Suzhou Autumn Noodles and Hairy Crab Feast
Fengmen Street morning market, Suzhou-style noodles and long-established shops on Guanqian Street, followed by hairy crabs at Yangcheng Lake on day two.
This food-focused weekend trip is a short itinerary built around eating. On day one, have breakfast at the Fengmen Street morning market, then eat noodles on Shiquan Street and visit Master of the Nets Garden. In the afternoon, explore the long-established shops on Guanqian Street and the snacks on Pingjiang Road, then listen to Pingtan storytelling in the evening. On day two, eat crabs at a lakeside crab restaurant on Yangcheng Lake, see Chongyuan Temple, and leave from Suzhou North Railway Station. Staying around Guanqian Street and Pingjiang Road, you will mostly walk or take taxis. It suits food lovers traveling from Shanghai, Nanjing and other cities on an autumn weekend.
Hairy crab season opens in late September, and the crabs are plumpest from October to November. Avoid eating crab out of season.
Day by day
Day 1 · Fengmen Morning Market to Pingjiang Pingtan
Suzhou（Fengmen Hengjie Market Street、Master of the Nets Garden、Guanqian Street & Xuanmiao Temple、Pingjiang Road、Suzhou Pingtan Museum）
Take an early train to Suzhou Railway Station, then about 20 minutes by metro to the Nanmen area. Fengmen Street and Master of the Nets Garden are within walking distance. In the afternoon, take a taxi, about 10 minutes, to Guanqian Street, then walk to Pingjiang Road.
Many old noodle shops close early in the afternoon, so have noodles in the morning or at lunch.
Stay: Guanqian Street / Pingjiang Road
Day 2 · Hairy Crabs at Yangcheng Lake and Chongyuan Temple
Suzhou（Yangcheng Lake、Chongyuan Temple）
Take a taxi or hire a car to Yangcheng Lake, about 40 minutes. Have lunch at a crab restaurant by the lake, then visit Chongyuan Temple. In the evening, take a taxi to Suzhou North Railway Station, about 25 minutes.
Choose a reputable lakeside crab restaurant and be wary of crabs that are sold as Yangcheng Lake crabs but are not.
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