Precious Belt Bridge

The Grand Canal is undoubtedly one of the world’s most marvelous manmade waterways, stretching more than 730 miles (1,176 kilometers) from Beijing to Hangzhou. The canal runs alongside the heart of Suzhou’s Old Town district, before cutting a wonky path not far from the hyper-modern downtown business district.

Crossing the canal using the bridge allows visitors to appreciate the scale of the waterway, as tankers continue to trudge along its waters just as silk trader ships once did centuries ago.