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Wuxi

Written by Matteo Updated Apr. 8, 2025

Wuxi is in southern Jiangsu province, 128 kilometers away from Shanghai. Wuxi is the second largest city in Jiangsu province, a city of affluence and fascinating natural scenery. It is characterized by abundant beautiful rivers, idyllic lakes, unique-shaped caves, bamboo forests, and tea gardens.

Standing by the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, Wuxi is a significant historical city and has been an important trade center in the area for centuries. The completion of the Grand Canal in the Yuan Dynasty was a major factor in the city's rise, but its role gradually declined as the transportation route fell into disuse.

Concrete buildings and skyscrapers are rapidly entering the city in recent years. The city has been making a comeback economically, although this comes somewhat at the cost of losing the small city charm.

Top Attractions

Wuxi, once a prosperous commercial center in China, now takes a backseat to other cities along the Yangtze River like Suzhou and Yangzhou. Yet due to its long history and great location, Wuxi still has much to offer travelers. Its natural scenery and historic sites as a pearl along Taihu Lake make it an ideal side trip when visiting Shanghai, Suzho, or Hangzhou.

The city is bordered by the famous Taihu Lake and the Grand Canal also passes by the city and has been an influence on its prosperity for thousands of years. The most notable Wuxi attractions are near Taihu Lake. The following attractions are considered must-go places when visiting Wuxi.

Turtle Head Isle

Turtle Head Isle is one of the most notable scenic spots in the Taihu Lake area. Reclining in northwest Taihu Lake, the isle resembles a turtle raising its head hence the name. It is a good place to appreciate the beautiful lake and enjoy delicious local food.

There are many spots in the scenic zone if you have the time to investigate. Climb to Shutian Pavilion for a lovely lake view, walk around the isle on the flowery path, let your feet enjoy the water at a shallow beach, or take boating on the lake to feel the breeze on your face. The isle is especially beautiful in May when the cherry blossom is out.

Taihu Lake

Taihu Lake is one of main 5 freshwater lakes in China and located in South Jiangsu and connects to Zhejiang Province. It is the second biggest freshwater lake in China. The whole lake resembles a crescent facing the East. Featuring abundant plant and animal life, the scenery around the lake varies from season to season attracting many visitors.

Wuxi section of the lake is the most famous and beautiful cradle of Wuxi culture. Often when people talk about Taihu Lake, they are referring to the Wuxi section. The famous Turtle Head Isle, Dongshan, and Xishan are all accessible for a day trip.

Ling Mountain

The main scenic spot in Wuxi, Lingshan has several interesting attractions to see. The first sight is Zhaobi, a big screen wall. Various Chinese characters are carved on the wall. It is the biggest screen wall in China.

The famous Giant Buddha at Lingshan, also known as the Oriental Giant Buddha, is the tallest in China. People believe the Buddha symbolizes happiness and blessings. The Vatican Palace is an impressive place built as a conference center. It contains many valuable Western and Chinese mural paintings.

Liyuan Garden

Liyuan Garden is on the shore of Li Lake. The lake has a story set during the Spring and Autumn and Warring Period which says that Fan Li and Xishi went boating on the lake. Fan Li was a prime minister in the Spring and Autumn Period named after him.

Three sides of the garden are surrounded by the lake. Divided into 3 main scenic areas, Liyuan Garden has several spots of interest - Man-made hills representing mountains, a long dike, and the Four Seasons Pavilions. There is a stone path leading visitors through the garden which is at its best during spring and autumn. First-time travelers may feel that the path is like a maze, but it is designed to display the changing lake views.

The Beijing-Hangzhou Great Canal at Wuxi Section

With a history of over 2,500 years, the Beijing-Hangzhou Great Canal is the oldest and longest man-made canal in the world. It is one of the greatest projects from Ancient China, together with the Great Wall. It is 1794 km long but now only 883 km are useable; basically the parts of the canal in Shandong Province, Jiangsu Province, and Zhejiang Province.

The Wuxi section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Great Canal is considered to be the most spectacular part. The river surface is wide and the old rice market still exists along the Sanli Bride area. The essence of the Great Canal at Wuxi is the south section, where the houses along the river are ancient with the water town characteristics.

Xihui Garden

The Xihui Area is located west of Wuxi City, near Mount Xi, Mount Hui, and the other beautiful gardens. It combines historic sites and stunning natural scenery.

