SUZHOU

If Shanghai is the 'Paris of the East' then Suzhou is definitely the 'Venice of the East', located close to the Grand Canal, with many smaller canals snaking through the town. Famed for its beautiful classical gardens (World Heritage) and its silk manufacture, Suzhou is a charming relaxed town with only low rise buildings. It is the perfect antidote to hectic Shanghai, only 1 hour away by train. The key elements of the formal garden are rocks and water and the gardens are designed so that each view is like a stunning painting. One of the best is the Garden of the Humble Administrator. Dating back to the early 16th Century it features 12 acres of ponds, bridges and pagodas. The smallest garden in Suzhou is the Garden of the Master of the Nets, laid out originally in the 12th Century and restored in the 18th Century. Spend some time at the Suzhou Silk Embroidery Research Institute and admire the intricate designs the women workers stitch in silk, and at the Silk Factory you can see the whole process of silk manufacture. A 45 minute drive south of Suzhou is the ancient township of Tongli. Explore the small town with its cobbled lanes criss-crossed with canals.