Eastern China attractions

West Lake (Xi Hu) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a top attraction in the heart of old Hangzhou. With mountains on three sides and plenty of charming gardens, bridges, pagodas, temples, and islands, it’s easy to see why this scenic man-made lake has inspired so many poets and painters through the ages.

This picturesque village southeast of Suzhou is one of several ancient water towns dotting the Yangtze River Delta. More than a dozen rivers and waterways divide this Song Dynasty town into multiple islets, connected by 49 stone bridges. This Venice of the Orient is also known for its gardens, including the UNESCO-listed Tuisi Garden.

Spanning around 13 acres (five hectares), the Humble Administrator’s Garden (Zhuo Zheng Yuan) is the largest and best known of Suzhou’s nine UNESCO World Heritage–listed gardens. First built in 1509 for an official named Wang Xianchen, it’s one of China’s finest classical gardens, with bridges, pavilions, rock gardens, and reflecting pools.

Nicknamed the “Bottle Opener” due to its distinctive shape, the Shanghai World Financial Center (SWFC) is the second tallest building in Shanghai, reaching a dizzying 1,614 feet (492 meters). Its three observatories—in particular, the glass-bottomed observatory on the 100th floor—are the main draw of the building, located in the Lujiazui area of Pudong. There’s also a hotel and a mall.

Lingyin Temple is one of the oldest and most famous Buddhist temples in China and a top attraction in Hangzhou. Situated at the foot of Lingyin Mountain and surrounded by forest, Lingyin Temple is known for its tranquil setting, spiritual atmosphere, and numerous pagodas, grottoes, and Buddhist relics.

The massive People’s Square (Renmin Guangchang) is in the heart of Shanghai. Surrounded by the city’s municipal government headquarters, a park, and several top museums, the major landmark makes for a popular meeting spot, as well as being at the center of politics, culture, transportation, and tourism in Shanghai.

Pingjiang Road (Pingjiang Lu), an ancient canalside street in Suzhou dating back more than 800 years, attracts visitors with its collection of quaint old bookshops, teahouses, local theaters, and traditional Suzhou houses with whitewashed walls and black tiles. A stroll down the cobbled street offers a glimpse into local life.

The classical gardens of Suzhou feature some of the most tranquil and pristine landscapes in China. More than 50 gardens dating as far back as the sixth century BC feature a network of manicured paths, bridges, ponds, and pavilions over much of the historic city of Suzhou. Nine of the gardens are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Tianzifang, in the French Concession, is a hip, artsy area of Shanghai full of art galleries, design studios, stylish boutiques, and unique shops. Many bars, cafés, and restaurants here are housed in traditional Shikumen buildings or converted factory spaces. A place for meandering, it’s popular with expats, tourists, and local youth.

The architecture, infrastructure, and way of life in Wuzhen, one of the six famous ancient water towns south of the Yangtze River, hasn’t changed much over the centuries. Traditional houses, shops, and markets built along canals crossed by ancient bridges make the atmospheric town feel like a living history museum.

The Grand Canal is the longest and oldest man-made waterway in the world, once covering 1,115 miles (1,794 kilometers) from Beijing to Hangzhou. Dating from the fifth century BC, this engineering marvel is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Some sections are still in use today.

Step back in time to 1920s and 1930s Shanghai, and get a glimpse of how the average middle-class family lived, at the Shikumen Open House Museum (Wulixiang Shikumen Bowuguan). Located in Xin Tian Di, the museum uses recreated rooms and multimedia displays to present a house in the typical shikumen, or stone gate, style unique to Shanghai.

Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall Tours https://www.viator.com/Shanghai-attractions/Shanghai-Urban-Planning-Exhibition-Hall/d325-a10377 A surprisingly interesting museum, the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall (Shanghai Chengshi Guihua Zhanshi Guan) in People’s Square traces the development of the city from a small fishing village to a modern metropolis. Featuring photos, models, videos, and interactive displays, it’s a great way to learn about the past and imagine the future of Shanghai. The Basics The museum covers five floors above ground and two underground. Start off on the first floor, which covers the historical development of Shanghai. The centerpiece of the museum, a huge scaled model of the city, is on the third floor. Don’t miss the wraparound 3D theater, which gives a glimpse into the future of Shanghai. In the basement, you can walk down a re-created Shanghai street from the 1930s, which leads to a very modern underground shopping plaza. Combine a visit to the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall with a hop-on hop-off bus tour of Shanghai, a Huangpu River cruise, or a half-day or full-day tour that includes other top Shanghai attractions, such as Yuyuan Garden, Xintiandi, or the Bund. Things to Know Before You Go Audio guides in eight languages are available for rental. The museum is wheelchair and stroller accessible; both are available for free. Special temporary exhibitions may require an additional fee. There is a café on the fifth floor that offers great views over People’s Square. How to Get There The museum is located in People’s Square, in the Huangpu District. By metro, take line 1, 2, or 8 to People’s Square Station. By bus, take line 18, 20, 46, 49, 71, 123, or 537 and get off at People’s Square, or take tourist bus 1 or 3 to the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center. When to Get There The museum is open daily, except Mondays (unless it’s a public holiday), with slightly longer hours Friday through Sunday. Expect to spend one to two hours here, longer if you are really into design, architecture, or urban planning. Other Attractions Near People’s Square There are a number of other museums and attractions in and around People’s Square, including top-rated Shanghai Museum, the Shanghai History Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Grand Theater.

