhibition hall does not require a ticket. On weekends, there are also children volunteering, and volunteers explaining to tourists. On the other side of the exhibition hall, there is also a display of silk artifacts. After visiting the History Museum, you can also see a dynamic display of planting mulberry and raising silkworms, as well as traditional weaving machine operations and the application of modern silk weaving technology in daily life.

The ancient hall takes history as its thread, showcasing the splendid Chinese silk weaving culture in the long river of history from pre Qin civilization to the Qing Dynasty; The weaving and dyeing workshop showcases traditional silk weaving techniques such as Song brocade and Zhang satin, as well as a wide variety of weaving machine models. The Intangible Cultural Heritage Hall showcases numerous exquisite works such as Song brocade, Su embroidery, and Zhang satin.

📍 2001 Renmin Road, Suzhou

🚴‍♀️ Pedestrian exit from Beisi Pagoda Station on Metro Line 4

🕙 Closed every Monday (excluding national statutory holidays) from 9:00 to 17:00 every Tuesday to Sunday (entry closed at 16:00)

In the afternoon, I strolled around the historical block of Pingjiang Road and found a nearby Yang Yuxing noodle shop to eat noodles. The classic Su style fine noodles were paired with a piece of fat and lean, incredibly soft and sticky meat, making it a Fengzhen big meat noodle for less than 30 yuan. Many people come here to order some side dishes, but I prefer Suzhou noodles.

Yang Yuxing (Linton Road Store)

📍 No. 5 Daru Lane

🕙 7:00-21:00

💰 47 yuan/person per capita

Pingjiang Road is becoming increasingly popular nowadays, so when you go to Suzhou, you must definitely go for a stroll 😄， To experience the freshness of the petty bourgeoisie on Pingjiang Road, as well as many adorable internet celebrity stores.

In the Song Dynasty, Suzhou was known as "Pingjiang", and the characteristic of Suzhou's urban layout was the "double chessboard". The streets parallel to the river and the rich water system added unique urban charm to Suzhou. In the ancient city of Suzhou, the layout of the "double chessboard" has been well protected, and this pattern is particularly evident in the historical block of Pingjiang Road.

Pingjiang River is one of the oldest rivers still in operation in Suzhou City, with a total length of 3.5 kilometers and 13 ancient bridges, many of which are over 800 years old.

In addition to eating and strolling, Pingjiang Road also has a world cultural heritage site - the Couple Garden, as well as multiple cultural relics protection units, such as the Kunqu Opera Museum, Pingtan Museum, Suzhou Top Scholar Museum, Su Fan Museum, and so on.

📍 Pingjiang Road

🚴‍♀️ Subway Line 1 to Xiangmen Station, just a walk away

💰 Hand cranked boat costs 40 yuan/person, 180 yuan/boat

Night view of Guanqian Street on Pingjiang Road

The next day's itinerary, we mainly checked in on niche gardens, which is different from other tourists visiting some well-known gardens. We wanted to find some sense of niche. We have arranged for Yipu, Huanxiu Villa, and Yiyuan, all of which are concentrated in one area and can be reached by walking.

Unexpectedly, during weekends, a large number of retired professional photography enthusiasts gathered here. A large area of rose flowers at the entrance caught the attention of photography experts, and I couldn't help but take photos for a long time 😁～

Suzhou's gardens are suitable for renting Hanfu to check in, and there are many young ladies wearing Hanfu in the garden. Encountering weekends and holidays, even a niche garden like Yipu is surrounded tightly. If conditions permit, it is recommended to clock in on weekdays, which is really suitable for taking Hanfu photos.

Yipu was first built in the 20th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty. It was listed on the World Cultural Heritage List in November 2000 and was listed as a national key cultural relic protection unit in May 2006. The entire park covers an area of 5.7 acres and is divided into two parts: residential and garden. The residence is divided into five entrances, with a winding layout and quaint halls. The garden is located to the west of the residence, surrounded by buildings and rocks, taking a natural approach. The mountains and rivers blend together, and the trees are lush. The distant view is bright and natural and simple. Yipu has the layout and style of Ming Dynasty gardens, and was once the residence of famous figures such as Wen Zhenmeng. It has high historical, cultural, and artistic value.

