Where to visit in Suzhou? — 15+ top Suzhou attractions & best Suzhou places to visit

To introduce “Suzhou attractions”, we cannot miss the cultural features and long history of this city. Suzhou is a city with many unique monuments, tourist sites and charming landscapes from ancient gardens, peaceful water towns to majestic natural scenic spots. So, where to go in Suzhou (Suzhou where to go), where to visit in Suzhou? Let’s check out our suggested 15+ top Suzhou attractions, Suzhou places to visit and best places to visit in Suzhou as follows!

Humble Administrator’s Garden (Zhuozheng Garden) (# where to visit in suzhou)

Address: 178 Dongbei St, Gusu District, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China, 215001

Zhuozheng is a Chinese classical garden located in Suzhou city, Jiangsu province, China. The garden was built in the 16th century by a retired mandarin named Wang Xianchen. The garden has an area of more than 5 hectares and is divided into many different areas, each area has its own unique beauty. One of the most unique features of Humble Administrator’s Garden is the harmony between nature and humans. The garden is surrounded by rows of green trees, clear blue lakes and beautiful rockeries. The architectural works in the garden are also built delicately and in harmony with the natural landscape.

The garden is the largest and most famous garden in Suzhou, with a campus of more than 5 hectares. Stepping into here, you will feel like entering a fairyland because the garden space has a calm and quiet character. It took 6 years to build Zhuozheng garden. That meticulousness and feat created a wonderful work in the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhuozheng Garden is a beautiful garden and one of the most famous attractions in Suzhou. The garden was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1997 and attracts millions of visitors each year.

Lingering Garden (Liu Yuan) (# suzhou attractions)

Address: 338 Liuyuan Rd, Gusu District, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China, 215008

Lingering Garden is one of the most beautiful and famous ancient gardens in China, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1997. Liuyuan was built in the 18th century by a wealthy merchant named Liu Yutao. The garden has an area of more than 27,000 square meters and is divided into many different areas, each area has its own meaning.

One of the most unique features of Liu garden is the harmonious combination of nature and architecture. The garden has many trees, flowers and lakes, all arranged delicately and beautifully. The architectural works in the garden are also built in classical Chinese style, creating a peaceful and relaxing space.

Lingering Garden is a beautiful and poetic garden. This is a great place to relax and immerse yourself in nature. If you have the opportunity to travel to Suzhou, take the time to visit Liu Garden to explore the beauty of this classic garden right away.

Jinji Lake (# suzhou places to visit)

Jinji Lake is located in the center of Suzhou city. This is one of the largest and most beautiful lakes in Suzhou, and is a famous and best places to visit in Suzhou. Jinji Lake has an area of more than 7km2, surrounded by paths and large gardens. The lake has many small islands and is home to many aquatic animals, including fish, shrimp, crabs and frogs.

Jinji Lake is a great place to relax and enjoy the scenery when traveling to Suzhou. You can walk around the lake, row a boat on the lake or simply sit on a chair and admire the scenery. Jinji Lake is also a great place to host outdoor events, such as concerts, art shows, and festivals. If you have the opportunity to come to Suzhou, visit Jinji Lake to experience these wonderful things!

Jinji Lake, also known as Golden Chicken Lake, is a small freshwater lake located in Suzhou Industrial Park. It has an area of about 7.8km2 with two artificial islands inside. This is considered the area representing the modern development of Suzhou with 5 functional areas around the lake: fountain viewing area, Cultural Convention and Exhibition Center, City tourist area , Entertainment and Cuisine area, Fashion and Shopping area.

There are many places you can visit in this area, especially at night when the city lights up. Take a cruise around the lake, visit two artificial islands to enjoy the night view of the entire area. Visit the fountain to watch China’s largest water music show or leisurely stroll around Lakeside Avenue, admiring the Harmony sculpture symbolizing the friendship between China and Singapore. Come to Harmony Times Square to see the world’s largest LED canopy, shop here and move on to the Ligongdi area – a 1,400-meter long street that includes many tourist resources and elegant restaurants and bars. It may take you quite a while to fully explore this surprising place.

Location: Located in Suzhou Industrial Park

Shantang Street (# suzhou where to go)

Shangtang ancient street is a great place to explore the beauty of ancient Chinese architecture. You can walk around the city, admiring the old houses, narrow streets and bridges over canals. You can also visit shops, restaurants, and cafes to enjoy Chinese cuisine and shop for souvenirs. Shantang is a great place to take beautiful photos. The quiet space with curved tiled roofs combined with the hustle and bustle of people creates a scene that is both ancient and modern. You can walk around town, visit shops and restaurants, or simply sit on a bench and watch people pass by. Surely you will get beautiful and memorable photos.

