Ancient Water Towns

Traditional wooden houses jut up to one another, reflecting in the sleepy canals, which are crossed by a myriad of graceful bridges and traversed slowly by small hand-rowed boats

There are many beautiful ancient water towns with a three hour drive of Shanghai. Being the closest to the city, Zhujiajiao is the most commercialised and busiest, along with Zhouzhuang. Quieter, and no less attractive, are traditional Tongli and Luzhi- easily combined with a visit to the classical gardens of Suzhou.