This travel itinerary will guide you through the 11 best things to do in Suzhou if you have only 72 hours.
I traveled to Suzhou in 2019, and it’s one of China’s most charming water towns. In this blog post, you’ll find helpful travel tips to plan your stay and a 3-day packed itinerary to experience the best in town.
If this is your first time in China, check my tips-packed China Travel Guide for first-timers!
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Planning Your Trip
Is Suzhou Worth Visiting? (Spoiler: Yes!)
Suzhou is just a 30-minute train ride from Shanghai, and if you’re already landing there, as you likely are, it would be a shame not to stop.
Suzhou is calm, with that quintessential small-town vibe that feels almost out of place for a city so close to extremely shiny Shanghai.
Its charm lies in its canals, filled with boats that offer tourists a different perspective of the city.
Wooden and stone houses seem to rise straight from the water, while elderly locals play with their grandchildren along the canal banks as if there’s nothing more important in life.
Let’s not forget its gardens, praised all over China for their architectural beauty.
Yes, Suzhou is worth a visit. Just don’t expect a hidden gem untouched by tourism. However, with an early start and the right timing, you’ll be able to enjoy Suzhou at its best.
How many Days Should I Stay in Suzhou?
Most visitors (including myself) plan to stay at least two days in Suzhou. However, a third day would allow you to enjoy the city at a slower pace and discover more of its gardens.
It’s also true that Suzhou’s gardens are all pretty similar once you have explored the most beautiful ones. The final verdict is that a 3-day stay is ideal, but you can make it work with two.
How to Get to Suzhou?
You can easily reach Suzhou by high-speed train.
It’s a 30-minute ride from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station, less than a 2-hour ride from the Hangzhou East Station, and less than a 2-hour journey from Nanjing.
To book tickets, use Trip.com. It’s my go-to platform for booking train tickets in China and is easy for non-Chinese speakers to use.
Where to Stay in Suzhou?
The best district in Suzhou to stay in is the Gusu District, which is close to the main attractions.
Hotels in Suzhou, Gusu District: Cendre Hotel is near the Liu Garden (Lingering Garden) and Tiger Hill.
Hostels in Suzhou, Gusu District: Suzhou Blue Gate Youth Hostel (the host speaks English!)
Check Booking.com for the accommodation option that best fits your needs.
Suzhou Attractions Map
13 Best Things to Do in Suzhou in 3 Days
Day 1: Humble Administrator’s Garden, Suzhou Museum & Couple’s Garden
1. Humble Administrator’s Garden
⏰ Visit Time: 2-3 hours
🏷️ Ticket Price: From 70 to 80 ¥. Make sure to bring your Passport.
Located on the Northwest side of the Gusu District, the Humble Administrator’s Garden is the most impressive in Suzhou, which means that it’s also the most crowded with tourists.
Plan to visit early in the morning on weekdays to avoid peak season and National Holidays. In this way, you will experience the Garden as it’s supposed to be: with calm, silence, and plenty of space to soak in the beauty all around you.
If you’ve never visited a classic Chinese garden, you’ll be touched by the peaceful vibration that nature around you conveys.
You’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a painting, where a pavilion with red carvings reflects in the water of a lotus pond, and you’re the elegant Chinese lady admiring the scene from a cobbled bridge.
2. Suzhou Museum
⏰ Visit Time: 1-2 hours
🏷️ Ticket Price: Free. Make sure to bring your Passport.
Located right beside the Humble Administrator’s Garden, Suzhou Museum is a must-see because of its distinctive design.
The exhibition’s display is interesting, with around 30,000 pieces, including cultural relics, calligraphy, and paintings. However, the museum’s structure and design steal the show.
Designed by Chinese-American architect IM Pei, the external structure reflects Suzhou’s architectural style with features like waterways and courtyards, represented with a modern twist.
The interior highlights how traditional Chinese architectural features, such as sloping roofs, combine with contemporary glass, steel, and granite elements.
