Travellers are always wondering what to prioritise when visiting China. You will be amazed by the many tourist spots this country has to offer. If you are staying in Shanghai during this Chinese New Year or throughout the year – we have gathered the nearby destinations you can visit during weekends out of this busy city.

Nanjing

Nanjing is one of those China destinations full of history. Nanjing also means the southern capital as Beijing is the northern capital. Nanjing was once one of the four great capitals of China. The government has built museums and memorials to Sun Yat-Sen and his revolution and to the Chinese who died during the Japanese occupation. May and September are the best months to visit.

Hangzhou

Marco Polo described Hangzhou as “the most beautiful and luxurious city in the world” and he was not wrong. Hangzhou has such an illustrious past. Its most famous feature is the beautiful West Lake, which has stood the test of time since the 9th century. Its present has so much to offer as well, and it is considered one of the most dynamic cities in China to date. With mountain hikes, the famous Hangbang Cai cuisine and so much more to offer the traveller, Hangzhou is truly an amazing place to visit.

Nanxun

Nanxun, which literally means “South of the Xun River”, is a small town in Zhejiang Province. It is an ancient water city and is very special because of its unique characteristics. It is a combination of western and local Chinese culture. The Changhusheng Canal or “Oriental Rhine” can be found here. Best of all, it is only about 1.5 hours drive from Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou and Nanjing. Nanxun is the stern garden of these 4 big cities.

Tongli

Easily accessible from Suzhou, Tongli Water Town was originally called Futu, meaning fertile land, and has a great history of over 1,000 years. Its location is the most advantageous, surrounded by water and connected by ancient stone bridges built during the Song Dynasty. Tours are available all year round, but the best times are spring, summer and autumn. In the summer, there are various local folk activities, and the misty rain of spring is more charming and poetic, while in autumn the sky is fresh and clear.

Wuzhen

Wuzhen has always been proud of its abundance of rice, fish and silk. The land is known to be always fertile and has managed to retain its very ancient appearance. The town is small, with houses made of black bricks and grey tiles that somehow blend in perfectly with the white walls. In Wuzhen, the Museum of Folk Customs is an eye-catcher, displaying unique local birthday ceremonies, wedding customs and folk customs at various festivals. You can also enjoy tea at the Fanglu Pavilion, which has a well-deserved reputation as the best tea house in this water city. For shopping, you can check out the famous Blue Printed Cloth of China, which is famous all over the world as it has a manufacturing warehouse here.

Xitang

Remember Tom Cruise running on the roofs of ancient buildings in an oriental city in Mission Impossible 3? That is Xitang! This ancient city is about 1,000 years old. For most of us travellers, it would be as magical as being only about 2 hours away from Shanghai. Xitang is not heavily populated by foreign tourists, but rather by locals. Its ancient bridges are amazing, especially those that have stories behind them. Wangxian Bridge is one of the most famous. It was built more than a thousand years ago in the Song Dynasty. The name of the bridge is linked to an interesting legend that a Taoist once stood on the bridge to watch immortal spirits. You need to spend a day in this town to enjoy the food, old buildings, rivers, houses, boats, culture etc. And also shopping as it is now commercialised and well preserved.

Suzhou

Suzhou was the capital of the Wu Kingdom from the 12th to 4th century BC. Historically, it was the centre of Wu culture, and the Suzhou dialect of the Wu language is still considered the standard dialect, although the language is now often called “Shanghainese”. Why visit Suzhou? It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is now a large city with many gardens built and owned by rich families and emperors hundreds of centuries ago. Summer and spring is the best time to go and witness how the locals produce and manufacture their silk, definitely a tour of a silk factory here provides an interesting and educational insight into this Chinese textile industry. Suzhou is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

By now, you surely have more ideas about the above destinations. Are you excited to experience them for yourself? Please chat with our Expats Holidays expert travel consultant.