2. Tongli
Heading just 9.6 kilometers (6 miles) west of Zhouzhuang, you’ll find Tongli, which is approximately 80.5 kilometers (50 miles) from Shanghai and less than 16 kilometers (10 miles) southeast from Suzhou. This historic town developed during the Song Dynasty (sometime around 1271 AD) and is surrounded by five lakes, with canals running through it and more than 40 100-year-old (or more) bridges throughout town.
Its Retreat and Reflection Garden is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, as part of the Classic Gardens of Suzhou. Because of Tongli’s easy accessibility due to close proximity to larger cities (not to mention its lovely attractions), the town is a bit more developed than some of the other five ancient water towns.
