Tour Overview
Departing from Shanghai by high-speed bullet train, this classic one-day tour takes you to Suzhou, renowned as “The City of Gardens”. Travelers will explore the most prestigious classical Chinese gardens, experience authentic Jiangnan water town scenery via private gondola cruise, enjoy ancient street walking and a vintage rickshaw ride, and taste a traditional Suzhou local lunch. This perfect itinerary presents the ultimate combination of elegant ancient gardens and peaceful canal water culture.
In the morning, guests will visit the Humble Administrator’s Garden, the mother of Chinese classical gardens. Afterwards, enjoy a relaxing gondola canal cruise and stroll along the ancient canal street for an authentic local lunch. In the afternoon, take a vintage rickshaw to explore the historic Couple’s Retreat Garden, which perfectly blends classical garden art with ancient canal scenery, and exit the garden by boat. Finally transfer back to Shanghai by bullet train in the late afternoon.
Highlights
Detailed Itinerary
Gather at the Starbucks at the South Entrance of Shanghai Railway Station, meet the professional English-speaking guide and start the garden and water-town journey. A central and convenient meeting point for Shanghai departing day tours, providing smooth and efficient group departure arrangement.
Take the 30-minute high-speed train from Shanghai to Suzhou and enjoy comfortable and fast intercity travel. China’s high-speed railway connects modern Shanghai and ancient Suzhou, allowing travelers to quickly arrive at the famous “Garden Capital”.
After arrival in Suzhou, take a private local transfer to the Humble Administrator’s Garden — the representative garden of the Jiangnan region, widely known as the Mother of Chinese Gardens and a world-class cultural heritage site. The garden features a natural spatial layout centered on open water surfaces; with winding corridors, elegant pavilions, ancient trees, rockeries and blooming flowers, the whole scenic area creates a peaceful, quiet and distant artistic conception, representing the peak aesthetics of traditional Chinese classical gardens.
After garden sightseeing, enjoy a relaxing gondola cruise along the ancient canal. Experience the gentle rhythm of the Jiangnan water town and the unique beauty of the Oriental Venice. After disembarking, take a 15-minute leisurely walk along the ancient canal old street. Suzhou’s ancient canal features crisscrossing water systems, old stone bridges and waterfront houses — the gondola cruise offers the most authentic and romantic water-town experience.
Proceed to a featured beautiful local restaurant to enjoy an authentic Suzhou traditional lunch. Dining Tip: local classic Jiangnan cuisine is served, featuring the fresh and delicate Suzhou flavor.
After lunch, take a classic vintage rickshaw through ancient Suzhou old lanes. The slow ride brings travelers back to the ancient atmosphere of old Suzhou city. The old streets and alleys preserve the original urban appearance of ancient Suzhou, and the rickshaw experience provides a retro and immersive ancient-town traveling feeling.
Explore the 200-year-old Couple’s Retreat Garden, a perfect combination of classical garden architecture and the ancient canal water system. Time seems to slow down inside this quiet and elegant heritage garden; finally exit the garden by private boat. Couple’s Retreat Garden is a typical water-town classical garden — integrated closely with the surrounding canal system, it perfectly interprets the harmonious coexistence of Suzhou gardens and water towns.
Finish the full-day Suzhou garden and water-town tour, transfer back to Suzhou Railway Station and take the high-speed bullet train back to Shanghai. The tour ends perfectly.