Shantang street, an ancient pedestrian street located in northwest Suzhou is very popular with tourists. From Changmen Gate in the city center, it winds northwest along the banks of the Shantang River and ends at poetic scenic Tiger Hill.

This beautiful road, about 2.2 miles long, was built by the famous Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi, when he became governor here, along with the Shantang canal system, turning this place into a commercial and cultural prosperous center.

This is a great area for you to walk around sightseeing and explore the lives of people through their daily activities. Some of the included services here will have a fee, such as cruises or visits to ancient relics. You should keep this in mind when visiting here.

Location: Jinchang District, Suzhou

Tongli Water Town (# where to go in suzhou)

Tongli is a small town located in Jiangsu province, China. This town is known for its canals, old houses and beautiful gardens. Tongli was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1997.

Tongli was founded in the 11th century and was once one of China’s important economic and cultural centers. This town was devastated by a major flood in 1958 but has since been restored. This town is located in a lowland and surrounded by canals. These canals are used for traffic, transporting goods and irrigating crops.

The ancient town of Tongli is surrounded by large lakes and divided by 15 canals, but these divided parts are also connected together by 45 bridges. Most of the town’s architecture is still well preserved. Visiting Tong-Li is like visiting the ancient village where our grandparents lived. Local people often chat with each other right in front of their houses, while they do laundry by the nearby wharf. The poetic landscape and peaceful atmosphere make this truly a perfect place to relax after you leave the hustle and bustle of Shanghai.

In Tong-Li, visitors will almost certainly be surprised by the many bridges. The oldest bridge was built more than 700 years ago, but the most famous is the “Three Bridges”. Local people walk across this bridge to pray for peace, luck, long life and health.

Tongli has more than 10,000 ancient houses, these houses are built of wood and brick and have traditional Chinese architecture. These houses are connected by beautiful small bridges. Tongli is a popular tourist destination and one of the most beautiful towns in China, attracting millions of tourists every year. If you have the opportunity to come to China, visit Tongli to experience the beauty of this town.

Tongli has a beautiful space with traditional architecture, stone bridges and canals running throughout the town. The quiet landscape and pure nature here create a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere. You can visit ancient houses, gardens, and enjoy the traditional cultural space of this town. Tongli will definitely bring you a unique travel experience and add color to your trip to Suzhou.

Suzhou Museum

This is a museum of local history and art that has an impressive combination of modern and classical architecture. Part of the museum was rebuilt on the foundation of Prince Zhong’s old mansion from 1960. The remaining part was designed by a Chinese-American architect named IM Pei, completed in 2006. This museum is currently contains many relics of revolutions, crafts, calligraphy, paintings… fully expressing the historical values and cultural arts of the Suzhou and Yangtze River Delta areas.

Suzhou Museum is an art and history museum. The museum was founded in 1956 and is one of the largest museums in China. Suzhou Museum has a large collection of artifacts from ancient times to modern times, including art, archaeology, history and literature. The museum also has a large collection of artifacts about the history and culture of Suzhou.

The Suzhou Museum is divided into several galleries, each gallery displaying a different theme. This is a great place to learn about Suzhou’s history and culture.

Suzhou Museum follows the theme of “design for China” which means developing modern architectural lines based on ancient Chinese architecture, combining modern exhibition halls and garden architecture. neck in harmony. Visitors will feel like the museum itself is like a work of art while learning about the antiques kept here.

At the Suzhou Museum, visitors will be able to visit four permanent exhibition rooms with cultural relics of the Wu Dynasty (222-280), respectively, with separate themes including Treasures, Buddhist Relics, Life, Paintings and Calligraphy of the Wu Dynasty. The two most prominent artifacts at the museum are the Celadon lotus-shaped bowl, a standard porcelain of the Five Dynasties period (907-960) and the Northern Song period (960-1127) that demonstrates the outstanding development of craftsmanship. This one has delicate carved lines and a pearl-like glaze. The remaining artifact is a Jade Pillar from the Northern Song Dynasty, demonstrating the skillful carving ability of artisans of this period on gold and silver materials.

In addition to the permanent galleries, the museum also has 3 galleries that exhibit and introduce folk customs, religious festivals as well as people’s cultural life. Occasionally the museum will also host temporary galleries covering a variety of themes including ethnic music.

