Suzhou

Suzhou is a historic city in Jiangsu province renowned for its classical gardens, canals, and silk, often called the Venice of the East. With a metropolitan population of around 13 million, it pairs a beautifully preserved old town with a booming modern industrial park on the shores of Lake Tai. The climate is humid subtropical, with hot, humid summers and cool, damp winters. Its UNESCO-listed classical gardens, such as the Humble Administrator's Garden and the Lingering Garden, along with Tiger Hill and the canal-lined Pingjiang Road, are its greatest treasures. Suzhou cuisine is delicate and slightly sweet, featuring squirrel mandarin fish, Aozao noodles, and famous Biluochun tea. It has a modern metro, uses the nearby Sunan Shuofang and Shanghai airports, and sits on high-speed rail less than half an hour from Shanghai. For an international student, Suzhou offers a refined, picturesque, and relatively calm setting while remaining minutes from the opportunities of Shanghai.