After breakfast, we uncover Suzhou’s artistic soul and timeless gardens.
After having breakfast, we will start our day at the Humble Administrator's Garden, which is one of the four most famous classical gardens in China. With water as its center, surrounded by beautiful mountains and waters, elegant pavilions and halls, as well as flourishing flowers and trees, it fully showcases the unique charm of the water towns in the south of the Yangtze River. Strolling around the garden, you can admire the well-arranged layout of pavilions, rockeries, ponds, and plants, and feel the ingenious design ideas of the ancient garden designers. There are often professional tour guides providing explanations in the garden, which can help you deeply understand the historical and cultural stories behind each scene. It's recommended to follow the guides for a better visiting experience.
After that, we can walk to the Suzhou Museum. Designed by the renowned architect I.M. Pei, this museum perfectly combines modern architectural styles with traditional Suzhou elements, making it an outstanding piece of art itself. Inside the museum, there are numerous precious cultural relics on display, covering various categories such as calligraphy and paintings, ceramics, and bronze wares. Through these exhibits, you can have an in-depth understanding of the historical changes and cultural development of the Suzhou region from ancient times to the present. Here, you can spend about one and a half hours carefully appreciating the stories behind each cultural relic and enjoying the unique scenery where traditional art and modern design complement each other.
Next, we will head to Pingjiang Road. This is an ancient street full of historical charm, retaining a large number of Ming and Qing Dynasty architectures. It winds along both sides of the river. Here, you can walk on the bluestone slabs, admire the white-walled and black-tiled houses of the southern Yangtze River along the river, and feel the cozy atmosphere of small bridges over flowing water and households beside them. There are many specialty shops along the road, selling exquisite handicrafts, traditional costumes, Suzhou-style pastries and so on. You can browse around and choose some souvenirs you like. You can also step into a teahouse by the river, sit down, order a cup of Biluochun tea, take a rest, watch the rowing boats slowly passing by on the river, and enjoy this leisurely and relaxing time.
Then, we will go to Guanqian Street. This is a famous commercial pedestrian street in Suzhou, gathering numerous time-honored shops and modern shopping malls, which is a great place for shopping, leisure and tasting delicious food. You can visit some time-honored brands like Caizhizhai and Yeshouhe, and buy some local specialties like Suzhou-style candies and pastries. You can also walk into shopping malls to choose some souvenirs or fashionable goods with Suzhou characteristics. Besides, there are various food stalls on Guanqian Street, such as Haitang Cake, Plum Blossom Cake, and Sweet Rice Porridge, allowing your taste buds to indulge in the sweet Suzhou flavor. Here, you can fully enjoy the fun brought by shopping and food, feel the liveliness and prosperity of Suzhou, and end this fulfilling and wonderful one-day tour.
