Suzhou Slow Travel Notes | Unlock the elegance and fireworks in Suzhou in 3 days

Suzhou Slow Travel Notes | Unlock the elegance and fireworks in Suzhou in 3 days If Jiangnan is the poetry and distant place in the bones of the Chinese people, then Suzhou is the most graceful chapter in this poem. The beauty here is hidden in the ripples created by the rowboats in the early morning and in the fragrant sugar porridge fireworks wafting through the streets. Avoid the crowds and spend 3 days with me to explore the texture of Suzhou and be a "local" for a day! 📍Pingjiang Road: The old dream of Suzhou in the sound of oars and lights 📅Recommended time: 6:00 in the morning or 17:00 in the evening Avoid the crowds, take a rowboat (40 yuan per person), and listen to the boat girl singing Pingtan songs in the soft Wu dialect. In the twilight, light and shadow flow on the pink walls and black tiles, as if time is going backwards. Must-eat list: - Dumb Fried Dumplings (Linton Road Store): Bite into the crispy crust and the hot and sweet soup will gush out instantly. - Chicken Feet: Braised chicken feet with a cup of mung bean soup, which brings out the leisurely feeling of old Suzhou. - Sugar porridge: Pan Yulin’s sweet-scented osmanthus and red bean paste or Zhuo Lin’s sugar porridge, sweet and sticky with the tenderness of the south of the Yangtze River. Filming Guide: The weeping willows on the river bank of Maokong Bookstore, the bluestone bridge and the trumpet creepers are all in the same frame, wearing a cheongsam and holding a round fan, frozen in the ink painting. 📍Shantang Street: Dreams of the Waterside People Night tour essence: Although the main street is bustling, when you turn west into the residential area behind Xinmin Bridge, you will see mottled white walls and hanging vines, and the original atmosphere of the water lane. After nightfall, the reflection of lanterns at the "Qili Shantang" stone tablet sways. Take a boat from the ancient theater pier (45 yuan) to watch the lights on both sides of the river light up one after another. Market taste: The fresh meat wontons at Qiujuan Snack Shop have thin skin and tender fillings, and the fried dumplings at Rongyanglou are crispy on the outside and glutinous on the inside. These are the flavors that Suzhou people have been eating since childhood. --- ### 📍Jinji Lake: The A and B sides of modern Suzhou 🌇Check-in route: Take a photo at Moonlight Pier and the silhouette of the "Big Pants" at Oriental Gate → Meditate on the famous quote wall on the 72-step staircase of Eslite Bookstore → Wait for the sunset over Jinji Lake on the terrace on the 3rd floor → Cycle around the lake on the "Cherry Blossom Track" and watch the neon lights dancing on the round 3D giant screen. Tips: The Taiwanese braised pork rice and taro ball ice cream at Yongfeng Food Store on the B1 floor will comfort your tired stomach. --- ### 📍Lion Grove: The thousand-year whisper of magnolia and gardens🌸Limited romance (March-April): Magnolia flowers cascade down from the eaves and corners, instantly lighting up the black, white and gray garden with pink and white. 🎞️Hidden camera: An overhead shot from the second floor of the parking lot restroom shows the magnolia and the layers of eaves in the same frame, creating an ancient style masterpiece with ease. --- ### 📍Suzhou Museum: I.M. Pei's Geometric Jiangnan shuttles through the stone rockery cut by light and shadow, and sees the collision of Wu treasures and contemporary art. The lotus pond in the main courtyard and the literati elegance of the Song Painting Studio are both stages for light and shadow games. ⏳ Visiting order: Main Hall → Wu Pagoda National Treasure → Lotus Pond → Stationery Exhibition Hall → Courtyard Stone Rockery. --- ### 🎏3-day itinerary planning Day 1: Elegant Gardens Humble Administrator's Garden→Suzhou Museum→Lion Grove→Pingjiang Road Night Tour Day 2: Ancient and modern collision Shantang Street Morning Fireworks → Eslite Bookstore → Jinji Lake Sunset + Music Fountain (Friday and Saturday nights) Day 3 Small secret place Yangcheng Lake Church (autumn and winter reeds with solid color windbreaker blockbuster) → Dushu Lake Egret Garden Cross → Shiquan Street Cafe --- ### 📝Travel Tips 1️⃣ Gardens and museums need to be booked in advance on "Jundao Suzhou" to avoid closing on Mondays. 2️⃣ Choose the dusk time for cruises on Pingjiang Road and Shantang Street, where you can enjoy both light and shadow and cost-effectiveness. 3️⃣ Suzhou Metro goes directly to most attractions, and shared bicycles + walking can better experience the texture of the streets and alleys. The soul of Gusu can be found in the winding paths of the gardens, in a bowl of sweet porridge on the old street, and even more in the slowed-down time. Follow this guide to meet Suzhou, which is more than just an "Internet celebrity"! Interaction at the end of the article: Who would you most like to go on this Jiangnan date with? @TA, let’s meet in Suzhou, our next stop!