Unesco World Heritage Site Zhouzhuang has declared itself the nation’s number-one water town – and has the tour buses to prove it. As soon as you set foot on the pavement, rickshaw drivers and map vendors will vie for your attention. And because it’s a bit of a walk from the parking lot to the old town’s gate, you might want both. Hucksterism aside, the cobblestone lanes and arched bridges invoke dreamy images of the past, and you’ll see many traditional artisans at work, including embroiderers, woodcarvers and blacksmiths. The tourist museums, including a hall of fishing tools, are generically bland. You’ll find it much more interesting to walk down the side alleys, away from the endless rows of souvenir shops, where you might spot a quartet of old women mending real fishing nets. Admission is ¥100, which includes 16 exhibits. The best way to see the old buildings lining the waterways is on a gondola trip, costing ¥80 per boat, which take up to eight people. Among sites are the Zhang (Ming) and Shen (Qing) family houses, Chengxu Taoist Temple and Qanfu Temple.