Suzhou Day Trip: Visit Historical Buildings, Canals, and Gardens from Shanghai by Bullet Train

Embark on a private, flexible day trip from Shanghai to Suzhou by bullet train. Explore historical buildings, canals, and gardens with a local expert guide. Visit UNESCO sites, enjoy a delightful local lunch, and experience the charm of the ‘Ancient Oriental Venice’ and ‘Garden City’.

Duration: 9 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • The Classical Gardens of Suzhou - Your local expert guide and driver will pick you up from your downtown Shanghai hotel. Accompany your guide and travel to Suzhou via a modern high-speed bullet train. During the journey, take a few minutes to customize your tour. As a private tour, the itinerary is entirely flexible. Below is a sample itinerary; feel free to inform your guide if any adjustments are needed during the tour.
    Upon arrival, visit the UNESCO-listed Humble Administrator’s Garden, built over five centuries ago. Spend quality time exploring the various sections of this enchanting garden, featuring ponds, exquisite rockeries, pavilions, and towers. Listen to your guide share the rich history, culture, and customs associated with the garden.
  • Pingjiang Road - Next, head to Pingjiang Road, a preserved heritage site along the Grand Canal. Enjoy a leisurely stroll down the stone-paved alleyways filled with vibrant local shops, street food, arts, crafts, and more. Opt for a relaxing gondola ride along the waterway to fully appreciate the charm of the “Oriental Venice.” Take a break and enjoy a delightful local lunch based on your guide’s recommendations.
  • Suzhou Silk Museum - Continue your afternoon adventure with a visit to China’s first and largest Silk Museum. Learn about the thousand-year history of silk through various displays of silk relics, fragments, garments, tapestries, brocades, and traditional silk-weaving demonstrations. Gain a deeper understanding of the rich silk culture in the “City of Silk.”
  • Tiger Hill - If time permits, you can choose to visit the No.1 leaning pagoda in Asia at Huqiu Mountain, explore the ancient canal street Shantang Street, or substitute the aforementioned attractions with other sites such as Panmen Scenic Area, Suzhou Museum, Beisi Pagoda, Hanshan Temple, Master of Nets Garden, Lingering Garden, Lion Forest Garden, and more.

After a wonderful day of exploration, you will return to Shanghai with your guide and be dropped off at your downtown hotel or another downtown location of your choice.

What's Included
  • Local tasty lunch (if ‘All Inclusive Tour’ is booked)
  • Local private transfers
  • Entrance ticket to one selected garden (if ‘All Inclusive Tour’ is booked)
  • Great private guide
  • 1st or 2nd class round trip bullet train ticket based on the option you book
  • Boat ride (if ‘All Inclusive Tour’ is booked)
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Entrance fees( If “ All Inclusive Tour” is not booked)
  • Food and drinks ( If “All Inclusive Private Tour “ is not booked)
  • Outskirts as Airport/Wusongkou cruise port/Disneyland pickup&drop off (Can be arranged at surcharge)
Additional Information

This private flexible Suzhou day tour from Shanghai allows you to explore the remarkable sites in Suzhou with your own local expert guide, the winding canals, historical buildings, ancient pagodas and classic gardens. Choose to visit some of the UNESCO sites such as famous Humble administrator’s garden, Lingering Garden , Master of the Nets Garden from different dynasties as well as the local ancient canal streets or ancient city wall ,enjoy a delightful local lunch and get a great overview of the \

  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking, vegetarian available
  • Passport name, number, expiry and country is required at time of booking for all participants
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
  • Please wear comfrtable shoes
Location
The Classical Gardens of Suzhou
No.12 Gongyuan Road, Canglang District,
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(5 Ratings)
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T7082xosteveny
Jul 14, 2024
Fun & Easy - We had a great time visiting Suzhou with Rita as our tour guide. She has ensured everything easy and smooth for us during this trip. Rita is amazing, extremely helpful and has very knowledgeable insights on China's history and culture. Very attentive and detailed. A memorable, Educational and fun trip under Rita's care. She also speaks well in English. Very fortunate to having Rita as our tour guide. Highly recommend this day tour to Suzhou.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Captainfrans_v
May 15, 2024
A wonderful day in Suzhou… - Great choice of places to visit in and near Suzhou, with a very knowledgeable and flexible tour guide Roy. This tour agency (Sunny) and guide highly recommended.
Review provided by Viator
196timothya
Feb 8, 2024
A Wonderful Day - Annie took me to some amazing photo stops despite my disability issues. Her English and cultural insights were invaluable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Leeann
Nov 7, 2019
Rita was awesome! - We had a great time in Suzhou with Rita. She did a great job personalizing the tour and knew the best spots for photos. She had great recommendations for "off the beaten track" spots where it wasn't full of tourists too. What a great experience! She also took us to a fantastic lunch and helped us order delicious hotpot. All in all,a great experience and Rita obviously knows her stuff.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vivbella
Sep 22, 2019
Great tour - The tour to Suzhou went very well, Rita guided us through the city giving us plenty of interesting information and showed us great places (small garden, 2 watertowns and a silk fabric). Excellent day tour with private car. The local lunch was amazing. Thanks.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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