Suzhou

» Jiang Su

Suzhou Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information

Today's Suzhou weather forcast

Suzhou Seasons

Suzhou is located in a subtropical monsoon zone, so the weather is mild and moist with four distinct seasons.

Spring - It's best to visit Suzhou in spring between January and April because the temperature is not too low and the flowers are in full bloom until June.

Summer - The Plum Rain Season of June is followed by a hot July, Suzhou has a hot and humid summer.

Autumn - When harvest autumn arrives, it becomes much more pleasant.

Winter - The humid subtropical climate makes Suzhou cold, cloudy, damp winters with occasional flurries.

Top Suzhou Attractions

• 1Humble Administrator's Garden - As the largest ancient garden in Suzhou, it is the representative of south China's gardens.

• 2Tiger Hill - This artificial hill shows the world a picture-like view of Wu culture and mountains and waters of south China.

• 3Liuyuan Garden - With the elegance and exquisiteness, it is one of the four most famous classic gardens in China.

• 4Hanshan Temple - When the temple bell is tolling, the deep strokes reverberate in the hall, mixing with the deep-toned chants of the monks.

Suzhou History

Cradle of Wu Culture

Suzhou, the cradle of Wu culture, is one of the oldest towns in the Yangtze Basin. 2500 years ago in the late Shang Dynasty, local tribes who named themselves "Gou Wu" lived in the area which would become the modern city of Suzhou. Suzhou plays a vital role in Chinese cultural history. Many great names and schools of art arose here.

Present-day Suzhou

Strolling the streets, you can feel the unique lingering charm of this landscape left by its long history. The unique characteristics of the past are still retained in present-day Suzhou. The double-chessboard layout of Suzhou, with 'the streets and rivers go side by side while the water and land routes run in parallel', are preserved basically intact.

Suzhou Food

Featured Suzhou Dishes

Suzhou's cuisine is very similar to that of Shanghai and is characterized by light flavors, sweet dishes and an abundance of fish and shellfish.

Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish - The signature Suzhou fish is largely de-boned and sliced into pieces that remain attached to the fish then fried. When cooked, it looks a bit like a squirrel's tail, then garnished with shrimp, mixed vegetables and covered with a rich sweet sauce.

Featured Suzhou Restaurants

Song He Lou

Had ever been visited by Emperor Qianlong, it specializes in good and authentic Suzhou cuisine.

Add No. 72, Taijian Nong, Pingjiang District
Tel 6727 2285
Hours 11am to 1:30pm, 5pm to 8pm

De Yue Lou

The restaurant serves dozens of famous and authentic dishes to visitors both from home and abroad. There are two restaurants located on Taijian Nong.

Add No.43 or No.8, Taijian Nong, Pingjiang District
Tel 6523 8940
Hours 11am to 2pm, 5pm to 9pm

Suzhou Entertainment

Shopping

Suzhou Embroidery - The traditional embroidery is blended with fashionable contemporary elements, yielding a style of embroidery that is appreciated by both Chinese people and foreigners.

Suzhou Fan - Another of the fine handcrafts available in Suzhou. The traditional folding fans can be made of sandalwood or mandarin silk, while the newer style round fans are made of paper.

Nightlife

Cultural Shows - In addition to breath-taking scenery and unique handcrafts, Suzhou is rich in cultural heritage. Kun opera, Pingtan (a form of storytelling and ballad singing in Suzhou dialect) and Guzheng (a Chinese zither with 25 strings) are the traditional cultural arts of Suzhou and part of the locals' daily lives.

Suzhou Map

Map of Suzhou

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Map of Attractions in Suzhou

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Suzhou Transportation

Get In

Air - Air - Suzhou has no airport, the close one is Shanghai Hongqiao international. Shuttle buses from the airport to Suzhou take about I hour. You can also get to Suzhou by flying to Pudong International Airport, which is located 120 kilometers away from Suzhou.

Railway - Suzhou is conveniently located on the Jinghu Railway linking Shanghai and Nanjing. The busy Suzhou Railway Station has 139 trains stopping daily. There are daily services to and from Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Guilin etc.

Expressway - Suzhou has well-developed highway network. Buses to Shanghai, Hangzhou, Zhouzhuang, Shandong etc. are available.

Boat - The water route, especially the Grand Canal from Suzhou to Hangzhou is open. So visitors can go up to the north, Zhejiang, Yangzhou or down to Hangzhou in the south.

Get Around

Public-bus

Like other tourist cities in China, Suzhou has a convenient public transport system.

Fee: 1 Yuan or 2 Yuan

Taxi

ou can easily hail metered taxis in Suzhou.