3. Couple’s Retreat Garden
⏰ Visit Time: 1-2 hours
🏷️ Ticket Price: 45 ¥
Located near the East leg of the Waicheng River and surrounded by canals, the Couple’s Retreat Garden is less popular than the Humble Administrator’s Garden.
This means you’ll (hopefully) be able to enjoy the still atmosphere without hordes of tourists talking loudly or elbowing for photos next to you.
The location and layout of the Garden are truly unique.
Everything is in pairs, symbolizing the theme of love. The Garden is divided into two sections, separated by an elegant open pavilion at the center.
Within the Garden, you’ll find a teahouse, a noodle restaurant, and all the classic garden architectural features you’ve already memorized after just one day in Suzhou.
Day 2: Tiger Hill, Twin Pagodas & Master of Nets Garden
4. Tiger Hill
⏰ Visit Time: 3 hours
🏷️ Ticket Price: 60-70 ¥ depending on the season
Ⓜ️ How to get there: take the subway to Sujin Subway station, then take a bus or a taxi to the foot of the hill. An alternative way is to take the shuttle boat from Shandang Alley (Shandangjie)
Tiger Hill is a great way to start your second morning in Suzhou on an off-peak day. Surrounded by greenery and a sense of spirituality. This is, in fact, the burial place of Suzhou’s founder, He Lu.
The legends about the mysterious events that may have happened here, combined with the historical buildings spread across its grounds, make it one of the town’s highlights—ask a local.
In terms of architecture, the Cloud Rock Temple Pagoda, crowning the top of Tiger Hill, is the oldest and largest pagoda south of the Yangtze River.
Its slight lean towards the north has earned it the nickname “The Leaning Tower of Pisa in China,” though it’s older and taller than its Italian version.
But it’s not just about the pagoda. Around the area, you can discover many charming sights, such as the Beamless Hall, built during the Yuan Dynasty, or the Wanjing Villa, home to an elegant bonsais garden.
5. Luohan Twin Pagodas
🏷️ Ticket Price: 10 ¥
Ⓜ️ How to Get There: the best way to the Twin Pagodas from Tiger Hill is by taxi, which will take around 10 minutes.
From the vast Tiger Hill site, head back to downtown Suzhou to visit the Twin Pagodas in the Luohan Garden.
A quiet, pocket-sized garden that houses these nearly identical (one is slightly shorter than the other) 30-meter-tall pagodas, which are a rarity in China.
It’s unusual to see two of them standing together in the middle of a Buddhist site, like this one used to be.
Unfortunately, the pagodas cannot be visited. However, you can explore the gardens and take pictures of these striking structures.
It’s a peaceful spot for a break, surrounded by pink-shaded magnolias, at least during springtime.
6. Master of The Nets Garden
⏰ Visit Time: 1-2 hours
🏷️ Ticket Price: from 30-40 ¥
Another day, another classic Chinese garden.
The Garden of the Master of the Nets is just a 15-minute walk from the Twin Pagodas.
Like the Humble Administrator and the Couple’s Retreat Gardens, the Master of the Nets is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
This garden is particularly admired for its clever use of limited space, creating a balanced blend of art, nature, and architecture.
Though it’s relatively small (about ⅙ the size of the Humble Administrator’s Garden), the arrangement of its elements makes it feel much more extensive, full of surprises.
Winding paths take you past ponds where koi fish swim lazily. Small bridges cross the water, and pavilions provide spots to sit and enjoy views of rocks and trees.
Every corner feels special (even though it’s already the third classic Chinese garden you see)
Day 3. Pan Men Scenic Area & Lingering Garden
7. Pan Men Scenic Area
⏰ Visit Time: 1-2 hours
🏷️ Ticket Price: 40 ¥
Ⓜ️ How to Get There: take subway line 4 to Nanmen subway station.
The Pan Men Scenic Area is a quieter, less-crowded spot on the southwest side of Suzhou.
It’s built around the historic Pan Gate, the ancient structure that once controlled access to the city by land and water. It’s the best-preserved gate of its kind in China.
