TRAVEL IN SHANGHAI part9

Nearby cities
Several other major Chinese cities are near Shanghai and conveniently reachable on the new high speed (over 200 km/hr) trains. These are comfortable and reasonably priced and except at holidays, are not too crowded since other trains are cheaper. Look for the separate ticket windows with "CRH" on the signs.
Hangzhou 杭州, about 75 minutes away by CRH, is China's number one domestic tourist attraction featuring the famous Xihu Lake.
Suzhou 苏州, a historic town under an hour away from Shanghai by train. The city has long been lauded by emperors, ancient poets, and scholars alike for its beauty and vitality. Due to its many canals and bridges, Suzhou has also sometimes been referred to as the "Venice of the East". Suzhou has many gardens that are worth visiting. The "Venice of the East" parts of Suzhou have all been over run with agressive beggars and pan handlers. Reserve Suzhou if it can be combined with a tour of other historic areas.
Nanjing, about two hours away, is a great place to escape the pace of citylife. Its also a great place to get a Chinese history lesson. From the city walls to the Presidential Palace, its a walkable, friendly place with a variety of hotels for all budgets. Well worth the effort. It is also home to the tombs of three prominent figures in Chinese history.
Shaoxing 绍兴, about three hours away, is traditional Chinese tourist attraction featuring the famous fish and rice hometown. The ancient quarry of Keyan is an incredible site. Be sure to take a trip on the local rowboat on the lake surrounding the rocky cliffs. The Jianhu Lake is another beautiful area. Lan Ting is a nice park with lots of stone monuments engraved with historical Chinese calligraphy. The Dayu Ling (Tomb of the Great Yu) is nice although feels disappointingly unauthentic.
Wuzhen is one of the water towns close to Shanghai, easy to reach on a day trip. Busses depart e.g. from Shanghai Stadium. Go and see how daily life was/is - weaving and coloring fabric, pottery, the Shadow Puppet Theatre is a great spectactle as well, with traditional Chinese stories and music played on traditional instruments. Well worth a visit, though it can be crowded at weekends..Wuzhen (乌镇) is located on the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and also around a net-work of other smaller canals and rivers. The town has numerous bridges, ancient harbors and water-side pavilions, and makes an excellent complimentary side-trip for visitors staying in nearby Hangzhou. Buses ply the route from Hangzhou to Wuzhen.