Tongli
'Authentic water town, Jiangnan of old' (Tuisi Garden / Three Bridges—Taiping, Jili, and Changqing Bridges / Ming-Qing Street / Luoxing Islet), 15 rivers dividing the town into 7 islets
Visitor info
- Opening hours
- 07:30-17:30
- Ticket
- CNY 100
Price is indicative — final quote on inquiry.
'Authentic water town, Jiangnan of old' (Tuisi Garden / Three Bridges—Taiping, Jili, and Changqing Bridges / Ming-Qing Street / Luoxing Islet), 15 rivers dividing the town into 7 islets. Tongli was once called 'Fertile Land' (Futu); 15 canals split the town into 7 islets linked by 49 stone bridges, and the slogan 'authentic water town, Jiangnan of old' captures its character—quieter and more lived-in than Zhouzhuang. In town, the Taiping, Jili, and Changqing bridges stand in a triangle; locals walk all three for good luck at weddings. The World Heritage Tuisi Garden hides in the town (see the previous entry), while Ming-Qing Street and the lakeside islet Luoxingzhou complete a full circuit. With a direct Metro Line 4 connection, it is the easiest of all these water towns to reach—ideal as the first stop on a Suzhou water-town tour. Morning markets with fish and shrimp, riverside teahouses, and nights in homes overlooking the water: Tongli's overnight experience has the best reputation among the six great water towns.
Getting there: Metro Line 4, Tongli Station
Photos
More in Suzhou
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