Things to do & places to visit in Jiangsu, China

Jiangsu #7 destination in China 2023. The average rating score is 4.32 based on 34.7k traveler reviews, of 866 attractions. Timezone: Asia/Shanghai, current date and time: Saturday, April 27, 2024, 15:00.

Jiangsu Weather Statistics view more »

General weather summary in April

72°F - 50°F

Temperature Highs - Lows

Mildly cool with a gentle breeze

Feels like

27%

Chance of rain

151.0 millimeters

Amount

13.4 mph

Wind speed

65%

Humidity

12.9

Daylight length

5:37 AM

Sunrise

6:32 PM

Sunset

47%

Cloud cover

Sweater

What to wear

Top things to do (16)

Top destinations in Jiangsu 64

See more 52 destinations »

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

4.5 Humble Administrator's Garden (2.325 reviews)
- The first Chinese garden you have to visit in Suzhou
Saturday: 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM Parks • Gardens

There are multiple traditional Suzhou-style Chinese gardens in Suzhou, and 9 of these gardens have been inscribed in World Heritage list. The most famous and notable one is the Humble Administrator's Garden. It will take you about two to three hours to finish the walk throughout most of the places of interest. It's mandatory to make a reservation of your arrival time during a busy time like summer. It is recommended to join a tour guide service to further understand the background history and trivia behind this garden and the story of the founder. The complimentary tour guide service lasts for half an hour, guiding you through some of the most crucial buildings in the garden. You can understand more by requesting for a paid tour guide service. There are lots of photo opportunities in the garden, and you get to experience more when the history of these incredible buildings is revealed. The current price is RMB$70 in the off-peak season and RMB$80 in the peak season. See more..
4.5 Sun Yatsen Mausoleum (Zhongshan Ling) (1.696 reviews)
- Beautiful mausoleum
Saturday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM Historic Sites • Cemeteries

We actually hiked all the way from purple mountain peak to this mausoleum; about a 2km hike. Interesting hike. This mausoleum is beautiful. No photography allowed inside the mausoleum but you can capture a pic or 2 from the outside of the main entrance, guards are ok with that! Saw a man flying his drone in the garden beside the mausoleum too. There’s drink/snack stalls everywhere and one by the mausoleum too so dont worry if you need a drink. See more..
4.5 The Memorial of the Nanjing Massacre (1.077 reviews)
- Important exhibit on Nanjing history
Historic Sites • History Museums

The exhibit is huge, with lots of information about the history at the time and events leading up to the Nanjing massacre. Highly recommend visiting to learn about the history of Nanjing. It was easy to get in - the guides were very helpful and helped us reserve a time slot etc on the Chinese app. See more..
4.5 Tiger Hill (1.026 reviews)
- Ancient Relic Waiting to be Seen
Saturday: 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM Parks

The Yunyuan Pagoda and the moss covered stones were the highlights at this park. We loved the look and the feel of the area too with everything so picturesque and old. Besides the pagoda there is a few nice ponds and a pretty large bonsai garden. I would recommend bringing good shoes to this area as it was very slippery when we visited in early April. Plan to be here for an hour or two. Price to enter is 70 RMB during peak season April to October and 60 RMB for the rest of the year. See more..
4.5 Pingjiang Road (981 reviews)
- An interesting glimpse of the past

Narrow streets, local snacks, traditional souvenirs and picturesque canals. Take the time to look into the past, there was an old man who would personalise a silk fan for you by doing a painting and incorporating your name in both the Roman and Chinese alphabets. The snacks are all finger food with the sweet and savoury signature of Suzhou. Take a short trip on the canal or simply mooch. Fascinating history right before your eyes. See more..
4.5 Tongli Town (920 reviews)
- Come early to avoid the crowds
Saturday: 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM Historic Sites

We took a 9 am train on a Saturday from Shanghai to Suzhou, takes 25 min and then roughly an hour by taxi or subway to get to Tongli Watertown entrance. There is also a few gardens which together with the bigger ones in Suzhou belong to the UNESCO World heritage ensemble. Watertown is beautiful, plan for 4 hours which is plenty of time to take pics, have a nice lunch in one of the many cafes and restaurants or just enjoy the scenery. See more..
4.5 Slender West Lake (844 reviews)
- Shanghai Family to Yangzhou for the weekend
Saturday: 6:30 AM - 5:15 PM Bodies of Water • Historic Walking Areas • Gardens