Fee: From 10 Yuan, 1.8 Yuan per mile

Humble Administrator's Garden - Dating from the 16th century, the garden makes complex use of the element of water. The extensive network of paths and bridges following the streams those culminate in a magnificent scenic lake.

Tiger Hill - This artificial hill is famous for wonderful sight: leaning pagoda, waterfalls and landscaped paths. With about 2,500 years old, it shows the world a picture-like view of Wu culture and mountains and waters of south China.

Panmen Gate - Step on the gate to have a good view of this "Land and Water Gate"! With a history of 2,500 years, this city gate is the most completely preserved part of the ruins of the ancient city of Suzhou.

Suzhou Highlights List

Historical Site

• Hanshan Temple
• Tongli Town
• Panmen Gate

Cultural Site

• Tiger Hill
• Humble Administrator's Garden
• Liuyuan Garden
• Panmen Gate
• Shizilin Garden
• Master-of-Nets Garden
• Canglang Pavilion

Shopping & Leisure

• Guanqian Street

Suzhou Highlights

Chinese Private Gardens attraction highlights

In old days private garden in China were owned by bureaucrats, landlords, rich merchants, and the scholar-gentry. During the Ming and Qing dynasties private gardens were found all over China. Suzhou Gardens are the most famous private gardens. Hence the saying, "The lower Yangtze valley is unmatched for its gardens, whereas of all the cities in the lower Yangtze valley the gardens in Suzhou.

• Humble Administrator's Garden
• Liuyuan Garden
• Liyuan Garden
• Shizilin Garden
• Yuyuan Garden
• Master-of-Nets Garden
• Heyuan Garden
• Geyuan Garden
• Guyi Garden
• Canglang Pavilion

city highlights

• Hangzhou
• Suzhou
• Yangzhou

South China Water Town attraction highlights

Chinese ancient water towns are well known for their ancient houses, bridges and the rivers running through them. In these water towns, there remains architecture that dates back more than 1,000 years. More important, there exists a culture and a lifestyle that is glaringly absent in modern busy Chinese cities today.

• Ancient Town of Zhouzhuang
• Ancient Town of Wuzhen
• Old Town of Xitang
• Tongli Town

city highlights

• Suzhou
• Wuxi
• Jiaxing

Suzhou FAQ & Travelers's Tips

  Weather

1. How about the weather in Suzhou?
2. When is the best time to visit there?

  Travel

1. How to rent a bicycle?
2. Write down names and numbers if you don't speak Chinese.

  Customs

1. Could you tell me something about local festival - Ya Shenxian?

  Other Hints

1. People do tips there?
2. Do people speak English there?

• How about the weather in Suzhou?

  Suzhou is located in a subtropical monsoon zone, so the weather is mild and moist with four distinct seasons.

  The Plum Rain Season of June is followed by a hot July. After July, a harvest autumn arrives. Both the fresh fruits and the seafood will surely whet your appetite.

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When is the best time to visit there?

• It's best to visit Suzhou between January and April because the temperature is not too low and the flowers are in full bloom until June.

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• How to rent a bicycle?

  You can find bicycles for rent at a lot of place, but you will need to leave deposit and show your identity card.

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• Write dowm names and numbers if you don't speak Chinese.

  Being a foreigner in China, is quite demanding as you would have to struggle with the language barrier. Our best tip for people travelling from one place to another is to know the chinese character of the place you intend to go to and make sure you jot down the plate number of the bus, and it may prove very helpful once you leave some stuff behind.

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• Could you tell me something about local festival - Ya Shenxian?

  Ya Shenxian (April 14th in Chinese lunar calendar)
  April 14th is said to be the birthday of Lv Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals in Chinese Taoist mythology.

  On that day, he comes to Suzhou disguised as a human to spread happiness and prosperity. To receive more luck from the immortal, people from all over Suzhou crowd the streets in celebration.

  Today, this activity has turned into a bustling temple fair with various displays including handicrafts, plants, animals, and local snacks.

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• People do tips there?

  People here in Suzhou usually don't do tips. You don't have to pay porters for carrying things around for you. You don't have to pay waiter or waitress for bringing your dish.

  But some tips might make their life a bit easier. So tip or not tip, all depends on your personal preference.

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• Do people speak English there?

  The official language of China is Mandarin, though regional dialects pervade every corner of this massive country. Learning a few phrases in Mandarin is sufficient for travel in Suzhou.

  While younger Chinese and those involved with the tourist industry may understand varying degrees of English, it is still advised that visitors carry the name of their hotel and other important destinations written in Chinese characters.

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