Tea Houses in China

As you can imagine there are thousands of Tea Houses in China. Above is a famous one right in Shanghai that should not be missed. It is located just outside the Yu Garden Area on the Crooked Bridge. Over 270 years old in continuous use, it is a classic tea house on two levels. Go up stairs and get a window view of the area. For a special treat ask for the beautiful Tea Balls which open up into a beautiful flower. I buy them in Beijing and bring them home with me after each trip. The Yu Garden area is also in the Old District without cars and a great place for shopping besides see the #1 Garden in all of China. If you go to Suzhou which is just 40 minutes by train from Shanghai, besides known for its formal gardens and as the Venice of the East because of the Canals running through it; there is the QianTang Tea Houses. Each one is built like the 200 year old tea houses of old and with original and some fake antiques in them to give you the real feeling of stepping back in the past and enjoying a quiet afternoon or a much needed rest stop after a day of touring. There are thousands of tea houses all over China but these are a couple of my favorites.