It is a wonderful lake that offers so much history spanning back to the 7th Century. It is grandiose and I highly recommend taking your family on a boat trip. The gardens are immaculate and there are places for children, we discovered a small petting zoo and a few slides. Therefore we were all entertained sufficiently! See more..
4.5 The Lingering Garden (840 reviews)
- The best of Suzhou’s gardens
Saturday: 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Gardens

A Brief Description of the Lingering Garden Located at the outer side of the Chang Gate and built in the 21st year of the reign of Wanli under the Ming Dynasty (AD 1593), the Lingering Garden is reputed to be one of the four most famous gardens of China. In 1961 it was listed from the very first as cultural relics of national importance. Since 1997 it has been inscribed on the World Cultural Heritage List. The Lingering Garden, covering 23,310 sq.m., is divided into the middle, eastern, western and northern parts. The middle part features fascinating landscapes and waterscapes. The eastern part is noted for its architectural beauties and limestone rockeries. The northern part is famed for its beautiful bonsai garden. And the western part boasts the mountain forest scenery and the delights of wilderness. Celebrated for its superb handling of architectural space and spatial relations, the Lingering Garden serves as a fine specimen of ancient Chinese garden and landscape design and reputably tops all the well-known gardens in Suzhou. The Lingering Garden provides English tour guide for free every hour since 2017. You can also choose to pay for a professional English guide with different guiding route or a guiding machine. Hope that during your short stay here, you can not only satisfy your eyes, but also experience the real Chinese culture and have a better understanding of our philosophy. See more..
4.5 Suzhou Museum (833 reviews)
- “Wu” culture and history
Saturday: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Speciality Museums

It is a museum with unique cultural display. There are museums with much larger array of display in this world, but the Suzhou museum stands out in terms of the specialised contents on display (e.g., you will get mainly “Wu” cultural displays, and there isn’t any filler elements like dinosaur skeletons or things like that). The bamboo garden outside is nice and the main outdoor area is picturesque too. See more..
4.5 Presidential palace of Nanjing (804 reviews)
- Go early.
Saturday: 7:30 AM - 6:30 PM Speciality Museums

We arrived at 2:30pm on Tuesday 8/04/2020. No more tickets available. This is probably due to Covid-19. We got in on Wednesday by showing up at 9:30am. Americans need their passport and their health code (suikang) to get in. See more..
4.5 China Dinosaur Park (766 reviews)
- Fantastic theme park and very well-kept
Saturday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Parks

I'm a theme park enthusiast and try to visit a local park everywhere I go. When I consider the Disney parks to be a gold-standard, I would say this park is pretty darn close! The theming was incredible and very well-maintained. There are clean bathrooms in every turn and you can always find a trash can. The workers are friendly and helpful. Signs are clear and have English. The food is diverse but about the quality you would expect from an amusement park. They have some great thrill rides such as DinoConda and a great area for kids. The Dinosaur Museum is really interesting and a can't miss. Entry is 230rmb for adults and 115rmb for children under 1.5 meters tall(China goes by height) and seniors. We had a lovely day there and would highly recommend a visit here. See more..
4.5 Lion Forest Garden (766 reviews)
- Incredibly Beautiful!
Saturday: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM Gardens

While visiting friends in Shanghai we decided to take a day trip to Suzhou. In a long and sad story of mis-communication, we had much less time there than originally planned. The ONE garden we went to was the Lion Forest Garden, and it was STUNNING. We were four adults and 6 children, ranging from ages 2-9. They loved it tool. The garden is a maze of rock caves and outcroppings, ponds and paths and gardens. We were there in April, the the entire place was ablaze with flowers and colorful foliage. Every corner turned was a photographic opportunity. And unlike quiet, Zen-like gardens, this place was bustling. Our girls ran around, absolutely delighted by it all. The adults just soaked in the beauty, and we all left happy. This ONE garden visit was so enjoyable that when we revisit China in early 2008 we will spend a day or two in Suzhou. The gardens really have to be seen, and the Lion Forest Garden is a great place to start, even with KIDS! See more..
4.5 Lingshan Buddhist Scenic Spot (721 reviews)
- Up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plan no its Buddha...
Monuments & Statues

One of the best places to visit when in Wuxi. There are numerous attractions within the park that include various temples dedicated to Buddha. The main attraction is ofcourse the 88m high bronze Buddha located at one end of the park. It's an incredibly scenic environment that showcase some amazing architecture. One thing you should do when visiting is to catch the show at the Brahma palace. See more..
4.5 The Classical Gardens of Suzhou (694 reviews)
- Mysterious and peacefull...
Saturday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Parks

