Suzhou, the closest neighboring city of Shanghai. with Grand Canal's irrigation for thousands of years, has enjoy a great reputation as the paradise in China.
Built in 541BC by the King of Wu, 2500 year old, Suzhou is the birthplace of Wu culture. The 8,483km2 city is bustling with historical remnants and culture, thus placing Suzhou third behind Beijing and Xi'an for its historical and cultural significance. It has been named as one of China's top 24 historical and cultural cities and is only one of the four tourist cities with environmental protection (the other three being Beijing, Hangzhou and Guilin). In 1997, Suzhou caught the world's attention by having its classic gardens placed on the UNESCO list as a World Cultural Heritage site.
Suzhou is a key silk production centre in China and the embroidery school here is ranked in the top 4 for the whole of China.
The attractiveness of Suzhou is also evident in its performing arts (folk songs of Wu), Kunqu Opera and storytelling and ballad singing in Suzhou dialect, as well as stele carving, calligraphy and painting.
Transportation
Being an important historical and tourist city, Suzhou is easily accessible by air, rail and road. Its location along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal means the city also enjoys good waterway transportation.
Trains: Suzhou is a major stop along the Beijing-Shanghai railway line and there are more than 40 daily train services which stop at Suzhou Railway Station. There are daily services to and from Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Guilin and many more main tourist areas in China to and from Suzhou. The Suzhou Railway Station is located on the north side of the city.
Buses: There are shuttle buses available to the nearby cities and beyond, such as Shanghai, Hangzhou, Wuxi, Zhouzhuang, Tongli, to and from Suzhou.
Ferries: Boats running along the Great Canal down to Hangzhou in the south has become increasingly popular due to the amazing country scenery.
Local Transportation: Being a developed city, Suzhou has good public transportation. Public buses routes run into all parts of the city. Fares are flat rated, usually 1 Yuan for a non-air-conditioned bus and 2 Yuan for an air-conditioned one. There is no fare collector on the bus, so please ensure that you have small denominations of change ready for the driver when boarding.
Taxis: Taxis are convenient and are generally a hassle-free alternative to public transportation. There are lots of taxis looping the city so there is usually no problem to flag one down to stop for you.
Tourist Attractions
Suzhou enjoys great fame internationally for its elegant gardens. Small private gardens with delicate layouts, decorations, are scattered around the city. The most beautiful and famous ones include Humble Administrator's Garden, Lion Grove, Garden of Master of the Nets, Lingering Garden and much more. When in Suzhou, you may also consider visiting some other sights except the city's garden architecture. In such case, the Suzhou Silk Museum, Panmen Gate, Hanshan Temple are also good choices.