SH17: 2 Days Private Suzhou Tour from Shanghai

Suzhou boasts the best classical gardens in China and is renowned as the "heaven on earth". In the morning, you need to head to the train station in Shanghai and then take the 30 minutes' high speed train to Suzhou by yourself. We will book the train ticket of Shanghai/Suzhou for you in advance. 

Upon arrival, you will see your local guide at the exit of the train station waiting for you. After a warm greeting, we will immediately start this Shanghai Suzhou 2 days tour with Humble Administrator's Garden. It is a typical work of the classic gardens in south China and is reputed as one of the four best gardens in China. It is also the largest garden in Suzhou, covering an area of 5.2 hectares (12.8 acres). The whole garden is themed by water with delicate pavilions, corridors, lush flowers and plants. 

Afterwards, we will walk about 6 minutes to Suzhou Museum, which is only 300 meters (330 yards) away. You will have a general understanding of the local history, art and culture through the collections like porcelains, ceramics, handicrafts, bronzewares, calligraphies and paintings. There are totally four basic exhibitions in the museum themed by Wu Treasures, Wu Pagodas, Wu Elegance and Wu Paintings & Calligraphy.

After leaving the museum, take the sculling boat to go sightseeing the ancient Grand Canal, and disembark at Pingjiang Road about 20 minutes later. As the best-preserved region of the ancient city of Suzhou, it can be regarded as the miniature of the city. On eastern and western sides of the road are plenty of alleys. There are even some watercourses preserved on the east with streets adjacent to the rivers. Also, the streets have preserved the original outlook. Even the bars, souvenir shops and cafes are in traditional architectural style. You will be left some time for lunch here. Your guide will be glad to give you some recommendations according to your taste. 

After lunch, we will proceed to another classic garden - The Master of Nets Garden. It is composed of a residential section, a central garden and an inner garden. As most of its owners are literati, there are quantities of poetry inscriptions left in the garden. At the end, the guide will transfer you to the hotel and assist you with the check-in.

Accommodation: Mercure Hotel Suzhou Railway Station

After breakfast, we will drive to Zhouzhuang Water Town, which takes about 1 hour on the way. The ancient town is surrounded by water from all sides. Inside it, folk residences are built along the criss-cross "井" shaped rivers, most of which were built in Ming (1368 - 1644) and Qing (1644 - 1911) Dynasties. Over the rivers, stand 14 well-preserved ancient stone bridges constructed in Yuan (1271 - 1368), Ming and Qing Dynasties. Take a stroll there, you can learn how the local people live by water. 

After the tour, your guide and driver will escort you to the hotel in Shanghai in 2 hours. Wish you have enjoyed a pleasant 2 days Shanghai Suzhou tour. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast