Pingjiang Road (Pingjiang Lu)

The basics

Most sightseeing tours (including foodie tours) around Suzhou spend time along Pingjiang Road and its surrounding network of alleyways and canals. A visit here can easily be combined with a tour of Suzhou’s other top attractions, such as the Humble Administrator’s Garden or Lion Grove Garden. A boat ride on the surrounding canals is a scenic way to experience this unique district.

Things to know before you go

• Wear comfortable walking shoes; there is a lot to see on Pingjiang Road and its surroundings.
• This is one of the most photogenic areas of Suzhou, so don't forget your camera.
• Give yourself at least an hour to wander the street and more if you plan to sit down for a meal or take a cruise on the canals.

How to get there

If you're not arriving as part of an organized tour with transport included, the quickest and easiest way to reach Suzhou from Shanghai is to take the high-speed express train between the two cities. In Suzhou, take Metro Line 1 to Lindun Road or Xiangmen Stations and walk from there.

When to get there

While Pingjiang Road is always open to visitors, it’s most atmospheric in the early morning hours or on a weekday evening after the day’s tour buses have departed. Avoid visiting on Chinese national holidays, when the street can get crowded with Chinese tourists.

Suzhou Pingtan

Locals and tourists alike gather in the teahouses and gardens for Suzhou Pingtan, a traditional performance of ballad singing and storytelling in the local dialect. The art form originated in Suzhou some 400 years ago and is typically performed by two narrators, one playing a three-string zither and the other a pipa lute. The stories range from epics and tales out of Chinese folklore to retellings of famous court cases and chapters in local history.