PreeChina · Route Guide
6 stops within 14 km of Zhouzhuang. A sample itinerary that PreeChina can turn into a private, custom or tailor-made tour.
At a Glance
Price
Per person, in US dollars. The price covers the guide, the ground service, and the transport, meals and tickets in the itinerary, and it falls as the group grows. What a price includes and leaves out.
| Travelers | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day trip | USD 305 | USD 220 | USD 185 | USD 175 | USD 160 | USD 155 | USD 145 | USD 135 |
Premium hotels and first-class rail raise the price: the selectors on Private Tours show by how much. The final price is confirmed in writing before anything is booked.
Why This Route
One of the first Jiangnan water towns to open to visitors. Its Twin Bridges became known abroad through Chen Yifei's painting Memories of Hometown.
Zhouzhuang lies 33 km from central Suzhou in a straight line. This route stays within 14 km of it. The stops are Jinxi Ancient Town, Dianshan Lake, Jinze, Tongli Ancient Town, Retreat and Reflection Garden.
The Suzhou city guide covers the city itself.
Itinerary
Zhouzhuang (周庄). One of the first Jiangnan water towns to open to visitors.Start here.
Jinxi Ancient Town (昆山锦溪古镇). A 2,000-year-old water town with a Song dynasty imperial concubine's water tomb in the middle of the lake.9.2 km from the previous stop, 9.2 km from Zhouzhuang, straight line
Dianshan Lake (淀山湖). Shanghai's largest freshwater lake, on the border with Jiangsu.12 km from the previous stop, 11 km from Zhouzhuang, straight line
Jinze (金泽). Known for its dense cluster of bridges from the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.1.8 km from the previous stop, 11 km from Zhouzhuang, straight line
Tongli Ancient Town (同里古镇). Home to the UNESCO-listed Tuisi Garden ('Garden of Retreat and Reflection'), a tiny masterpiece of Jiangnan garden design, the old town still has locals fishing from the stone bridges and drinking tea in side alleys.24 km from the previous stop, 13 km from Zhouzhuang, straight line
Retreat and Reflection Garden (退思园). Stands in Tongli ancient town, with buildings set close to the water.0.4 km from the previous stop, 13 km from Zhouzhuang, straight line
Stops run from Zhouzhuang outward, each next stop being the closest one left. We do not list clock times here: your private itinerary sets the pace, the order and the start time with you.
Map
The gold marker is Zhouzhuang. Numbers follow the route order. We do not draw a line because it would not follow roads.
Stop by Stop
Start of the route
One of the first Jiangnan water towns to open to visitors. Its Twin Bridges became known abroad through Chen Yifei's painting Memories of Hometown.
9.2 km from Zhouzhuang, straight line
A 2,000-year-old water town with a Song dynasty imperial concubine's water tomb in the middle of the lake. Locals still drink tea in 100-year-old teahouses, eat 'Jinxi shortbread' and wash clothes at the river. Fewer visitors come than to Zhouzhuang, and more residents still live here.
11 km from Zhouzhuang, straight line
Shanghai's largest freshwater lake, on the border with Jiangsu.
11 km from Zhouzhuang, straight line
Known for its dense cluster of bridges from the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.
13 km from Zhouzhuang, straight line
Home to the UNESCO-listed Tuisi Garden ('Garden of Retreat and Reflection'), a tiny masterpiece of Jiangnan garden design, the old town still has locals fishing from the stone bridges and drinking tea in side alleys.
13 km from Zhouzhuang, straight line
Stands in Tongli ancient town, with buildings set close to the water.
Distances
| # | Stop | Type | From Zhouzhuang | From previous |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zhouzhuang | Ancient Town | - | - |
| 2 | Jinxi Ancient Town | Ancient Town | 9.2 km | 9.2 km |
| 3 | Dianshan Lake | Lake | 11 km | 12 km |
| 4 | Jinze | Ancient Town | 11 km | 1.8 km |
| 5 | Tongli Ancient Town | Ancient Town | 13 km | 24 km |
| 6 | Retreat and Reflection Garden | UNESCO Site | 13 km | 0.4 km |
Straight-line distances. Road distances are longer.
Getting There
| From | Straight line | We plan it as | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suzhou | 33 km | 1 day | City guide |
| Shanghai | 61 km | 1 day | City guide |
Straight-line distances from the city centre. Road and rail distances are longer. Your private itinerary sets the pace and the order with you.
Independent Travel
Arranging these 6 stops yourself keeps the budget lower. It also means booking each one and the transfers between them. Compare a private tour with independent travel, or ask PreeChina to plan it.
Custom Tour
This route is a starting point: 1 day and 6 stops. PreeChina plans it as a private, tailor-made trip and changes the stops, the days and the pace to your group.
Questions
Zhouzhuang lies 33 km from central Suzhou in a straight line. The road distance is longer.
The stops on this route, with straight-line distances from Zhouzhuang, are Jinxi Ancient Town (9.2 km), Dianshan Lake (11 km), Jinze (11 km), Tongli Ancient Town (13 km), Retreat and Reflection Garden (13 km).
Jinxi Ancient Town, at 9.2 km in a straight line.
We plan it as 1 day. Your private itinerary sets the pace and the order with you.
Anyone who wants a slow day. The route links 6 stops, so each visit is short. Tell PreeChina which stops matter most and the others can go.
Plan More
Explore More
This route is in Jiangsu. The province page lists its city guides, themes, museums and other routes.
Related
Tell us when you arrive in Suzhou, who is travelling and how much time you have. We build the route around your group.