📍 No. 5 Wenya Lane, Gusu District, Suzhou

🚴‍♀️ Walk from Subway Line 4 to Chayuanchang Station, and walk from Subway Line 2 to Shilu Station

💰 10 yuan/person (cash required for on-site purchase)

🕙 7: 30-17:00 (November 1st - February 28th of the following year); 7: 30-17:30 (March 1-October 31)

Huanxiu Villa is also a niche garden, a classical garden mainly composed of mountains. The rockery of the Taihu Lake Lake, stacked by Ge Yuliang, a master of mountain building in the Qing Dynasty, is also recognized as the best existing rockery in Chinese gardens. The location of Huanxiu Mountain Villa was the residence of Wang Min, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, with Jingde Temple as the rear residence. During the Ming Dynasty, it was successively used as the Academy of Scholarly Taoism, the Imperial Grain Administration, and the residence of the Grand Secretary Shen Shixing. During the Qing Dynasty, various officials also built residential gardens here. In 1998, it was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The Huanxiu Villa covers an area of 2180 square meters, with a rockery area of 500 square meters. Most of the buildings in the park are built facing the rockeries, forming different viewing points with different heights and distances. It also has the charm of "seeing the mountain shape face to face, and the mountain scenery moves step by step".

📍 272 Jingde Road, Suzhou

🚴‍♀️ Bus route 262, 69, 522, 313, 933, 63

💰 15 yuan/person (cash required for on-site purchase)

🕙 8: 30-16:30 (entry stopped at 16:00)

I couldn't help but have a bowl of noodles for lunch, on my way from Huanxiu Villa to Yiyuan. It takes about ten minutes to walk from Huanxiu Villa to Yiyuan, and all the way there are Suzhou's small emotional tunes. I ordered a bowl of barbecue noodles and I like Suzhou's fine noodles and red soup, although I am not interested in the accompanying barbecue.

Kunde Noodle Restaurant

📍 388 Yangyu Lane

🕙 5:30-14:00

💰 Per capita 12 yuan/person

From 1874 to 1882, during the reign of Emperor Guangxu in Tongzhi of the late Qing Dynasty, Gu Wenbin from Ningshao, Zhejiang, built the old residence of Wu Kuan, a Ming Dynasty scholar, for nine years at a cost of 200000 taels. It was named Yiyuan after the phrase "brother and sister are happy" in the Analects

Yiyuan is divided into two parts: east and west. The west of the park used to be a temple, while the south of the park leads to residential areas. Due to its late construction, it absorbed the strengths of various gardens, such as the Fu Lang, Yuan Yang Hall, rockeries, stone boats, etc.

Yiyuan has the "Five Greats", the most Zen like facing pavilion, the most picturesque plum blossom appreciation path, the longest lived wisteria tree with a tree age of 640 years, the most unique stone zhang in the courtyard resembling a hunched old man bowing his head, and the most delightful one is undoubtedly the song "Plum Blossom Three Alleys" by Guangxia, a monk from Huada Wang Temple in Yangzhou in 1919.

📍 1265 Renmin Road, Gusu District, Suzhou

🚴‍♀️ Exit 8 from Leqiao Station on Metro Line 1 and walk to Yiyuan

💰 15 yuan/person (cash required for on-site purchase)

🕙 7: 30-17:00 (ticket sales stopped at 16:30)

Every time I go to a city, I want to visit the museums there. The new Suzhou Museum is the only museum in China designed by the world architect I.M. Pei himself, so make sure to arrange your itinerary! 👏

The Suzhou Museum was established in 1960, with a new building area of over 19000 square meters. Combined with the renovated old museum, the total construction area is 26500 square meters. Adjacent to it are the well-known Humble Administrator's Park and Lion Grove, which are enough to fill a full day's itinerary.

After making an appointment in advance, you can swipe 🆔 Enter the museum.

The new Suzhou Museum is divided into three major areas:

one ⃣ Middle: Entrance, vestibule, central hall, and main courtyard

two ⃣ West: Main exhibition area of the museum

three ⃣ East: Auxiliary exhibition area and administrative office area

The color scheme of the entire new building is mainly composed of traditional Suzhou gardens with pink walls and black tiles, while the entire building structure adopts glass and open steel structures, allowing a large amount of light to leak into the interior and be bright enough.

📍 204 Northeast Street, Suzhou

🚴‍♀️ Subway Line 4 North Temple Tower Station Exit 4, travel 800 meters east along Northwest Street to reach

🎒 Bags should be stored at the opposite tourist center before entering the museum

🕙 From 9:00 to 17:00 every Tuesday to Sunday (entry closed at 16:00), closed every Monday

Shuangta Market is a market that was transformed from a previous market and is the result of a renovation program. Originally a bustling market, it has become a popular market after renovation, attracting young people to check in. A part of the market is still reserved for the previous market vendors to set up stalls selling vegetables, meat, fish, and fruits, while the other area includes various snack stalls, internet celebrity stores, and small restaurants.

