2 Days in Suzhou: What to Do and See in Suzhou

Day 1 | Morning

Humble Administrator's Garden

Opening Hours: Open from 3/1-11/15,7:30am-5:30pm;Open from 11/16-2/28,7:30am-5:00pm

Ticket Price: 70 RMB

Recommended Length of Stay: 2-3 Hours

Location: No.178, Northeast Street, Pingjiang District, Suzhou City

This is one of "China's Four Gardens" and a world cultural heritage site. The Humble Administrator’s Garden is known for its water landscape that highlights the ambiance of the Southern Chinese villages built on bodies of water. It is elegant and delicately designed. In the garden, different kinds of ancient architecture were built on water. They are scattered strategically and not one is the same as another. The garden is divided into three parts: the east, the middle, and the west. Each part has its own characteristics, especially the central garden, which basically maintains the simple and natural style of the Ming Dynasty gardens.

Reviews from Real Guests:

Trip.com User: One of the must-see attractions in life! ! ! Humble Administrator's Garden is not only the representative of Suzhou Garden, but also one of the four famous gardens in China. It has long been ranked as a forest of world cultural heritage. Humble Administrator's Garden is mainly water-based, suddenly and wide, suddenly and secluded, mountain path water corridors ups and downs, smooth flow everywhere. The style is clear and elegant, simple and natural. #Manor that will get lost # How can I find someone to live here in the age of no mobile phone? #One day Internet is very good

Trip.com User: Tranquility, serenity and calm is what describes Humble Administrator Garden. Ideal time to visit is early morning around 8 am. Avoid public holidays. Entry tickets will be booked online, i recommend trip. Com site. Simply majestic historical place.

Day 1 | Afternoon

Now we come to another great highlight in the city: Tiger Hill.

Tiger Hill

Opening Hours: Open from 5/1-10/31,7:30am-6:00pm;Open from 11/1-4/30,7:30am-5:30pm

Ticket Price: 60 RMB

Recommended Length of Stay: 3-4 Hours

Location: No. 8 Shanmen, Gusu District, Suzhou City

Tiger Hill has a history of more than 2,500 years and is a landmark of Suzhou City. The attractions here are mostly historic sites with a beautiful view. Although Tiger Hill is only a small hill, it contains natural landscapes such as cliffs and ravines. Because of its construction history, many cultural attractions have been formed. In the garden, buildings and plants are built to complement each other according to the exquisite Jiangnan garden style. Here, you can learn about the story of the Spring and Autumn Period and visit the lopsided landmark, Yunyan Pagoda.

Reviews from Real Guests:

Trip.com User: Tiger Hill is probably one of the few historical places in China which have been preserved by almost all dynasties. Avoid public holidays to visit. Multiple food options available on site. Transportation to site is convenient. City view is pretty good. Have a walk around the scenic spot and enjoy boat ride while appreciating its rich history.

C Travels: Tiger Hill was a great day out. It’s not far from SIP, Suzhou, taking about 45 minutes in a taxi. It’s a lovely walk to the top of the hill, and you can take different routes. Tiger hill is beautiful and provides good photo taking opportunities. You can also pay to have a boat ride around the surrounding lake.

Day 1 | Evening

Don’t forget to book Hotel Indigo Suzhou Grand Canal, an IHG Hotel in advance, because all the tourists head to Tiger Hill love staying at it.

Hotel Indigo Suzhou Grand Canal, an IHG Hotel

Opened in 2021, the Hotel Indigo Suzhou Grand Canal, an IHG Hotel offers travelers a pleasant stay in Suzhou, whether for business or leisure purposes.

Boasting a convenient location, the hotel is just 9km from Suzhou Railway Station and 37km from Sunan Shuofang International Airport. Transportation around the city is also convenient, with Shishanlu Metro Station within walking distance. There's plenty to do nearby, with Suzhouq Chong Amusement Park, Quanmingxing Huabing Club and 江南小書場評彈 (日航酒店) all within a short distance.

This hotel makes a great place to kick back and relax after a long day of sightseeing. This Suzhou hotel provides parking on site.

When it comes to Suzhou hotels, the Hotel Indigo Suzhou Grand Canal, an IHG Hotel is highly regarded for its excellent facilities. This hotel is particularly popular with those traveling with families.

