Suzhou Garden Tour from Shanghai: 4 Best Gardens in A Day

Shanghai, China
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Duration10h
Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesGerman, English, French, Spanish
Private tourOnly your group will participate
Pickup offeredSee the meeting and pickup details below

Overview

1) The Classical Gardens of Suzhou are a group of gardens in Suzhou. panning a period of almost one thousand years, these gardens, most of them built by scholars, standardized many of the key features of classical Chinese garden design with constructed landscapes mimicking natural scenery of rocks, hills, and rivers with strategically located pavilions and pagodas. That is exactly why we want you to spend a whole day to touch the four most famous gardens in Suzhou by driving from Shanghai for about 1.5 hours.

2) The four finest gardens were selected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site to represent the art of Suzhou-style classical gardens.

3) Driving from Shanghai rather than taking a bullet train (although with frequent departures) can save you big hassle of the check-in and check-out at the train station where it is often chaotic and time-consuming. The highway between Shanghai and Suzhou is of great condition and very safe to use.

4) Excellent English-speaking guide.

What's included

  • All Fees and Taxes
  • Suzhou local style lunch

What to expect

  1. Humble Administrator's Garden
    2h · Admission ticket included
    Built during the Ming Dynasty, Humble Administrator's Garden is the largest and most renowned classical landscape garden in Suzhou, covering an area of 5.6 hectares (13.8 acres).
    As one of the four most famous gardens in China, it is a 5A tourist spot listed in the Key National Historical Conservation Units and valuable cultural relics in the world.
  2. The Lingering Garden
    1h · Admission ticket included
    The Lingering Garden is a renowned classical Chinese garden and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was commissioned by Xu Taishi, an impeached and later exonerated official in 1593 CE. the garden is divided into four distinctly themed sections; East, Central, West, and North. The built elements of the garden are grouped by section. You will find those unique elements and styles during your guided tour.
  3. Canglang Pavilion (Blue Wave Pavilion)
    1h · Admission ticket included
    The Pavillion is variously translated as the Great Wave Pavilion, Surging Wave Pavilion, or Blue Wave Pavilion. Being a UNESCO heritage site, the Pavillion was built in 1044 CE by the Song dynasty poet Su Shunqin (1008–1048), on the site of a pre-existing imperial flower garden. The garden sits on a branch of the Fengxi Stream, which forms a lotus pond. The garden has 108 windows, each one with a unique design. Unlike other gardens, Canglang Pavilion emphasizes the harmony between human-made buildings and the natural environment. Before entering the garden, you can see a beautiful green pool that is surrounded by weeping willows.
  4. Master-of-Nets Garden
    2h
    The Master of the Nets Garden in Suzhou is among the finest gardens in China. The garden demonstrates Chinese garden designers' adept skills for synthesizing art, nature, and architecture to create unique metaphysical masterpieces. The Master of the Nets is among garden connoisseurs for its mastering the techniques of relative dimension, contrast, foil, sequence and depth, and borrowed scenery.

Additional information

  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
From
$383.00 per person
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  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts
  • You'll choose your date and travelers and pay on viator.com. Prices vary by date, group size and option.
Operated by Great Wall Hiking, Camping and Trekking Operator · Booked through Viator
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