Běijīng’s excellent Bookworm wormed its way down to Sūzhōu, serving as a kind of comfy cultural hub, library, bookshop and cafe. The food is crowd-pleasing (lots of Western options) and the cold beers include Tsingtao and Erdinger. There are readings, live music, an open mic and you can borrow or buy books. Ask about its literary festival, held in March.
Bookworm
Suzhou
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Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.86 MILES
On the eastern side of the city, this canalside road has whitewashed local houses sitting comfortably side by side with teahouses and trendy cafes selling…
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1.14 MILES
This quiet part of Suzhou is lovely, with a section of the city wall straddling the outer moat in the southwest corner of the city. Dating from 1355, the…
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3.75 MILES
In the far northwest of town, Tiger Hill is a major drawcard for Chinese tourists, and the beacon that draws them is the leaning Cloud Rock Pagoda (云岩塔,…
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Garden of the Master of the Nets
0.38 MILES
Off Shiquan Jie, this pocket-sized garden is considered one of Suzhou's best preserved. Laid out in the 12th century, it went to seed and was later…
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1.63 MILES
This stunning museum, one of only two in mainland China designed by IM Pei, is a modern interpretation of Suzhou architecture, with its confluence of…
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1.68 MILES
The largest of Suzhou's gardens, the Humble Administrator’s Garden is often considered to be the most impressive, but its fame draws in constant crowds,…
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1.45 MILES
This small but perfectly formed garden is often overlooked by visitors who are drawn to Suzhou's larger and more famous gardens. Its simple layout makes…
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18.42 MILES
Near Fu’an Bridge, this residence of the Shen clan is a lavish piece of Qing-style architecture boasting three halls and more than 100 rooms. The first…
Nearby Suzhou attractions
0.32 MILES
An academic garden directly opposite Blue Wave, Kě Yuán is where Suzhou Library was established in 1914 before the garden spent much of the 20th century…
0.34 MILES
Originally the home of a prince, the oldest garden in Suzhou was first built in the 11th century, and has been repeatedly rebuilt since. Instead of…
0.36 MILES
A haven of solitude and an oasis of peace in a busy town, the Confucian Temple is adorned with several ancient (one is 830 years old) gingkos and rows of…
4. Garden of the Master of the Nets
0.38 MILES
Off Shiquan Jie, this pocket-sized garden is considered one of Suzhou's best preserved. Laid out in the 12th century, it went to seed and was later…
0.4 MILES
Small but charming public park in Sūzhōu's downtown area. Popular amongst local retirees, this is a great place to experience China's outdoor group…
0.66 MILES
Beautifully enhanced by flowering magnolias in spring, this delightful courtyard and former temple contains a pair of sublime pagodas, which don't often…
0.69 MILES
Before the communists took over, this college was China's oldest private university, founded by missionaries of the Methodist church in 1900. The…
0.69 MILES
One of the lesser-visited gardens around Suzhou is the charmingly small Qing-dynasty Garden of Harmony, which has assimilated many features of older…