• Address: 204 Northeast Street, Pingjiang District
• Opening hours: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (closed every Monday)

Huqiu (Tiger Hill)

Huqiu is a hill located in the west of Suzhou city. This hill is about 30 meters high and is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Suzhou. Huqiu is known for its ancient pagodas and temples. The hill also has many gardens and lakes, creating a beautiful landscape.

One of the most famous attractions in Huqiu is Jing’an Pagoda. The pagoda was built in the 4th century and is one of the oldest pagodas in China. Jing’an Pagoda has unique architecture and is a great place to learn about Buddhism. Huqiu is a great place to relax and immerse yourself in nature. The hill is also a great place to learn about the history and culture of Suzhou.

Pingjiang District

This is a historic neighborhood and is famous for its old houses, canals and traditional craft shops. Pingjiang is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Suzhou and a great place to explore the city’s culture and history.

If you find Shantang Street too crowded and bustling, you can visit Pinjiang Road to experience the truly peaceful atmosphere of the old town.

The 1,606 meter long road was built about 800 years ago along the peaceful Pinjiang River. Ancient houses, bridges and paved roads are still almost intact. The surrounding people are also very leisurely with their daily work, making the atmosphere of this place even more impressive and extremely popular with tourists. This place was also recognized by UNESCO as an Asia Pacific Cultural Heritage in 2005.

A number of galleries, tea shops and small cafes nestled next to the clear blue river will be ideal stops for a tour of this beautiful ancient street.

Pingjiang was founded in the 11th century and is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Suzhou. This neighborhood is known for its ancient houses built of wood and brick. These houses are decorated with intricate motifs and are a wonderful example of traditional Chinese architecture. If you are looking for a place to explore the history and culture of Suzhou, Pingjiang is a great choice for you.

Location: Northeast of Suzhou ancient town, near Suzhou museum.

Hanshan Temple

Hanshan Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Hanshan Mountain, about 10km west of Suzhou city. The temple was built in the 7th century by a monk named Hanshan. It is one of the most important Buddhist temples in Suzhou and a popular tourist destination. Hanshan temple has an area of more than 100,000 square meters and is surrounded by a high wall.

The temple has many beautiful architectural works, including a 7-story tower, a library, an art gallery and several small temples. Hanshan Temple is a great place to learn about the history and culture of Buddhism in China.

Wuxi Film Studio

Wuxi Film Studio is a large film park located in Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, China. This film studio was established in 1987 and is one of the largest film studios in China. Wuxi Film Studio covers an area of more than 100 hectares and can serve the filming of dramas, movies and TV shows. Wuxi Film Studio is a great place to learn about China’s history and culture.

Suzhou Silk Museum

Address: 2001 Renmin Rd, Ping Jiang Qu, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China, 215001

In Suzhou city, there is a museum specializing in silk, one of the largest museums in this field in China. Suzhou Silk Museum was built in 1956 and has an area of more than 10,000 square meters. In the museum, there are more than 10,000 silk-related artifacts, including fibers, fabrics, utensils, tools and documents. These artifacts reflect the history and culture of silk in China through many periods. Suzhou Silk Museum is a suitable place to explore and learn about silk, a traditional Chinese product.

The Silk Museum is located in a silk factory with a history of more than 5,000 years. Suzhou is famous for its silk industry from ancient times to the present and has up to 179 silk factories. All factories sell many beautiful and durable products that everyone wishes to wear once in their life.

Since ancient times, Suzhou has always been proud of being a city with an intricate canal system, they call it “Pingjiang Road”. Another interesting activity in Suzhou is taking a scenic boat ride. While riding the boat, you can listen to the boatman sing traditional Chinese songs.

Oriental ARC Building

This is the tallest building in Suzhou with a height of 300m. This building is shaped like a gate, symbolizing the gate that brings the essence of Suzhou to the world.

Lion Grove (Shi Zi Lin)

Shi Zi Lin is a garden with an extremely unique design, on the campus there are many places to take photos and check in. This place was once filmed in the legendary Chinese movie Journey to the West. It is one of the four most beautiful classical gardens in Suzhou that has been recognized by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage. In the garden, there are many rocks lying on top of each other like lion heads, connecting to form an artificial cave, so people call it Lion Grove (Shi Zi Lin).

Maple Bridge

Maple Bridge, also known as Feng Bridge, is located near the sightseeing area of Hanshan Temple. This is a unique and ideal destination to enjoy and take vivid photos for your trip to Suzhou.