Day 2 | Morning

Lingering Garden

Opening Hours: Open from 11/1-2/28,7:30am-5:00pm;Open from 3/1-10/31,7:30am-5:30pm

Ticket Price: 45 RMB

Recommended Length of Stay: 1-2 Hours

Location: No. 338, Liuyuan Road, Yumenwai, Jinyu District, Suzhou City

The Lingering Garden, along with the Humble Administrator’s Garden in Suzhou, the Summer Palace in Beijing, and the Chengde Imperial Summer Resort in Hebei, are collectively known as China's Four Great Gardens. The Lingering Garden is known for the graceful beauty of its Chinese pavilions, rock collections, winding paths, the greenery which fills the park, and its jade-colored pond. Here, one can experience the calm of visiting an area in between that of a landscape garden and a natural landscape. The Lingering Garden was built in the Ming dynasty, in the 21st year of Emperor Wanli's reign (1593 CE) by Xu Taishi, a bureaucrat of the Ming court, as the landscape garden of his private residence. The garden was called the "East Garden" at the time. In the Qing dynasty, in the early years of Emperor Guangxu's reign, the garden was purchased by a bureaucrat by the name of Sheng Kang, who renamed it the "Lingering Garden". The garden is divided into four themed sections. Within a single garden, one can have a taste of four distinct scenes, namely natural landscapes, countrysides, mountain forests, and flower gardens.

Reviews from Real Guests:

Trip.com User: Suzhou Liuyuan is one of the four famous gardens in China. I went in late autumn in early December. The white wall and high tile garden buildings in the park, the large red leaves around the Laoting, the fish watching by the windy pool, the bamboo forest in another village, and the bonsai garden in front of the small Taowu, all make visitors linger. Leave the garden and spend at least one whole day savouring it.

Trip.com User: The garden is one of the four gardens in Suzhou. It is also one of the four gardens in China. The scenery here is especially beautiful. Especially in autumn, it is more colorful.

Day 2 | Afternoon

Having the chance to enjoy the charming Lingering Garden, Tongli Ancient Town next to it is another great place that you will never want to miss!

Tongli Ancient Town

Opening Hours: Open from 8:00am-5:15pm

Ticket Price: 100 RMB

Recommended Length of Stay: 1-1 Days

Location: Tongli Ancient Town, Wujiang District, Suzhou City

Located in Suzhou Wujiang, Tongli Ancient Town is a Jiangnan Ancient Water Town established in the Song Dynasty. It has a history of over a thousand years with the bulk of its buildings now constructed during the era of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. River canals divide the town into 7 sections, but the sections are all interconnected by 49 stone bridges. Almost every residential house is facing a river canal. The main attractions of the town include Jiayin Hall and Congben hall, The Tuisi Garden, Three Bridges, and The Pearl Tower. The attractions and be toured in one or two days. The town is 18 kilometers from Suzhou and 80 kilometers from Shanghai.

Reviews from Real Guests:

Trip.com User: Like a Chinese Venice, this beautiful town enables one to slow down and enjoy a pace of life vastly different to the urban cities around. Cars are not allowed in the town, and note that the town tocket is a once off entry so unless you arrange with accomodation to have multiple entries don’t leave if you hope to return! Recommend wearing good walking shoes as the cobblestones are uneven and a day walking around is tiring. That said, it’s highly worth the walk. Children under 1.4m free. Our favourite site within the town was the Tuisi Garden, but all the little shops of knick knacks were fun to browse - albeit some full of kitsch plastic toys that distract the kids. The boat ride was fun and our boat driver sang us some songs for a small fee. The three bridges that couples in times past cross when they marry was wistful, and the museum of wedding artefacts a fascinating window into earlier times. Overall could have spent quite a few days more here resting and lingering.

Felicia travels: Easily accessible from Hangzhou! Or other nearby cities. From Suzhou’s south railway station, expect to pay ~ 80 rmb didi. It was a little bit touristy during the weekday, so I can’t imagine during the weekend. You need to show your health code, travel code and passport + 100rmb fee, but it’s totally worth it. The scenery is beautiful and looks also great during sunset. Wear comfortable shoes as you’ll be walking a lot

* All reviews in the blog are machine-translated.