7-Day Shanghai, Suzhou & Nanjing Tour: Classical Gardens and Jiangnan Heritage

Arrive at Shanghai Airport, where your guide will meet you and take you to your hotel. Take some time to rest after your flight.

If you have time, enjoying dinner featuring local Shanghainese dishes. End the evening with a walk along Anfu Road or Wukang Road.

Start your day in Yu Garden, a classic Ming Dynasty garden in Shanghai’s old city. Continue through the surrounding lanes and markets to discover the city’s traditional commercial heart.

Enjoy xiaolongbao and local dim sum for lunch. Then cross the Huangpu River to Lujiazui and visit Shanghai Tower or walk along the waterfront for a view of the city’s modern skyline.

In the late afternoon, explore the historic architecture along Suzhou Creek or the Bund. The evening is free for you to choose a local restaurant, take a Huangpu River cruise or watch an acrobatic performance.

After breakfast, take the high-speed train from Shanghai to Suzhou. Enjoy a Suzhou-style lunch before visiting the Humble Administrator’s Garden. Walk through its ponds, pavilions and carefully designed landscapes while learning about the lifestyle of traditional Chinese scholars.

Continue to Suzhou Museum, known for its elegant collection and architecture. End the day with a relaxed walk along Pingjiang Road and its quieter canal-side lanes.

Begin your day in the Lingering Garden or the Master of the Nets Garden. Discover a more intimate side of Suzhou’s classical garden tradition.

Continue to Tiger Hill and learn about the history of Suzhou and the ancient Kingdom of Wu. After a seasonal local lunch, join a private cultural experience such as a tea and pingtan session, a Suzhou embroidery workshop or a walk through a traditional canal neighborhood.

Leave some time in the afternoon for tea, photography or simply relaxing. End the day at Shantang Street with a small-boat ride along the canal.

After breakfast, take the high-speed train from Suzhou to Nanjing. Enjoy a Nanjing-style lunch.

Spend the afternoon at Nanjing Museum, where you can follow the story of the region from ancient civilizations to modern China. Continue to Zhonghua Gate and walk along part of the Ming Dynasty city wall for a view across the old city.

In the evening, explore Laomendong and try local specialties such as Nanjing salted duck or duck-blood vermicelli soup. End the day with a relaxed walk beside the Qinhuai River.

Start your final day at Purple Mountain. Visit Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum and the nearby Music Stage, surrounded by trees and mountain scenery.

Continue to the Sacred Way of the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, where stone statues line an ancient path through the forest.

After lunch, you will take the high-speed train back to Shanghai. We can then head to Asia-Pacific Shenghui (AP Plaza). It is an ideal place to source export-grade goods, silk items and souvenirs, making it a perfect final stop for last-minute shopping.

According to your departure arrangements, meet the local team for a private transfer to the airport.