Bookworm Cafe

Offline map Google map (Laoshūchóng; www.suzhoubookworm.com; 77 Gunxiu Fang; 77 beer from ¥20; 9am-1am; ) Set back from Shiquan Jie, over the other side of the canal, and housed in an attractive whitewashed, two-storey building with a terrace out back, Bookworm makes a smart choice for a coffee or beer. Like its popular Běijīng branch, this one also has a fantastic range of English-language books, some of which are for sale, and hosts occasional cultural events (check the website for details). The Western-friendly food is pricy; open mic every Wednesday.

Bi’àn Cafe

Offline map Google map (36 Pingjiang Lu; 36 coffee from ¥20; 10am-11pm; ) Housed in a gorgeous wooden building that juts out slightly over the water, Bi’àn is the cutest of a bunch of canal-side cafes along Pingjiang Lu. There’s beer (from ¥18) and a huge selection of tea.

Jane’s Pub Bar Bar

Offline map Google map (621 Shiquan Jie; 621 draught beer from ¥30; 7pm-3am) One of the bars on Shiquan Jie that doesn’t have scantily dressed girls beckoning you inside as you walk past, friendly and buzzing Jane’s has Guinness on tap (¥55), pie and chips (¥50), a pool table and sports TVs.

Sleeping in Sūzhōu

» Marco Polo Sūzhōu Offline map Google map (Sūzhōu Xuánmiào Makěbōluó Dàjiudiàn; 6801 9888; www.marcopolohotels.com; 818 Ganjiang Donglu; 818 d from ¥1688; ) For a central location, you can’t go wrong with this well-equipped and efficient business hotel right at the heart of town. Hefty discounts of over 50% are frequently in force.

» Píngjiāng Lodge Offline map Google map (Píngjiāng Kèzhàn; 6523 3888; www.pingjianglodge.com; 33 Niujia Xiang; 33 r from ¥1988; ) A 400-year-old former residence with quiet courtyards, well-kept gardens and 51 delightful rooms, all with traditional Chinese furniture. Service can be reluctant, though. Discounts of 50% are common.

» Sūzhōu Mingtown Youth Hostel Offline map Google map (Sūzhōu Míngtáng Qīngnián Lǚshè; 6581 6869; [e-mail]; 28 Pingjiang Lu; 28 dm ¥50, tw ¥160-180; ) On the charming canal-side lane of Pingjiang Lu, this decent but busy hostel has good rooms (although some are slightly musty), housed in two equally attractive buildings with a smart cafe next door. There’s wi-fi and bike rental.

Tóngli

Explore

With its sights neatly parcelled together in a more picturesque and easily navigable setting than Sūzhōu, the charming canal town of Tóngli is a great day out.

The Best…

» Sight Gēnglè Táng (Click here)

» Place to Sleep Zhèngfú Caotáng (Click here)

Top Tip

Tóngli is best reached by bus from Sūzhōu. Admission to the town covers the sights listed below (apart from the Chinese Sex Culture Museum); however, there is no charge if you just want to wander the old town’s streets.

Getting There & Away

Bus Day-trip buses (¥130 return, includes admission to town, 1¾ hours) depart daily from the Shànghai Sightseeing Bus Centre at 8.30am, returning from Tóngli at 4.30pm. You will be dropped off 2km from town at Tóngli Lake, from where there’s a shuttle (¥4) to the gate. The boat trip on Tóngli Lake is free, though of no particular interest.

Half-hourly public buses (¥36, 6.25am to 3.10pm) leave Tóngli bus station for Shànghai, dropping you near the main train station. Regular buses (¥9, 50 minutes, every 30 minutes) also run to Tóngli bus station from Sūzhōu’s north and south long-distance bus stations, from where it’s a 15-minute walk to the old town. Frequent buses (¥6, 30 minutes) run between Zhōuzhuāng and Tóngli.

Need to Know

» Area Code 0512

» Location 80km from Shànghai

Sights

Slow-moving six-person boats (¥90 per person, 25 minutes) ply the waters of Tóngli’s canal system.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14