Located in Anhui, Mt. Huangshan (aka Yellow Mountain) is considered one of China’s most beautiful mountains and is renowned for its four wonders: a sea of clouds, jagged granite peaks, odd-shaped pine trees, and hot springs. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the mountain is also one of the most visited scenic areas in the country.

Topped by the wonky, 1,000-year-old Cloud Rock Leaning Pagoda, Suzhou’s Tiger Hill is China’s answer to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The site is an artificial burial mound that likely conceals the remains of the city’s founder, King Helü. Gardens, pools, bonsai, bamboo forests, and tea houses make the hill a charming place to linger.

The Shanghai Jewish Refugee Museum (Shanghai Youtai Nanmin Jinianguan) is housed within the restored Ohel Moshe Synagogue, which played a key role in the lives of the 20,000 European Jewish refugees who settled in the city during World War II. The museum highlights their story through photos, films, documents, and personal items.

The second-largest zoo in China, Shanghai Zoo covers an area of 184 acres (74.5 hectares), with an exhibition area of 12 acres (4.8 hectares). The zoo exhibits more than 6,000 animals from China and around the world, including 600 rare and endangered species.

Built in 1912, Zhujiajiao Kezhi Garden is the largest manorial garden in Zhujiajiao water town and one of the largest gardens in southern China. Featuring lovely gardens, courtyards, pavilions, pools, bridges, and paths in a peaceful and secluded environment, Kezhi Garden is one of the most popular attractions in town.

In a city known for its beautiful gardens, Lingering Garden (Li Yuan is a standout. One of the four most famous classical gardens in China, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s renowned for its wonderful layout and use of space, with ponds, bridges, rockeries, gardens, statues, pavilions, and buildings with striking architecture.

Meijiawu Tea Village, just west of West Lake, is a top producer of Longjing (Dragon Well) tea, considered one of the finest teas in China and the world. Surrounded by mountains, valleys, and streams, Meijiawu Tea Village is a picturesque locale where visitors can learn all about the heritage, production, and benefits of Longjing tea.

Located in Suzhou’s historic quarter, Suzhou Museum was designed by famed architect I.M. Pei. It’s a masterful blend of modern design, traditional Suzhou architectural style, and classical garden layout, and the museum’s light-filled galleries house a collection of bronze, jade, ceramics, porcelain, handicrafts, paintings, calligraphies, and relics.

Located in the silk capital of China, the Suzhou Silk Museum covers several thousand years of silk culture and development. The contemporary building houses galleries that showcase different aspects of silk and sericulture, including silkworm breeding, weaving, production, technology, trade, and examples of silk textiles, fashion, and products.

The City God Temple (Chenghuang Miao) is one of the main Taoist temples in Shanghai. Originally built during the Ming Dynasty, the temple has a rich history, which has survived its near destruction and renovation over the years. Still an active and lively temple, it’s a beautiful oasis within bustling Old Shanghai.

A limestone peak behind the western shore of Hangzhou’s West Lake, Feilai Peak (Feilai Feng) stands out from the gentler slopes around it—so much so that its name, which means Peak Flying From Afar, commemorates the belief that it magically appeared from India. It’s home to over 500 Buddhist carvings, dating from the 10th to the 14th centuries.

Duolun Road, in the Hongkou District, was known as the cultural and literary center of Shanghai in the early 20th century, when a number of famous Chinese writers called it home. Restored and reopened in 1998, today it’s a pedestrian street filled with museums, galleries, studios, antique shops, teahouses, and cafes.

The tallest building in China when it was completed in 1999, Shanghai’s landmark Jin Mao Tower reaches nearly 1,380 feet (420.5 meters). The main draw for most visitors is the observation deck on the 88th floor—the largest in the city—which offers stunning 360-degree views over Shanghai.

After a multiyear renovation, the Shanghai History Museum (Shanghai Lishi Bowuguan) reopened in 2018 at its new permanent location on the former grounds of the Shanghai Race Club, in People’s Square. It features over 1,100 artifacts spanning 6,000 years of the city’s history and covers political, social, cultural, and commercial life in Shanghai.

Located in People’s Square, Shanghai Grand Theatre (Shanghai Da Juyuan) is one of the premier performing arts centers in Shanghai. Visitors come to this architecturally significant theater to catch world-class opera, ballet, musical, symphony, chamber music concert, and Chinese opera performances in one of the three theaters inside.

Nine-century-old Zhouzhuang Water Town, the oldest water township in China and one of the most famous, comprises a network of scenic canals, 14 stone bridges, and well-preserved buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties. The late Chinese painter Chen Yifei immortalized the village in his paintings.

Home to more than 450 species spread across nine different zones, from the deep ocean to China, the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium (SOA) is one of Asia’s largest aquariums and the country’s best. Expect to see everything from jellyfish and sharks to Yangtze alligators, Humboldt penguins, and giant stingrays—as well as one of the world’s longest aquarium tunnels.