Private Suzhou Leisure Day Tour with Kunqu Opera Show

Visit: Humble Administrator's Garden, No.178 Northeast Road, Pingjiang District, Suzhou 215001 China

Pick up service can be arranged at your hotel in Suzhou or Suzhou train station.

Firstly, you'll start the day with the Humble Administrator's Garden, which is the largest private garden in Suzhou with a total area of 51,950 square meters (5.2 hectares) in the northeastern part of Suzhou. It has been listed as one of the four most famous national classic gardens of Suzhou. The art of the Humble Administrator's Garden has a prominent position in the history of China's garden creation. It represents the historical characteristics and achievements of south-east China's private gardens.

Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes

Visit: Pingjiang Road, Pingjiang District, Suzhou China

Move on to Pingjiang Historical Street. For an authentic taste of city life in old Suzhou, a stroll down Pingjiang Historic Street, which is a great way to get acquainted with the local vibe. Quiet, leafy and slow-paced, the street is lined with old Chinese houses as well as restaurants and teahouses serving traditional foods and drinks. What’s more, there are a variety of upscale cafes catering to the chic crowd at each corner.

Then enjoy Kunqu Opera Show at a Tea House. Kunqu Opera is also named Kun opera, is one of the oldest extant forms of Chinese opera. The style originated in the Wu cultural area. It is listed as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO since 2001. Kunqu Opera is acknowledged as an elegant opera in terms of music, recitation, and the performers' movement. It is foremost acclaimed as "watermill song" because of its soft arias and the graceful movement of its performers. Carrying forward the tradition of ancient poetry and common speech, the art is also of very high literary value.

Duration: 2 hours 10 minutes

Visit: Canglang Pavilion (Blue Wave Pavilion), No.3 Canglangting Road, Canglang District, Suzhou 215007 China

Then continue your tour to Canglang Pavillion. It is the oldest among the existing classical gardens in Suzhou and also one of the four most famous gardens in the city -- the others being the Shizilin (Lion Grove), Zhuozhengyuan (Humble Administrator's Garden) and Liuyuan (Lingering Garden). The garden underwent numerous renovations in the centuries to follow, but retains its essential form.

Duration: 1 hour

Visit: Suzhou Yishang Silk Manufacture Factory, China, Jiangsu, Suzhou Shi, Wuzhong Qu, Dongwu N Rd, 173号5层

Your final destination is Suzhou No.1 Silk Factory. The factory gains a good reputation in the silk industry for its complete technical process of silkworm raising, cocoon sorting,cocoon boiling, and silk reeling, rewinding and packing. Suzhou first silk mill provides magic silk production and fashion show the whole process, so as to prove the Chinese silk glorious history. At the same time, it also describes the history of the development of Chinese silk response which further profound Chinese culture.In this factory you can not only see how the silk is processed from worm to the final product, but also learn some histories of silk in China.

After the tour ends, you will be taken back to your hotel in Suzhou or Suzhou train station.

Duration: 40 minutes