Maple Bridge creates a beautiful and attractive scene, where visitors can enjoy the exciting feeling of crossing the bridge and exploring the surrounding natural beauty. This is also an ideal stop to create impressive virtual photos and capture memorable moments during your trip to Suzhou.

Xiyuan Temple

Xiyuan Temple, also known as Chongyuan, is an ancient temple with historical significance. It was built in 503 during the Liang Wudi period. During the reign of Emperor Wuzong of Tang, the temple was destroyed and then rebuilt under the name Chongyuan. During the reign of Kangxi Emperor, due to taboo reasons, the pagoda’s name was changed to Chongyuan.

In the modern era, Xiyuan Temple has undergone many demolitions and was devastated during China’s cultural revolution. However, in 2003, the pagoda was repaired and restored, bringing the image of a new communal house.

Xiyuan temple was built on an area of 300 acres, with a large, solemn and majestic main hall. If you have the opportunity to travel to Suzhou, you should visit this temple to experience the typical Buddhist culture of the Suzhou and Jiangnan regions.

Panmen Gate

Panmen Gate is one of the famous historical destinations in Suzhou. Located in the southwest of the main canal leading into the inner city, this gate has existed for more than 2,500 years since the Spring and Autumn period.

Previously, Panmen Gate was an important road to connect the people of Suzhou with the outside world. Currently, this gate belongs to the Pan Gate scenic area, a meaningful tourist destination for this city.

Luohan Twin Towers

Luohan Twin Towers consists of two stupa towers located near Fenghuang Jie shopping area. These are the remains of an ancient temple in the ancient city of Suzhou.

Although these two towers are located in a not so famous area of Suzhou and the road to the towers is a bit degraded, when you come here and admire the majesty and antiquity of the Luohan Twin Towers, you will not not surprised and impressed.

Suzhou Confucian Temple

This temple was built in 1035 at the request of Fan Zhongyan, an educator, politician, and military strategist of the Northern Song Dynasty, to standardize the national education system at that time. It is now called the Suzhou Arts and Crafts Museum.

The Confucian Temple is considered the first centralized school in China consisting of 213 rooms in the Southern Song Dynasty (1241) with a canteen, classroom, dormitory, exam room next to the hall and temple. This area also combined with the ancient art of gardening to build landscapes on the largest scale among schools in the southeast at that time.

Currently, the temple only retains about ⅙ of its former area, about 17,800 square meters. Some outstanding relics include the four largest stone steles of the Song Dynasty and many ancient stone engravings still preserved here. These ancient stone engravings are handwritten copies of famous poets displayed on topics such as Confucianism, economics, calligraphy…

Address: 45 Renmin Road, Wuzhong District

Tiger Hill wedding street

For couples or couples about to get married, this is an ideal place to consult and find the best dress for their big day. This is considered the largest wedding market in Southeast Asia with more than 700 stores providing items related to wedding services.

Tiger Hill Wedding Street (Huqiu) is the center of wedding design, production and sales. Thousands of types of dresses with countless designs and extremely competitive prices, including classic wedding dresses. Couples can freely choose impressive outfits to take photos as souvenirs. Even if you are not interested in wedding clothes, this area also has shops that tailor clothes quickly within a few hours depending on the customer’s request.

Location: Huqiu Road, Gusu District

There are quite a few free places you can visit around the old town areas as well as the Suzhou industrial park. Above are just a few of the most prominent typical places in Suzhou that we think you should visit, they will definitely not waste your time. Most old streets, squares, some parks or shopping centers do not require entrance tickets, so you can roam around this impressive city with complete peace of mind. However, there is one thing you should keep in mind, most on-site services such as watching performances and some ancient relics along the way are chargeable. You should be careful to avoid situations where you lose money unintentionally!

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Suzhou you can refer to

• Humble Administrator’s Garden Ticket in Suzhou
• Lion Forest Garden Admission Ticket in Suzhou
• Lingering Garden Ticket in Suzhou
• Tongli Ancient Town Ticket in Suzhou (For Mainland China ID Holders)
• Tongli Water Town Admission Ticket in Suzhou
• Tianping Mountain Ticket in Suzhou
• Master of Nets Garden Admission Ticket in Suzhou
• Suzhou & Zhouzhuang Water Village
• Suzhou Highlights Half Day Biking Tour

Are you looking for more top things to do in Suzhou: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Let’s check it out here. And China here.