Private Suzhou in One Day with Grand Canal Cruise

Your private guide will pick you up from your Suzhou hotel at 9am. Your first stop is the Grand Canal, the world's longest manmade waterway and one of ancient China's greatest engineering projects. Relax in a wooden boat as you cruise down scenic byways and soak up the atmosphere of the old town.

From here, it's a short drive to Panmen Gate. This grand two-storey gate, surrounded by landscaped gardens and ancient monuments, once formed part of Suzhou's ancient city wall and still offers stunning views across Suzhou, old and new.

Head into the heart of the old city for your next excursion, a rickshaw tour around Pingjiang Road and surroundings. You'll pass the vegetable market, unpolished streets, and narrow canals, and see locals going about their everyday business.

Lunch is at your own expense but your guide will be happy to recommend restaurants where you can enjoy classics of Suzhou cuisine, from dumplings to sweet and sour fish.

Your last stop is an authentic Suzhou teahouse where you'll discover the city's most celebrated art-form: pingtan. A hybrid of ballad-singing, story-telling, and comic opera, it's performed in Suzhou dialect and accompanied by traditional musical instruments. Savor Chinese tea as you enjoy the performance and its timeless melodies.

From here, you'll drive back to your hotel, arriving around 5pm.