Jiangsu (Extended)
Eastern coastal province with the UNESCO classical gardens of Suzhou, the Ming capital of Nanjing, and the Grand Canal.
provinces2026-10-27
At a glance
- Region
- east
- Capital
- Nanjing
- Population
- 85.1 million
- Area
- 107,200 km²
- Best season
- March–May and September–November
- Pinyin
- Jiāngsū
- Country
- CN
- Signature cuisine
- Sweet Mandarin Fish, Yangzhou Fried Rice
Why visit
For Suzhou's classical gardens — UNESCO World Heritage, the Ming/Qing era masterpiece of Chinese garden design. For Nanjing — the Ming Dynasty capital with the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, Confucius Temple, and Ming city wall. For the Grand Canal — the world's longest artificial waterway.
Getting there
Nanjing Lukou (NKG) and Wuxi (WUX) airports. HSR Shanghai-Nanjing: 1.5h. From Beijing: 4h.
Getting around
HSR is the fastest way between cities. Suzhou, Wuxi, and Nanjing are all connected. Within cities, metro is extensive.
Key cities
UNESCO sites
- Classical Gardens of Suzhou(1,997)
- The Grand Canal(2,014)
Day by day
3 — Nanjing
Day 1: Confucius Temple + Qinhuai River. Day 2: Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum + Ming city wall. Day 3: Nanjing Museum.
5 — Nanjing + Suzhou + Tongli
Day 1-2 Nanjing, Day 3-4 Suzhou gardens, Day 5 Tongli water town.
Famous for
- Suzhou classical gardens (UNESCO)
- Nanjing (Ming capital)
- Grand Canal (UNESCO)
- silk embroidery
FAQs
How many gardens should I see in Suzhou?
Two is enough. Humble Administrator's Garden (largest, most famous) and Lingering Garden (most refined). Both UNESCO.
Is Nanjing worth a day trip from Shanghai?
Yes — 1.5h HSR. Day trip covers Confucius Temple and Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum. Stay overnight for the Qinhuai River lantern-lit evening.
When is best for Suzhou gardens?
April-May (spring blossoms) and October-November (autumn foliage). Avoid Chinese national holidays.