Suzhou is located about 1 hour west of Shanghai on the Nanjing-Shanghai Expressway. It was known as 'Soo Chow.' Famous for its silks and teas, Suzhou is probably most known for its canals and gardens. While modern development (home to two huge industrial parks) has taken away some of her beauty, there is still much to see in the numerous gardens preserved for tourists to visit.Beware the crowds of people, though. Suzhou is definitely not a small town as some would imagine, but a city of some 6 million!

The very famous craft of Suzhou is the silk embroidery. The really good ones are double-sided, which means that it is best framed by glass on both sides. Initially looking like paintings, close observation reveals the needle work, which is fine indeed. Shops selling embroidery can be found throughout the city, and at many of the tourist sights.

Suzhou is best known for its Chinese gardens dating from the 11th century. Each is intended to represent an idealized model of the natural world. For instance, the rocks of one garden represent mountains; the ponds of another symbolize oceans. If you're going on a day trip from Shanghai, you'll have to rush to try to see all of Suzhou's sights in one day, so we recommend one night in Suzhou.