At just over 30.48 million people, Shanghai is worth a trip to China as a destination in itself. In fact, Angela did just that in 2018.

It’s a coastal city full of museums, culinary delights, spectacular architecture, and distinct burrows that give it almost a New York kind of feel. Decidedly modern overall, Shanghai has somehow been able to preserve its ancient and colonial past. A short subway ride can take you from glass and steel megamalls to ancient water villages and idyllic scenes recalling the 1400s, if not for the fact that the traditionally-dressed dumpling vendor prefers electronic payment through WeChat.

We spent several days in the city, eating hot pot and exploring some lesser-known temples and museums. But our primary destination in Shanghai was the UNESCO-inscribed garden complex of Suzhou, a short train ride to the west.

Suzhou is the quintessential water town, built in the lowlands verging several large lakes. Full of temples, immaculate landscaping, and quiet repose, the city was a refuge for emperors and nobles looking to escape the politics and intrigue of Shanghai (although politics and intrigue were inescapable in feudal China).

Nine gardens dating from the 11th century comprise this UNESCO serial property, and they are all within walking distance of each other, so you can take the train from Shanghai and spend all day garden-hopping. Or, you could easily spend a week in Suzhou, ambling your way through every location from sunrise to sunset. With fascinating and thoroughly Chinese names like “The Master-of-Nets Garden” and “The Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty”, the gardens each have personalities of their own.

We spent our day primarily in the Humble Administrator’s Garden, arguably the most popular among the nine sites, and it just happened to be the peak week for maple and ginkgo leaves turning bright red and yellow, respectively. While we were able to find a few places without the crush of other tourists, those moments were fleeting. So, be prepared to jostle (or be jostled) for that perfect picture. And remember, AI photo editing is your friend.

If you prefer your photos untouched, head just down the street to the Suzhou Silk Museum and the North Temple Pagoda, both of which offer free admission, are exquisitely beautiful, and tend to have far fewer visitors to spoil your shot.