Yu Garden and the old city

Yu Garden was built in the 1550s by a Ming official as a private retreat and has been rebuilt several times since. It is a genuine classical garden with rockeries, carp pools and pavilions, though it is small and heavily visited.

Around it sits the Yu Garden Bazaar, a commercial reconstruction that is variously called charming and appalling. It is both, and it has been there long enough to be historically interesting in itself.

The timing problem

Before 8:30am the old city belongs to residents buying breakfast, and the lanes are genuinely the best part of the area. By 10am the bazaar is in full operation.

The garden opens in the morning; check current hours before planning around them.

What to actually do

Enter the garden early, take it slowly, and leave through the far exit. Then walk north into ordinary streets rather than staying in the bazaar.

Eat in the lanes rather than in the bazaar — prices are a third and the food is considerably better.

Lantern Festival

Fifteen days after Chinese New Year the whole area fills with enormous lantern installations. It is overcrowded and completely worth doing once.

Verdict

Go, mostly for the lanes north of the garden rather than the garden itself.

Skip it if

You actively dislike crowds and it is a weekend afternoon — come before 8:30am instead.