Visited a few years back... Not your typical garden as it combines classical layout but with very distinctive rock features. It was both mysterious and peaceful at the same time. A serene place to spend a few hours in admiring the classical Chinese architecture of different structures and the plentiful covered walkways. A not to be missed attraction in Suzhou! See more..
4.5 Xuanwu lake (676 reviews)
- Great Day on the Lake
Saturday: 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM Bodies of Water

There are many places to rent small motor powered boats on the lake for 140 RMB an hour + 500 RMB deposit. The boats can sit four to six people and we thought the ones with the red and green striped sides and the ones with two animal heads to be the fastest. The duck and swan boats are nice because you can have four to five people seated facing each other but the bird head will block your view. The west side was much less busy so we went that way for the views of the wall, Zifeng Tower and Jiming Temple. Quite a few inexperienced boaters when we went so we kept our distance while we watched people play accidental bumper boats. One hour is more than enough time on the lake and do plan your time because the boats are slow! See more..
4.5 Master-of-Nets Garden (572 reviews)
- World Heritage Site
Saturday: 8:00 AM - 10:00 PM Points of Interest & Landmarks • Gardens

This location is a UNESCO world heritage site. It’s an awesome location to learn more about Chinese culture. The detail within the woodwork of the facility combined with the beautiful gardens make this a go to place when in China. See more..
4.5 Xiaoling Tomb of Ming Dynasty (480 reviews)
- Unesco World Heritage Site
Saturday: 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM Historic Sites • Ancient Ruins • Historic Walking Areas • Cemeteries

There is a lot to see and explore on Purple Mountain (Sun Yat Sen Memorial etc.) and this tomb while UNESCO Site fairly common if you have been to other temples. Well maintained, peaceful and not busy when we were there. You learn about the cultural significance and background and I recommend to spend at least half a day exploring the entire area. Well worth it! See more..
4.5 Nanjing City Wall (Ming City Wall) (476 reviews)
- Impressive architecture and piece of history
Saturday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Historic Sites

Comparable to Xi'ian City Wall, we were amazed by the architecture and history of the place. Went for a long walk in both directions and also visited the City Wall Museum nearby. Great way to spend a morning or afternoon in Nanjing. See more..
4.5 Jinji Lake (442 reviews)
- Exemplary Chinese urban lake and green environment
Saturday: 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM Bodies of Water

Jinji (Golden Chicken) Lake gives oxygen to Suzhou. The lake feels large enough to be like a sea but you can walk round it briskly in less than 3 hours (follow the "Fitness Trail"). Inevitably quite crowded on/near the plaza in front of the famous "Big Trousers" skyscraper, you can excape the throng quite fast. Architecture around the lake is generally attractive - and dramatically lit up in the evening. Restaurants/cafes either near the plaza or especially near the Culture & Arts Centre, also on East side (Western) or SW section. Boat trips available and I believe you can visit the island in the middle with a pagoda. If you are well-heeled, try staying at the ship-shaped Crowne Plaza (v good) on NW shore. Just a pity that the famous fountain show has been cancelled for 18 months See more..
4.5 XuanWu Park (394 reviews)
- Good Time on the Lake
Saturday: 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM Parks

The entrance near Metro station Jimingsi is very busy with the Jiming Temple, a good access point to the top of the city wall and the lake area itself. We got in just past the gate and thought the area was fairly crowded and grabbed a boat to go around the lake. Entry to the park area is free but it is very popular. The cost to rent a small motorized boat is 140 RMB/hour. We stuck to the less crowded west side of the lake and were able to get good views of Zifeng Tower, the ancient city wall and the top of Jiming Temple. It was a little hazy while we were in Nanjing but we thoroughly enjoyed our boat ride and would recommend it to friends. There were quite a few inexperienced boaters so we kept our distance and watched a few rounds of bumper boats! Don't worry though they go really slow for the most part! After we finished on the lake we climbed on to the ancient city wall which gave great views of the lake and surrounding area from the high wall. See more..
4.5 Purple Mountain (Zijin Shan) (328 reviews)
- Crowded Park
Saturday: 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM Mountains • Parks

