Tongli Ancient Town(Tongli Town, Tongli Water Town)

The water town of Tongli Ancient Town in Jiangnan is located in Wujiang, Suzhou, surrounded by lakes. The crisscrossing rivers divide the town into seven islands, with almost every household bordering the water. It features many narrow alleys and old buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties. At night, the lights along the eaves create a breathtakingly beautiful scene.

The entrance to Tongli Ancient Town is on the south side of the attraction. Once inside, you can see the view of small bridges and flowing water everywhere in the ancient town. The three bridges with unique shapes and a long history are located in the central area of the ancient town. There are exquisite small gardens, former residences of celebrities, and special exhibition halls, all of which can be visited on foot within the ancient town. Luoxing Islet is a small island on the lake to the east of the ancient town, requiring a 20-minute walk from the ancient town to the pier to take a boat there.

When visiting Tongli, trying the local snacks is a must. Right after entering the main gate, the Ming-Qing Street and Zhuhang Street on both sides are areas densely packed with snacks in the ancient town. Tongli's various pastries are quite distinctive, with sock-sole crisps, gorgon fruit cakes, and malt collapse cakes being particularly famous. The Jiangnan-style osmanthus glutinous rice balls and Zhuangyuan trotters can also delight your taste buds. You can stroll along these two small streets, shop by shop, and enjoy the delicious treats.

Beyond snacks, the attraction also boasts many artistic and quaint spots, mostly clustered in the southern part of the ancient town. Nanyuan teahouse is a prime example—sipping tea on the second floor while enjoying occasional pingtan performances is pure bliss, not to be missed. For those wanting to experience nightscapes and morning mists, waterside homestays in town offer overnight stays. The stone bridges and paddle boats shrouded in dawn mist reveal a side of the ancient town unseen by day.