Suzhou (Jiangsu)

Although the forever-creeping tendrils of Shanghai have wreathed their way around historic Suzhou, this old, old city of more than 2,500 years has done its best to retain its classic Chinese charm. The centre still comes crisscrossed with murky canals, where swinging red lanterns and carved bridges with dragon heads and oriental gargoyles can be made out in the haze. Then comes the UNESCO-attested Classical Gardens of Suzhou, their most popular feature (with locals as well, more so on weekends). These meticulously manicured parks of gingko blooms and lily-padded ponds, stone forests, meditation spaces and water features are all over the city, representing a long past of urban planning and Chinese philosophy that goes all the way back to the high days of the Song Dynasty. When you're done wandering these elegant green spaces (and that takes days, not hours!), ask your Suzhou tour guide to reveal the other major attractions of the town, from the heights of Tiger Hill and its precariously leaning pagoda to the water towns of Tongli and Shantang Street.