We saw the Purple Mountains while on a day tour of Nanjing. It was quite busy the day we visited as it was the last day of the Plum Blossom Festival and many people were taking photos. There were many sites to see, including the mausoleum, which we viewed from the base. The blossoms were beautiful! See more..
4.5 Nanjing Museum (Nanjing Bowuyuan) (322 reviews)
- A fantastic visit!
Saturday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM History Museums

Worth the time & efforts to visit the Nanjing Museum. It is free entry for visitors. We went to the first building’s service desk to register / collect some leaflets. There are at least 3 main buildings. They are built separately. Each houses different artifacts & exhibits. Very interesting ones would be the building that housed the dinosaurs, the skeletons of the dead which you can see their social status just by looking at their burial. Their monetary systems, their age of pottery, the ancient warriors & commoners’ attires & sculptures & etc. Another building houses paintings & statues. Wooden carvings were intricate & were detailing life. Security guards were flexible, as long as you do not speak loudly. Cameras are allowed. We had a good 2-hour+ quick walk. At certain levels we couldn’t enter as they were meant only for invited guests. There are many washrooms, pretty clean. It’s a must-go! See more..
4.5 Jiming Temple (280 reviews)
- A small serene bouddhist temple
Saturday: 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM Historic Sites

Visited on a rainy day so not crowded with visitors. The Jiming temple location enjoys a little hight over a section of the ancient city wall and Xianwu lake. It is relatively simple and small. It has a feeling of visiting Chinese temples in the 80's and 90's. Cherry blossom and others have just started in the neighborhood, the scenery and colors should be beautiful to watch by the end of March. See more..
4.5 Panmen Gate (242 reviews)
- Loved loved loved it!
Saturday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Historic Walking Areas

Hugeeeeee area to walk and lots to see. Pan Gate is the only existing gate in Suzhou today and the only one that has land AND water gates. Ancient Suzhou had 8 gates surrounding and protecting it. There’s the Wu Gate Bridge here too, Suzhou’s oldest bridge. In addition, there’s the Wu Zixu memorial temple here too. See more..
4.5 Geyuan Garden (224 reviews)
- Come see the bamboo and how the super rich and powerful lived
Saturday: 7:15 AM - 6:00 PM Gardens

Gorgeous - relaxing and beautiful surroundings. Took a walk through spring summer autumn and winter gardens and loved every second. See more..
4.5 Zhongshanling Bandstand (191 reviews)
- best place for a picnic.
Saturday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Points of Interest & Landmarks

I first heard about this place on CCTV travelogue. So I wanted to have a picnic there for ages. We went on midautmn day so the mountain was packed but entry to the zhongshan ling was free but we still had to pay 10rmb to get into the ampitheatre. it was a really great place to have a picnic it was slighly difficult with the minor slope but not too much of a problem. we went as a couple but it's a great place for friends or families with children. See more..
4.5 Cloud Rock Leaning Pagoda (Yunyan Ta) (172 reviews)
- Highlight of Tiger Hill
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Religious Sites

We loved the Pagoda of Tiger Hill and the walk leading up to it. The pagoda is very old and the steps leading up to it are very nice. The area in April is quite wet and slippery so do bring a good pair of shoes. Ticket price for entry is 70 RMB for peak season April to October and 60 RMB for the rest of the year. The park around also has many nice ponds, walking paths and a large bonsai tree garden. See more..
4.5 Hongmei Park (163 reviews)
- Stunning scenery!
Saturday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Parks

I live in Changzhou and I can't get tired of Hongmei Park. Every season I'm delighted to see different scenery and I get never disappointed. It is not that crowded if you go on a weekday, perfect place to enjoy a sunset! See more..
4.5 Tianning Temple (138 reviews)
- With baby
Religious Sites

I visited with my mum and 2 month year old baby. The temple was amazing- you could spend about 2-3 hours if you wanted to make the most of it. The pagoda itself was incredible- you can take an elevator to the higher floors and the stairs are available for the lower floors. The monks were friendly and there was a range of temple buildings and a garden to walk around. I’ve been in Asia for many years and sometimes I’m quite templed out but this one was worth a visit. See more..
4.0 Confucian Temple Area (Fuzi Miao) (1.277 reviews)
- Great temple and check out the area as well
Saturday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Points of Interest & Landmarks

Plenty of other small or big museums nearby, we spent roughly 4 hours in this area. Confucius temple as such great as well, and lots of small shops and restaurants to have a coffee or snack. One of the must see areas in Nanjing. From here, we walked about 20-30 min to the Gate of China (City Wall Museum and access to the actual wall). See more..