Day 1 Shanghai - Suzhou, Humble Administrator's Garden, Lingering Garden, Shantang Street

Your personal driver will be waiting for you at your Shanghai hotel lobby and take you to Suzhou where your guide is ready to host you upon arrival. The journey from Shanghai to Suzhou is about 1.5 hours when you can have some rest.

Your first sight today is the Humble Administrator’s Garden, the largest classical Chinese garden in Suzhou. You will enjoy the beautiful scenes like pools, pavilions, corridors, man-made hills, rocks, bridges, and all kinds of plants.

At noon, your guide will recommend you some local delicacies like Squirrel-shaped Mandarin Fish, Whitebait Soup, and Biluo Shelled Shrimps for lunch.

Your afternoon tour starts with a visit to the Lingering Garden. Unlike the Humble Administrator’s Garden, the Lingering Garden is smaller. Still, it’s peaceful and comfortable, with all the clear pools, small rock paths, little hills, old trees and fragrant flowers everywhere. You will feel like being in a fairyland.

Next, you will head for the Shantang Street where you can take a short rickshaw rick along the small alleys of Suzhou and explore the local life. You will see all kinds of characteristic stores selling souvenirs, antique boats shuttling back and forth in the canal, local people sitting on the bank and playing music, what a harmonious scene!




At the tour end, you will check in a Suzhou hotel and have a free evening savoring the charm of this water city.






    

Day 2 Tiger Hill, Drive to Tongli, Tongli Water Town, Back to Shanghai

After breakfast, your guide and driver will take you to Tiger Hill first. It’s said that the historically famous King Wu (ruled Suzhou during 495 B.C - 473 B.C) buried his father He Lv here and three days after the funeral, a white tiger crouched here. Therefore, King Wu named the place as the Tiger Hill. As small and low as the hill is, it’s actually with spectacular views. Some of the most famous landscapes include the Yunyansi Pagoda, Sword Pool and the Qianren Stone. Some people even regard the Yunyansi Pagoda as the second leaning tower. You will also enjoy the picturesque Wanjing Mountain Villa and dense forest at the back of the Tiger Hill. What makes this place even more famous is that the annual local floral fair is held here, attracting tons of people to visit.

Have lunch at a decent Suzhou restaurant and drive to Tongli. Located about 25km from Suzhou city, Tongli Ancient Town is divided into 7 small islands by 15 interlacing rivers. Local residential buildings are lining up on both banks of rivers; stone bridges are arranged to connect all pathways; people are strolling leisurely along the stone alleys; all kinds of stores are decorated in old-fashioned styles; and the local snacks are constantly tempting your taste bud. You will find the views even more endearing on boat. Besides the waterways and featured architectures, you will also find some interesting gardens. One of these quite gardens is the Tuisi Garden, the only world cultural heritage in Tongli. We highly recommend you have a stroll inside the garden, you will be amazed.




After the tour, you will be escorted back to your Shanghai hotel.