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Kowloon. This neoclassical brick building once housed a Victorian pumping station. It now serves as a function space for the Yau Ma Tei Theatre nearby. Discover the best attractions in Kowloon including Hong Kong Museum of History, Temple Street Night Market, and Chi Lin Nunnery.
Wilbeck Cafe. Songshan. Cosy little secret space with outdoor smoking section and some of the best-quality, cheapest brews in town. Their latte with a splash of Baileys (NT$80)….
- A Landscape Frozen in Time
- An Epicentre of Silk
- A Familiar Way to See The Sights
- Navigating The Waterways
- The Joys of Yuhang Street
- Away from The Canals
- A More Contemporary Connection
It’s no wonder Suzhou made an impression on Polo. Five-and-a-half thousand miles from Venice, the pioneering globetrotter had stumbled upon a mirror image of his home. The waters of this city bustle at night, with fleets of wooden ships ferry goods and visitors through the city’s labyrinth of canals, just as they have for thousands of years. On the...
In the 13th century, Polo described Suzhou as a city of remarkable architecture and affluence, noting, “it contains merchants of great wealth… accomplished traders and most skilled craftsmen.” This wealth came primarily from the silk industry, and just as during Polo’s time, weathered hands still work the looms here today. Carefully, they grasp orb...
Life jackets aside, the traders and merchants of Suzhou remain largely true to their ancient roots. While a sprawling metropolis does span much of the old city’s land area, visitors can still easily lose themselves in narrow aisles of water and stone in its historic, outlying districts, like Tongli, Mudu and Guangfu, where the sound of car horns is...
Not every boat here is used for fishing. For around 30 yuan, travelers can hire a boatman to see these ancient towns through the same lens that Polo did. The Italian likely exaggerated when he dubbed Suzhou the city of 6000 bridges, but several hundred do in fact exist and they are best seen from the water. You can easily spot their ferries by the ...
The wood-framed Nanyuan Teahouse in the Tongli district of the city lays claims the title of oldest teahouse on the southern portion of the Yangtze; however, while serving as a window to the past, it also serves as an entrance to the modern joys along the cobbled streets of Tongli. Cafes and vendors line Yuhang Street, where the change in your pock...
By the time of Polo’s visit, a temple had already been marking the summit of the largest hill in Suzhou for more than 1000 years. Polo would have climbed the same stairs towards the crest of Tiger Hillto see the seven-storey Cloud Rock Pagoda, hearing the same stories about rumoured funerary treasures lurking beneath it and the legion of workers Ki...
For all the comparisons to Venice noted by Polo during his visit, contemporary visitors may add one more to the list: the crowds. While not a mainstay destination for international tourists, Suzhou is a domestic tourism hotspot, with visitors clogging the ancient alleyways and cramming onto canal boats during weekends and public holidays. Hopefully...
Baiyun ('White Cloud'), a cluster of scenic peaks in the northern suburbs of Guangzhou, is the closest natural escape from the city. Star Touching Peak (摩星岭, Móxīng Lǐng), at 382m, is the highest point and more of a hill, accessible by steep steps or a cable car. Avoid weekends if you can, when the crowds tend to spoil the serenity.
Lingyin Temple. Hangzhou. Hangzhou’s most famous Buddhist temple, Lingyin Temple was originally built in AD 326, but has been destroyed and rebuilt no fewer than 16 times. During….
Hangzhou. One of China’s most enduringly popular holiday spots, Hángzhōu’s (杭州) dreamy West Lake panoramas and fabulously green hills can easily tempt you into long sojourns. Eulogised by poets and applauded by emperors, the lake has intoxicated the Chinese imagination for aeons. Kept spotlessly clean by armies of street sweepers and ...
The West End. In the late 12th century, nobles built houses of stone with gardens along the 'shore' (ie strand) of the Thames. The Strand linked Westminster, the seat of political power, with the City, London's centre of trade. It became one of the most prestigious places to live in London and in the 19th century Disraeli pronounced it the ...
