The historic city of Suzhou is a place of astonishing beauty, located roughly an hours’ ride (by bus or train) from Shanghai. Famous for its classical gardens which are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Suzhou is a top daytrip destination from Shanghai.

Laid out in a grid of tree-lined streets and intersecting canals, Suzhou has long been seen as a city of artists, scholars and affluent merchants. The old quarter is hemmed in by a protective moat measuring two by three miles, and to a great extent the city has retained its historic charm.

A product of numerous invasions and rebuilding campaigns, Suzhou seems to have relics from every age and dynasty of China’s impressive history, making this a top-priority destination both for domestic and international visitors. Ancient sites like Pan Men Gate and the leaning Yunyan Pagoda are extremely popular tourist attractions.

Above all, visitors enjoy the tranquillity of Suzhou’s private gardens, of which there are more than 70 in all. Though the gardens suffered severely during the Cultural Revolution, the private owners have gone to great lengths to restore these sanctuaries to their original, evocative state. Arranged in ever-tightening, slightly concentric patterns, these gardens foster a mystic retreat into the self. Locals prize them for their reflective and contemplative effect.

Suzhou’s marketplaces teem with shoppers seeking famous Suzhou silk, spun and woven on looms throughout the city. Master artisans can embroider two sides of the same sheet of silk with intricate designs that seem impossibly conjoined. Meanwhile, the sweet-smelling breeze generated by Suzhou’s aromatic sandalwood fans has both cooled and soothed locals for centuries.

Accommodation is available throughout the old and new sectors of town. Many tourists prefer to stay along the canals in the heart of the old city, within easy walking or boating distance of the most popular gardens and attractions. Most of the upscale hotels offer excellent dining facilities that serve local and international cuisines.

The ancient city of Suzhou is a success story of China’s burgeoning modern age. City officials have banned high-rises from the city centre, such that that old city retains its ancient charm while newer suburbs facilitate modern industries and prosperity for locals. The city lives up to its reputation as China’s Garden City. Canals, ancient architecture and green spaces give the city a timeless and tranquil ambiance.

Suzhou’s history reaches back thousands of years to the Wu culture which developed 2,500 years ago on the Yangtze River basin under the patronage of the Shang Dynasty. The city itself was officially founded by King He Lu in 514 BC during a feudal stage of Chinese history known as the ‘Spring and Autumn Period’.

With King He Lu as Suzhou’s great patriarch, the city went on to immortalise him by burying his remains (along with a bounty of 3,000 swords) at an undisclosed location on Tiger Hill. Throughout the coming centuries, stories of the king and his burial attained mythic proportions, driving treasure hunters and even emperors to scour Tiger Hill for the swords.

Suzhou enjoyed an early, though brief, Golden Age that ended with invasion of the Yue Kingdom from the east in 473 BC. However, remnants of the original kingdom remain to this day. Pan’s Gate is the most prominent such relic.

The rise and fall of several regional dynasties influenced Suzhou through the coming centuries. The name ‘Suzhou’ was officially bestowed on the city (it was previously named after its patriarch) in 589 AD when the Sui Dynasty was in control. The Grand Canal was built soon after and Suzhou became a strategic trading point along the Yangtze, offering access to the coast.

Status as a trading hub bolstered the arts and industries of Suzhou. The Yunyan Pagoda and the Temple of Confucius were both finished around the turn of the 11^th century. Two more invasions followed in the 12^th and 13^th centuries, by the Jin and Mongol armies respectively. The city centre was badly damaged as a result of the latter.

In the 1980s, the State Council put a priority on the preservation on Suzhou’s historical infrastructure and unique culture. As a result, the city has grown into a popular destination among Chinese and international tourists.

Suzhou’s climate is classified as subtropical monsoon and the city experiences four distinct seasons including relatively mild winters and wet, balmy summers. Rainfall begins to increase in March, though it picks up even more between the months of June and September. During this rainy season, average daytime highs exceed 30°C, while overnight lows settle in at around 25°C. The best time to visit is from September to November, when temperatures are pleasant and rainfall is less frequent.

The weather becomes drier during October and continues to remain this way through February. During these months, average daytime highs drop to their lowest point of just below 10°C, while lows dip to near-freezing temperatures after dark. This is Suzhou’s low season, as cool temperatures discourage people from spending much time in the gardens. Keep in mind that Suzhou is a relatively humid place and rain continues to fall in every season. Snowfall is a rarity.

During the spring months of March and April, flowers begin to bloom. While formal flower arrangements are not a trademark of the classical gardens, the city features an increasing number of potted flower arrangements in places like Tiger Hill. These are at their best during these months.