苏州古典园林

Why this place

Suzhou's classical gardens are private scholars' gardens from the Ming and Qing — small plots turned into miniature universes of water, rockery, pavilion and framed view. Nine of them are UNESCO-listed, and they established the vocabulary that Chinese gardens everywhere still use.

What to see

• The Humble Administrator's Garden — the largest, with a lotus pond and a winding route
• The Lingering Garden, with its famous 'Cloud-Capped Peak' rockery
• The Master of the Nets Garden — the smallest and most perfectly composed, and best at night with music
• The Lion Grove, for its rockery maze; and the Couple's Retreat, for its quiet
• The Suzhou Museum next door to the Humble Administrator's, designed by I. M. Pei

What to eat

• Suzhou noodles with clear broth; squirrel-shaped mandarin fish
• Sweet osmanthus cakes and the local glutinous-rice sweets

How to plan

One full day for three or four gardens, plus the museum.

Best time

March–May and September–November; the gardens were designed to be seen in fine rain

Practical tips

• Gardens open at 7:30 or 8am and are empty then — by 10am the main ones are shoulder to shoulder