Suzhou 4 Days Itinerary

📍 Itinerary Overview 🏖️ Must-Visit Attractions 1. 留园 lingering garden It is one of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed classical gardens of Suzhou. The place is beautiful. Very nice place to take photos, there are many corridors, pavilions, halls etc to take very nice photos. Can wear cheongsam here to take photos, think it really match with the feel here. 2. 西园寺 xiyuan temple This place feels very peaceful. Not as many people as the other garden, there are many cats here too. The vegetarian noodle is yummy as well. There are yellow walls where you can take those instagramable photos too. 3. 平江路 pin jiang road Though many would say it is very commercialized, I still feel that it is worth coming. You can see the narrow road and stone bridge crisscross the waterways. There are many small shop selling souvenirs. And tea house where you can rest your legs and escape from the hot afternoon sun. Have some local tea and listen to the local traditional opera/music. Suzhou have their traditional opera performance called 苏州评弹 Suzhou pingtan. Worth a try but do take note that there are some that have hidden fees. 4. 七里山塘街 qili shantang street Night view is beautiful as lanterns are lighted. 🚇 Transportation Personally I feel that taking train is much more convenient as it comes on time and it is air conditioned. Traffic is a bit congested so the bus might be delayed, and waiting for the bus in hot weather is a torture. 🍜 Local Cuisine 1. 绿豆汤Mung bean soup Not your traditional kind, it is peppermint drink with mung beans and many other toppings. Those who hate it would say it tastes like toothpaste. But people who love it will find it so refreshing! 2. 生煎包 pan fried pork bun Had these everyday during my trip. My favorites would still be from 鑫震源 3. 素面 vegetarian noodle Specifically from 西园寺 xi yuan temple. 4. 苏式糖粥 Suzhou style sweet porridge It is typically made with glutinous rice in the form of porridge and pair with red bean soup. There are other variety where you can add mini rice ball. 5. 桂花糖藕 sweet osmanthus lotus roots It is a cold dish where they stuffed glutinous rice inside the lotus root and cook with sugar syrup flavored with osmanthus. 6. 鸡头米 gorgon seed I had it stir fried with celery and water chestnut. The texture of the gorgon seed is slightly chewy. I also saw that it can be added as toppings for some sweet dessert like in the sweet porridge. 7. 松子桂鱼 sweet and sour mandarin fish with pine nuts The mandarin fish was prepared and cut in a way that after it was being deep fried, it resemble a squirrel. It was served with sweet and sour sauce and topped with pine nuts. 🏠 Accommodation 1.Pan Pacific Suzhou There is a private access from the hotel to 盘门 pan men, a historic landmark in Suzhou. It is the only remaining land and water gate left in China (if I’m not wrong). Do spend some time here as it is quite big. There is a big Chinese garden with pavilions and canals. There are also some activities there too for kid