Suzhou’s a lovely city, in that we have no doubt, but the superlative-laden tourist literature touting it’s heavenly beauty can set expectations unrealistically high. Sure, we love The Humble Administrator’s Garden and the Master of the Nets as much as the next visitor, but packed with megaphone-wielding tour guides herding their charges from one corner to another, you’ll hardly experience the gardens in the tranquility that their designers surely intended. And that’s before we even start on the crazy ticket prices. Team Bespoke has been scouring the backstreets of Suzhou and is happy to offer a couple of tips for those looking for a more peaceful day out.
The Couple’s Retreat Garden (Ou Yuan)
On the east side of the old city and surrounded by canals and dating back to the late 19th Century, this is one of the city’s younger gardens and feels wonderfully isolated from the tourist crowds elsewhere. This is a great place to learn the basics of Chinese garden design before you tackle larger spots. Whilst it’s certainly possible to wander the gardens independently, a local guide can add a huge amount to your visit, explaining the complex symbolism that lies behind almost every detail in these splendid complexes. (The Couple’s Retreat Garden, 6 Xiaoxinqiao Lane. 20RMB per person)
In case you hadn’t noticed, China is really quite large – not an easy place to plan a trip to if you’ve never been before.
