From Shanghai to Beijing : where tradition meets modernity

DAY 2

Breakfast at the hotel (or at the airport, according to flight schedules). You shall meet your guide at the airport and transfer to town.

Start your discovery of Shanghai: a city of cultural crossroads that makes it one of the most influential cities in the world.

Enjoy your midday lunch (organised for you by us)

Walk through the Bund, a district bordering the yellow river surrounded by buildings of various styles and skyscrapers, and the shopping street of Nanjing Lu, where all the largest shops in the city are present.

Evening meal and overnight stay in the hotel.

DAY 3

Breakfast served in the hotel.

Visit the Shanghai Museum, renowned for its large collection of rare cultural pieces, including bronze.

Then cross the Huangpu River by ferry to visit Pudong: The futuristic district of Shanghai (with it’s Oriental Pearl Tower, many skyscrapers that offer a view of the city), the 21st century avenue, and the city’s business district.

Enjoy your midday lunch (organised for you by us)

Walk through the old town, stopping for a break in a tea house, then visit the historic center of Mandarin Yu’s garden, which aims to represent the world with miniature monuments (rocks, streams, pavilions with typical Chinese architecture).

Evening meal composed of steamed dumplings followed by a night discovery of the French Concession, a trendy and chic district of Shanghai.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

DAY 4

Breakfast served at  the hotel.

Journey to Suzhou. Visit the village of Luzhi, characterized by several rivers, canals and small bridges. Visit the private garden of the Baosheng Buddhist temple, famous for its nine clay statuts. Followed by a boat trip on the canals of the city.

Enjoy your midday lunch (organised for you by us)

Visit of the typically chinese Master of the Nets Garden in Suzhou, that harbours a multitude of designed ponds, galleries, small bridges, sculptures, and hedge cut trees …..

Evening meal and overnight stay in the hotel.

DAY 5

Breakfast served in the hotel.

Visit the old city and the district of Pingjiang, a preserved area that has managed to keep its typical culture.

Enjoy your midday lunch (organised for you by us)

You will then spend the afternoon visiting the Suzhou Museum, which will explain more or less everything you need to know about Chinese history and culture. You will also visit the in-house traditional embroidery workshop.

Transfer to the train station where you will board a night train to Xi’an.

Evening meal and overnight rest aboard the train.

DAY 6

Breakfast at the hotel.

Visit the excavation site situated beside the tomb of Qin Shi Huang Dik in Xi’an. You will discover the terracotta army, with 3 pits that represent 6000 terracotta soldiers of Emperor Quin’s army. Visit the pit aboard one of its two bronze carriages.

Lunch is provided for you.

Discovery of the “old city” Muslim district of Xi’am, that is entirely surrounded by ancient walls.

Evening meal in a restaurant in the town and overnight accommodation in the hotel.

DAY 7

Breakfast served at the hotel.

Visit the Shanxi Museum (which covers the history and civilization of the Shanxi Province) and a jade cutting factory.

We have concocted a typical Chinese fondue lunch for midday

In the afternoon, you will discover the art of  kite throwing on the Wild Goose Pagoda Square followed by an initiation to Chinese writing.

Evening meal in a restaurant in the town and transfer to the train station where you will mount aboard a night train to Beijing.

Night rest on board the train.

day 8

Breakfast at the hotel.

Discover of the capital of China: You shall stroll through Tiananmen Square, the gigantic historical square of the city. Followed by a visit the Mausoleum of Mao  the Forbidden City where you will discover the huge Emperor’s palace and its gardens.

Lunch with local habitants with an initiation on the preparation of Pekingese ravioli.

The afternoon starts with a rickshaw ride in the hutongs, those traditional Chinese districts that are a maze of narrow alleyways. Followed by a walk in the Wangfujing district, a big shopping street with several typical Chinese markets.

Evening meal and overnight accommodation at the hotel.

DAY 9

Breakfast served in the hotel.

Trip to the Great Wall of China where, from a panoramic view spot, you will admire the largest architectural structure built by man.

Take your midday lunch (organised by us) on site.

Journey back to Beijing, where you will visit the “Bird’s Nest” stadium, a stadium built for the  2008 Olympics that housed most of the most of the athletic events the nearby “Water Cube” (which hosted the aquatic events).

Initiation to tea tasting in a Chinese tea house.

Evening meal and overnight accommodation at the hotel.

day 10

Breakfast served the hotel.

Followed by an open-air morning initiation to the art of Tai Ji Quan, in a local park. Then you shall visit the Temple of Heaven, a large complex of Taoist temples.

Lunch is organised for you.

An afternoon visit the Summer Palace, known for its typical architecture, its park and temples, on the shores of Lake Kunming awaits you.

Evening farewell dinner composed of Chinese specialties.

Overnight accommodation in the hotel.

day 11

Breakfast is served in the hotel.

Transfer to the airport and assistance with registration formalities. Return flight from Beijing.

Depending on your flight schedule, an optional breakfast, lunch or dinner can be organized (quotation upon demand).