Suzhou is one of the most beautiful cities in china and probably one of the most historically significant cities in the country. The metro area including the city itself is home to over 6.9 million people. The major language spoken in the city is Wu, a Chinese dialect. The city is very much like Venice where the streets and canals are winding, and intertwined. The city is famous for its vast gardens and offers quite a variety of sites for the tourist to explore.

The gardens alone can be traced back to 6 BC and all these gardens have been beautifully maintained in their original splendor and glory. The four top gardens to see in the city are Canglang Pavilion (Blue Wave Pavilion), Lingering Garden, Humble Administrator's Garden and Lion Grove Garden. The garden of Master of Nets is one of the best examples of a small to medium size garden and is also well worth a visit.

The water townships of Suzhou are another interesting set of places to visit. The ancient homes and the lovely views are unlike anything a tourist will have ever seen anywhere else. Three of the most beautiful water townships are Zhouzhuang, Tongli Town, and Luzhi. All are beautiful and once again well worth a visit.

Along with the water townships and gardens Suzhou has a number of other tourist attractions. The Panmen Scenic Area, Water and land city gates, Wumen Bridge, and the Suzhou Amusement Park represent just a few of the huge number of sites that may be if interest to the exploring tourist.

The last major items of interest to most tourists are the famous temples located in the Suzhou area. The Temple of Mystery and the Xiyuan Temple are probably the two most popular tourist destinations though there are many others as well.

The Suzhou area has a vast amount to see and do. It is very rich in Chinese history and well worth the time spent visiting the gardens, temples, and water townships that it has to offer. When planning a trip to china do make sure that the Suzhou area is on your list of things to do.

Submitted by: Criss Lee Criss manages Travel Asia and Angkor Wat.Criss is also the author of Asia Travel Guide.