How to celebrate this Spring Festival holiday in Suzhou

The longest-ever nine-day Spring Festival holiday will begin tomorrow. Still wondering where to go? This ultimate guide has you covered.

The city will be lit up by lanterns at night, particularly at these eight spots: the Grand Canal Theater运河剧场, MixC World万象天地, Shilu Shangchengmen上城门(神仙市集), North Wharf · Republic-of-China-style Street北码头民国风情街, Changmen Gate阊门, Shantang River (Yefangbang-Nanshe)野芳浜, Tiger Hill Flower Paradise虎丘花事 and Tiger Hill Scenic Area虎丘.
Shopping mall promotions, markets and coupons are also available this holiday. Read more.

If you are looking to escape the city buzz and soak up authentic water town charm, Suzhou's countryside is where you belong.
Ideal Village锦溪计家墩理想村: Dragon dances and accordion performances on Feb. 18; God of Wealth parades and guzheng performances on Feb. 21; the "Hug a Tree" art exhibition.

Shushan Village树山生态村: Dragon dances, God of Wealth parades, intangible cultural heritage, interactive games and a New Year market from Feb. 18 to 21.
Fengmenglong Village冯梦龙村: Iron flower and fire pot shows, big drum dances, lantern dances, flower basket dances, Lianxiang dances…

Yangcheng Lake (Xiaojing) International Handicraft Village阳澄湖(消泾)国际手作村: A nostalgic 1980s-themed experience with 10 creative New Year cake varieties from Feb. 17 to 23.
Shanwan Village曲水善湾: Clown parades, dragon and lion dances, writing Spring Festival couplets, making paper-cuts, making New Year cakes, bonfire parties and water lantern blessings from Feb. 16 to 23.

West Street, Dongshan Town西街: Dragon dances, God of Wealth parades, local snacks, New Year goods… from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Feb. 15 to 21.
Pingwang Ancient Town平望古镇: Exhibitions, markets, performances, lantern riddles, God of Wealth parades…

Shaxi Ancient Town沙溪古镇: Chinese New Year concerts, parades and intangible cultural heritage workshops from Feb. 15 to 23.

Yonglian Flower Village永联村: Over 50 stalls offering snacks from across China and intangible cultural heritage experiences through Mar. 3.

The gardens in Suzhou are the finest on earth. A trip to Suzhou isn't complete without visiting its classical gardens. During this holiday, over 50 events will be held.

Plum blossom viewing remains a highlight in Spring Festival. At the Lion Grove Garden狮子林, vessels for containing food in winter and scholar stones are being exhibited together. At the Couple's Retreat Garden耦园, plum blossom bonsai created by young horticulturists is on display, as well as intricate paper-cuts. At the Lingering Garden留园, plum blossoms are in full bloom. At the Canglang Pavilion沧浪亭, an exhibition on pines, bamboo and plum blossoms is being held. At the Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty环秀山庄, a plum blossom and birdcage exhibition is underway. At the Keyuan Garden可园, visitors can make plum blossom New Year prints themselves.

After visiting classical gardens, continue the fun at amusement parks.
Besides amusement rides, the Suzhou Yangcheng Peninsula Theme Park海合安苏州阳澄半岛乐园 will roll out performances, acrobatic shows and light displays that blend traditional elements and futuristic visuals through the Lantern Festival (Mar. 3).

The Suzhou Amusement Land苏州乐园森林世界 offers full-day family entertainment with nonstop fun.

Think you can't do snow sports in Suzhou? Think again. The newly-opened Taihu Snow World · Bonski Suzhou苏州热雪奇迹, the first indoor ski resort in downtown Suzhou, features two ski slopes – a 163-meter intermediate slope and a 110-meter beginner slope – as well as areas for snow activities suitable for all ages.

The Alps International Resort太仓阿尔卑斯国际度假区 in Taicang has become a landmark for ice-and-snow tourism in the Yangtze River Delta. Spanning 91,000 square meters, this massive indoor snow park will host the ice & snow lantern festival, snowman-building competitions and a Spring Festival market this holiday.
From Feb. 17 to Mar. 8, Suzhou (China) Flower Botanical Garden苏州中国花卉植物园 will host its first Ice & Snow Carnival. Visitors can enjoy snow dragon boat races, dazzling iron flower shows, traditional-style lantern displays, festive markets and a wide selection of New Year flowers.

At the pump track sports park in 688 Art & Trendy Space泵道运动公园, riders can glide along rolling tracks, feeling the fast and furious excitement.
The Nicekart Karting Base at Yangcheng Lake Peninsula Resort纳斯卡丁车俱乐部 offers large-scale racing tracks, delivering thrilling fun for families and kids alike.
The Sungent International Tennis Center新建元国际网球中心 boasts nine Australian Open-standard hard courts and two French Open-standard clay courts, providing a world-class sporting experience for tennis lovers.

The Suzhou Taihu Cycling Sports Park苏州环太湖自行车运动公园 is the first cycling park in the Yangtze River Delta that covers all cycling disciplines. It also offers dining and children's play areas.
The Racing Galaxy Karting Circuit极速星辰国际卡丁车赛车场 in Taicang has professional-grade tracks and racing karts, suitable for both first-timers and pros.

iSuzhou wishes you a wonderful holiday in Suzhou!

(Source: 苏州发布 (WeChat ID: suzhoufabu365); Photos courtesy of above scenic spots)
Source：iSzhou