The area feels like a summary of Suzhou’s architectural highlights, almost as if the designers had people with just one day in the city in mind.
Strolling through its pathways, you’ll be surrounded by a vivid green landscape.
The site includes the Ruigang Pagoda, a seven-story, 43-meter-tall structure from the Song dynasty, which can be visited with a separate ticket.
You will also cross the stone Wu Men Bridge, the tallest in Suzhou, dating back to the Song dynasty.
Exploring this area feels like stepping into a living postcard, with you as the main character in the picture.
8. Lingering Garden
⏰ Visit Time: 2-3 hours
🏷️ Ticket Price: 45-55 ¥
Ⓜ️ How to Get There: from Nanmen subway station at the Panmen Scenic Area, take subway line 4 to Suzhou station. From there, take line 2 to Shilu subway station. It’s a 40-minute journey; you can also take a taxi, it will be much faster.
There’s no better way to end your stay in Suzhou than by visiting another UNESCO-protected, stunning classic garden—and not just any garden.
The Lingering Garden is one of China’s Top Four Classic Gardens, alongside the Summer Palace, the Chengde Mountain Resort, and the Humble Administrator’s Garden.
Its distinctive feature is that, despite being relatively small, its architectural elements are ideally placed to ensure harmony with the surrounding natural landscape.
On top of that, it’s built with the human eye in mind.
After walking through a narrow and dim corridor at the entrance (making you question if you’re in the right place), a picture-perfect scene suddenly opens. Your eyes will meet with a new, idyllic view at every step and turn.
The four sections of the garden are weGardenined. The eastern side is rich in pavilions and hallways framed by airy corridors.
The central area feels like stepping into a Monet painting, with water, rockeries, and beautiful hanging flowers.
The western side is filled with majestic trees, creating a play of shade and light.
Meanwhile, the northern side offers a pastoral charm, with a lovely bonsai garden.
The perfect place to snap your final pictures before catching a train to a new destination!
Top 3 Things to Do in Suzhou At Night
Suzhou offers loads of possibilities to enjoy its lively nightlife.
In addition to the more common expats and travelers gathering in pubs and bars, you can decide to enjoy some local experiences.
1. Stroll Around the Lively Night Markets
One thing I love doing in China is aimlessly strolling around old streets lined with shops owned by older people.
Here, you can meet locals, buy unique gifts that are not tourist traps, and soak in authentic China’s vibe.
In Suzhou, you can head to Pingjiang Road, all its nearby alleys, and Shangtang Alley, a picturesque canalside street.
There’s truly no better feeling than the calm that comes from not being in a rush, browsing every quirky shop, looking around, and trying something new.
2. Visit the Master of The Nets Garden by Night
The Master of Nets Garden is the only one in Suzhou that allows visitors to visit at night. While the ticket is double the price (around 100 ¥ ), there’s no better way to experience a garden.
Its lovely architectural and natural features are enlighted at night, providing an entirely new suggestive experience.
3. Enjoy a Pingtan Exhibition While Sipping Chinese Tea
Pingtan is a type of musical performance that originated in Suzhou during the Song dynasty. It usually involves one male and one female performer who play two traditional Chinese instruments.
As a Suzhou tradition, you can ask your hostel host or hotel staff for the closest and best Teahouse where you can enjoy an actual Pingtan exhibition while sipping Chinese tea.
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Here you go! I hope you found this blog post about the 11 best things to do in Suzhou helpful.
Hopefully, you’ll feel inspired to add this charming water town to your future China trip!
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DISCLAIMER: These suggestions are purely based on my experiences and thoughts and are meant to inspire and provide advice. Feel free to adapt it to your preferences—there is no need to follow it in detail. All prices, transport options, and instructions mentioned reflect my knowledge at the time of writing and may have changed since. You must double-check all the information before your trip to ensure accuracy. All opinions and recommendations are my own, rooted in my unique journey through China.
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