A Guide to Exploring the Hidden Gem of Kunshan: Xiemaqiao Ancient Town

😃 I stumbled upon this ancient town on a trip to Kunshan. Unlike other well-known ancient towns, it's not very large, but it has a number of atmospheric coffee shops and tea houses. It's a beautiful place with few crowds, perfect for a relaxing stroll. Grab a cup of coffee, sit by the river, and unwind. ✔️A thousand years of history, ancient houses built along the river, simple and elegant ✔️Quiet and peaceful along the river, with a vibrant atmosphere ✔️Coffee shops and tea houses converted from riverside houses and old mansions, offering a tranquil environment ✔️Picturesque photo spots, convenient parking 📌Location: Kunshan | Xiemaqiao Ancient Town 🎫Tickets: Free🆓 🚗Parking: Navigate to Xiemaqiao Ancient Town. If you're coming from Shanghai, on Airport Road, don't follow the 🅿️ signs to turn left (that leads to the Lighting City parking lot, which is a bit far). The ancient town's parking lot is just north of the town, closest to the entrance. 🅿️10r/time, see p3 for details 🗺️Route map: See p2 🚶🏻‍♀️Recommended route: 🅿️Parking lot → ⛩️Xiemaqiao Archway → 🌸Garden → Dingsheng Bridge → Stroll along the river → 🍦Haddock Ice Cream → ☕Niba Coffee → ☕One Foot Garden → 🍵Xiemaqiao Old Tea House → ☕Banshan Shiyu → ☕Riverside Coffee → 🍵CuppoBubbo → Linfeng Tingchan 【📸Photo Spots】 ⛩️Xiemaqiao Archway: With a thousand years of history, there is a beautiful garden next to it, where peach blossoms bloom 🕋Xiema Ancient Bridge: A landmark of the ancient town, this single-hole stone arch bridge spans the river. Its moss-covered body is reflected in the water like a painting 🛖Stone Street Houses: Stroll along the bluestone road, flanked by white-walled and black-tiled houses in Ming and Qing styles, built along the river, a classic scene of small bridges, flowing water, and houses 🌲One Foot Garden: A coffee shop converted from an old house, retaining the wooden beam structure, decorated with plants in the courtyard, a perfect place to enjoy a slow afternoon with a cup of coffee 【☕Coffee Shops + 🍵Tea Houses】 😍The biggest surprise of this trip was the coffee shops and tea houses. The ancient town is not big, and the storefronts look inconspicuous, but there are several unique coffee shops and tea houses hidden along the river, especially tranquil ☕Niba Coffee: Featuring baked milk tea, you can also play with ceramic clay in the shop, suitable for families with children ☕One Foot Garden: Converted from an old house, with a courtyard, fish pond, and thatched cottage, the environment is quiet and simple ☕Riverside Coffee: Built along the river, the avocado green color scheme is warm and inviting, and the river water is clear 🍵Xiemaqiao Old Tea House: Pingtan performance daily from 13:00-15:00, tea is 🆓 🍵CuppoBubbo: Large floor-to-ceiling windows extending to the river, offering excellent views 💯Tips： 1️⃣The ancient town is divided into two blocks along the river, east and west. It takes about 30-40 minutes to walk around 2️⃣For dining, I recommend Baisheng Renjia and Linfeng Tingchan. There are light meals in the coffee shops, and noodle restaurants along the road 3️⃣There are handicrafts and bookstores in the ancient town, and 3r Youdunzi on the street 3️⃣Parking is convenient, the parking lot is 100m from the ancient town 4️⃣If there is heavy traffic on weekends, you can also park in the Lighting City on the west side of Airport Road 【Little Encyclopedia】 The origin of Xiema comes from the famous Southern Song Dynasty general Han Shizhong, who once led his troops through this area. Seeing the abundant water and grass, he ordered his troops to camp and rest their horses. To facilitate the villagers on both sides of the Shipu River, the officers and soldiers built a bridge on the river called "Xiema Bridge" ✅Nearby attractions: Dianshan Lake, Half Marathon Lawn, Jijiadun Ideal Village, Jinxi Ancient Town