Tours From Shanghai: 2-Day Incredible Suzhou Garden Tour by Bullet Train

Summary

DAY 1 Suzhou: Humble Administrator's Garden, Canglang Pavilion, Master of Nets Garden, Shantang Street
DAY 2 Suzhou: Lingering Garden, Ouyuan Garden, Lion Grove Garden, Suzhou No.1 Silk Factory

DAY 1

In the morning, our tour guide will pick you up at the exit of Suzhou train station, our tour guide will pick you up at your hotel lobby with a welcome signage "Suzhou Private Tour". You two days Suzhou garden tour includes the following attractions and activities.

Your tour starts with The Humble Administrator's Garden, it is the largest private garden in Suzhou with a total area of 51,950 square meters (5.2 hectares) in the northeastern part of Suzhou. It has been listed as one of the four most famous national classic gardens together with the Summer Palace, Mountain Summer Resort in Chengde and Lingering Garden of Suzhou. The garden consists of Eastern, Central and Western sections as well as some residences of the former owners. The art of the Humble Administrator's Garden has a prominent position in the history of China's garden creation. It represents the historical characteristics and achievements of south-east China's private gardens.

Next to The Canglang Pavilion, it variously translated as the Great Wave Pavilion, Surging Wave Pavilion, or Blue Wave Pavilion, is one of the Classical Gardens of Suzhou that are jointly recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the oldest among the existing classical gardens in Suzhou and also one of the four most famous gardens in the city -- the others being the Shizilin (Lion Grove), Zhuozhengyuan (Humble Administrator's Garden) and Liuyuan (Lingering Garden). Situated in the southwest quadrant of the city, it is located directly to the west of the Confucian temple. The garden underwent numerous renovations in the centuries to follow, but retains its essential form.

Later, move on to The Master of Nets Garden, which is the smallest of the Suzhou residential gardens, yet it is the most impressive because of its use of space which creates the illusion of an area that is much greater than its actual size. The garden is divided into three sections: a residential section, the central main garden and an inner garden.This 12th century gem (later refurbished in the 18th century) and UNESCO World Heritage Site boasts an impressive garden and nightly Kunqu opera performances, but it's best known for its architectural splendor. The garden is especially fancied by overseas visitors and is praised as the most ornate and intact private gardens in Suzhou.

Your last stop for today is Shantang Street. Shantang Street is also called Seven-mile Shantang, is located in the northwest of Suzhou, and the total length of it is about seven li (3.5 kilometers). Shantang Street in Suzhou attracts many tourists from home and abroad. Most of them prefer traveling along the canal, enjoying beautiful scenery. Owing to its distinguished geographic location and convenient water and land transportation, Shantang Street was one of the streets which trade and culture were most highly developed in Ming and Qing dynasties, regarded as “the No.1 Ancient Street in China”. The renovated Shantang Street becomes the place which shows the essence of natural views and human landscapes of Suzhou, which is rated as “the miniature of old Suzhou and the window of Wu culture”. There is a folk song, singing “There is a paradise in heaven, but there are Suzhou and Hangzhou on the earth. Hangzhou has the West Lake while Suzhou has Shantang. Both are good places with boundless sceneries”, which is the vivid image of Shantang.

After that, our tour guide will drive you to your hotel in Suzhou.

DAY 2

Today, after breakfast, our tour guide will take you to Lingering Garden. Lingering Garden is located the southern city of Suzhou Chang outside. It is a famous tourist scenic spot, is the world cultural heritage. It is with the humble administrator's garden, the Summer Summer Resort Palace, Chengde summer Resort are called China's four big gardens. Landscape architectural space processing is very exquisite, using a variety of artistic techniques, built a unique space system, becoming one of the world civilization examples of architectural space art processing.The garden of the space 23300 square meters, the main style of Qing dynasty style. Lingering Garden looks concise and rich forest of. Building looks a lot, but does not lose the feeling of quiet.

Move to Ouyuan, also refer to Couple's Retreat Garden. It situated on No.6 Cang Street, the Couple's Retreat Garden is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a key cultural relic under state protection. In the east was the ancient wall of Suzhou city, which is destroyed and become a mound now. This garden despite its narrow width features an artificial hill made from rock brought from Taihu Lake. Different from other Suzhou garden, the layout of the Couple's Retreat Garden is designed purposely. For example, the Old House with Woven Curtains use the theory in Yiology, which means honesty. And in ancient China, “ou” means cultivating land by two persons, so that the garden's name implies that a couple retreat to the countryside and lead a peaceful life there. Also the name of the garden alludes to its two halves separated by a residential core in the middle. Not only it is a representation of Suzhou garden, but also it has its unique elements which is rooted in profound and broad Chinese culture.

Later, you'll head for The Lion Grove Garden. The Lion Grove Garden is located at No. 23 Yuanlin Road in Pingjiang District, Suzhou. It is famous for the large and labyrinthine grotto of taihu rocks at its center. The name of the garden is derived from the shape of these rocks, which are said to resemble lions. The garden is recognized with other classical gardens in Suzhou as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The last stop is Suzhou No. 1 Silk Mill. Suzhou has a long and rich history of silk culture, including mulberry tree and silk worm cultivation and turning raw silk into beautiful fabric. Suzhou's climate and soil are perfect for silk production, and the city has been a center of China's silk trade for many centuries. The Suzhou No. 1 Silk Mill has been a proud steward of this heritage for over 80 years. It's more like a museum which shows you how the silk is made from cocoons from the beginning and the whole silk process. Not to be missed.

After the tour, drive you back to your hotel or Suzhou train station and the tour ends.

There are some useful Tips for you to Purchase Train Ticket between Shanghai and Suzhou
From Shanghai to Suzhou:
Option 1: G7104 Shanghai Hongqiao Station to Suzhou Station: Depart at 08:54AM and arrive at 09:30AM
Option 2: G7006 Shanghai Station to Suzhou Station: Depart at 09:00AM and arrive at 09:25AM
Please choose one of the above options according to your hotel location

From Suzhou to Shanghai
Option 1: G7119 Depart at 17:56 from Suzhou Station and arrive at Shanghai Hongqiao Station at 18:32
Option 2: G7243 Depart at 18:02 from Suzhou Station and arrive at Shanghai Station at 18:27

Price Per Person in US Dollars