The main attraction of the Xihui area is Xihui Garden, which combines the history, culture, and beautiful characteristics of an old Chinese garden. Being thousands of years old, it enjoys the reputation of being a history museum in the open air.

The Second Mountain under Heaven is a famous spot in the garden and has a poignant story about it accompanied by music - Moon Reflecting on the Second Fountain. Visitors can climb up to the top of Mount Xi, which is the highest point in Wuxi.

Jichang Garden

Jichang Garden in Xihui Park is a classical southern garden famous for its natural hills, crystal clear water, elegant garden design, and, big original trees. The overall layout is designed based on the hills and pools, including man-made spots and natural areas. The buildings are skillfully designed to highlight every spot with water elements. Ba Yin Jian is like a musical stream and one of the most notable sights in the garden.

Jichang Garden was a model for the Garden of Harmonious Interests at the Summer Palace and the Ouble Cranes Building at the Old Summer Palace. Qianlong, a successful and famous emperor during the Qing Dynasty, loved the garden and visited the garden 6 times during his 7 visits to the Jiangnan area. He wrote a poem expressing his appreciation of the beauty of the garden.

Plum Garden

Plum Garden is short for Wuxi Rong Family’s Plum Garden. Located at Dongshan and Hushan on the western edge of Wuxi City, the garden is full of plum trees and therefore particularly beautiful when the plum blossoms bloom.

Before China’s liberation, the garden was a private garden belonging to Rong Yiren, a famous red capitalist. There are more than 5,500 plum trees of various kinds including Yudie Plum, Gongfen Plum, Zhusha Plum, and Mo Plum. Each variety is different and some plum bonsais are also included.

Nanchan Temple

Built during the Nan Dynasty when Emperor Liang ruled the country (464-549), Nanchan Temple was originally called Huguo Temple. Though the name has been changed several times, most people like to call it Nanchan Temple because it is located at the South Gate of the city.

An ancient pagoda in the temple is 47.4 yards tall and has 7 stories. For an entrance fee of CNY10 one can climb up the pagoda for a good view of Wuxi. On sunny days the shadow of the pagoda reaches a bridge miles away from the temple and is called Pagoda Shadow Bridge. There are stories about the pagoda and the temple, which add mystery to Nanchan Temple.

In the 1980s, the area around the temple became a cultural and commercial center. In modern-day Wuxi, Nanchan Temple Area has become a popular place to visit for shopping. Miaoguang Street is the most famous area.

Transportation

Airplanes: Wuxi is served by a small airport, which has some connections to Beijing, Foshan, and Kunming.

Trains: Wuxi is on the Shanghai-Beijing railway line. Around 60 express trains stop at or pass through Wuxi railway station each day. Direct train connections to almost all the major cities are available. Trains run along China's east coast to Shanghai, Suzhou, and Hangzhou and beyond, further to the north such as Beijing, southwest, like Chengdu, and the northwest including Xi'an.

Bus: there are three long-distance bus stations in Wuxi. buses leave Wuxi for the nearby cities including Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Nanjing daily. Wuxi's main long-distance bus station-Wuxi Keyun Zhongzhan: No 18 Guangqin Lu, a few minutes walk from the railway station.

Local Transportation: a tourist bus leaves from the railway station daily from 7:00 to 16:00 every 25 minutes.

Taxi: the starting price is CNY8 or CNY10 depending on the vehicle.

Weather and Climate

Wuxi is in the south of the Yangtze River and has a mild and humid climate with four distinct seasons.

Spring is the best time to travel. May and July are the rainy seasons. Summer is hot and the highest temperature can occasionally reach 39 centigrade during daytime. Winter is cold and it snows sometimes.

Accommodations

Wuxi has built many luxurious hotels recently but lodgings there are still relatively expensive. Alternatively, some university guesthouses may offer budget accommodations.

For luxurious hotels, we recommend the Wuxi Grand Hotel (5-star; add: 1 Liang Qing Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu province)

Food & Restaurants

Wuxi's hotel restaurants are among the city's finest, specializing in Jiangsu-style seafood dishes. For those who have neither the time nor appetite, small noodle and dumpling shops clustering around the Jiefang Xi Lu provide good options.

Recommended Wuxi Tours: Wuxi Classic Day Tour from Shanghai

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