I checked in on the young internet celebrity Biluochun milk tea, which mixed the aroma of oats and Biluochun tea, and was truly extraordinary. Three chicken feet were stewed until they were crispy and soft, costing 10 yuan. After finishing, I couldn't help but pack another 20 yuan chicken feet. The pancake stand at the entrance is relatively faster, although I only added tenderloin. When the owner added lettuce, she chose two very small pieces haha, which is very different from the previous ones.

📍 First floor, No. 2 Stone Craftsman Lane

🚴‍♀️ You can walk to Exit 1 of Xiangmen Station on Metro Line 1

Day 3

Xiyuan Temple

On the third day in Suzhou, I checked in at the temple in the morning. In fact, Xiyuan Temple is a collective name for Jiechuanglu Temple and Xihuayuan Free Life Pond, commonly known as Xiyuan. It was built between 1264-1294. The existing buildings of Xiyuan Temple were rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty. The five hundred arhats hall in the temple is one of the four arhats halls in China, and is also a cultural relic protection unit in Jiangsu Province.

Xiyuan Temple covers an area of 10 mu, with four major palaces of the Heavenly King, the Shakya ManiHall, Five Hundred Arhats Hall, Guanyin Hall and Sutra Pavilion. Strolling inside the Xiyuan Temple, the feeling of sunlight pouring down truly cleanses the soul. The West Garden, with its green and winding water, pavilions, corridors, and pavilions, echoes the east and west of the palace architecture, forming a unique style of "the temple is in the garden, and the garden is the temple scenery".

📍 18 Xiyuan Lane, Huqiu Road

💰 5 yuan/person (offering incense) can be paid by mobile phone

🕙 7:30-17:30

Lunch was served at a Suzhou style Dim sum in Shantang Street, called Xinzhen Suzhou style fried prawns. One set meal includes fried fresh meat and prawn, shrimp Wonton and two tiger skin chicken feet. You're full enough after eating!

📍 No.2 Shantang Street

🕙 7:00-22:00

💰 30 yuan per capita

Qili Mountain Pond

I feel that Qili Mountain Pond is the charm of a water town in my impression. After entering from the entrance, it gives a feeling that there are small shops selling various products on both sides, as well as various Suzhou style snack shops. Although it is a short street, it doesn't take much time to stroll around, but if you choose to sit at a tea house by the river, drink a pot of tea, and watch the slowly passing small boat, you can also spend an afternoon comfortably.

From Shantang Street to Huqiu, the most famous scenic spot in Wuzhong, it is called "Qili Shantang to Huqiu" due to its total length of about 3600 meters, which is about Qihua Li. Most of the ancient buildings along the street in Shantang are from the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China period, forming a group of buildings with several entrances and exits.

📍 177 Shantang Street, Gusu District, Suzhou City

Open all day

💰 A cruise ticket costs 50 yuan

The last attraction in Suzhou is the famous Lion Grove. Unlike other niche gardens, there is a self-service ticket machine available here. In addition to online purchasing, it is much more convenient to buy tickets here. Even if it is not very useful, the staff will still provide careful guidance.

The Lion Grove is different from ordinary literati landscape gardens. The rockery group in it deeply reflects the religious ideas of the founder of the Lion Grove. Through the rockery shaped like a lion, it expresses the Zen concept that facing the chaos of the world, one can break through all illusions and calm down all desires.

The Lion Forest is famous for its rockery, which is made of the Taihu Lake Lake rocks that are "transparent, leaky, thin and wrinkled". To the east is the "dry rockery", and to the west is the "water rockery". It is the only remaining large-scale rockery in Chinese gardens, with important historical and artistic value. There are Zhibai Pavilion, Xiangmei Pavilion, and Lixue Hall in the Lion Grove. The architecture of Lion Grove can be divided into three parts: ancestral hall, residential area, and garden.

📍 23 Garden Road, Suzhou City

🚴‍♀️ Walk from Subway Line 4 to Beisi Pagoda Station

💰 40 yuan/person in peak season and 30 yuan/person in off-season

🕙 Off season 7:30-16:30 (entry stopped at 16:00); Peak season 7:30-17:30 (entry stopped at 17:00)

The reason I like Suzhou is probably because I like the soft language of Wu Nong or the leisurely taste in the air. Spend an afternoon listening to Pingtan and drinking tea.

I have been to several noodle shops and I feel that the masters have a good attitude.

There are also many internet celebrity stores in Suzhou, which are worth spending the whole day checking in.

Because in Shanghai, I definitely go to Suzhou frequently. When it's time to eat hairy crabs, prepare to go again.