China’s Big Cities – Shanghai & Beijing

7-Day Tour of Shanghai and Beijing

Discover the highlights of Shanghai and Beijing on this seven day ‘Big Cities of China’ tour taking in all the bright lights of Shanghai and the ancient wonders of Beijing, plus much more.

Tour Highlights

Explore the cosmopolitan city of Shanghai and ancient wonders of Beijing over 7-days.

As you arrive in the colourful city of Shanghai, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Over the next two days, take in the colonial architecture of Shanghai, alongside the futuristic skyscrapers of this fascinating city.

Fly to China’s capital of Beijing, and marvel at the many historic sites China is famed for such as the Forbidden City, The Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square, the Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium, Summer Palace and so much more.

BIG CITIES OF CHINA – FULL ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrival in Shanghai

Upon landing, your guide will join you to ensure a comfortable transfer from the airport to your hotel in Shanghai.

Hotel: SSAW Boutique Hotel Shanghai Bund – 4 Stars

Day 2: Shanghai City Highlights

This morning we visit Shanghai’s top tourist attraction – the Bund – a waterfront boardwalk and living example of Shanghai’s contrast of old and new.  Take in the Colonial style architecture of Puxi, alongside the futuristic skyline of Pudong.

To learn more about the city’s rich history, we visit Shanghai Museum (audio guide optional) in nearby People’s Square. Following a local lunch, we take a stroll through Shanghai’s old city and central feature – Yuyuan Garden.

We finish today with Welcome dinner.

Meals: (B, D)
Hotel: SSAW Boutique Hotel Shanghai Bund (4 stars)

Day 3: Zhujiajiao

Today we visit one of China’s best-preserved water villages – the nearby Zhujiajiao. This vibrant traditional village offers a rare glimpse into China’s past.

After lunch, we head back to Shanghai and visit the Propaganda Poster Art Centre – a unique exhibition of hundreds of original posters largely commissioned under Mao’s rule of China.

Meals: (B, L)
Hotel: SSAW Boutique Hotel Shanghai Bund (4 stars)

Day 4: Shanghai to Beijing

Enjoy free time at your leisure this morning, before your transfer to the airport for your flight to Beijing. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel.

Flight times may vary, but will leave Shanghain around lunchtime, arriving Beijing mid-afternoon. All flights are in economy class, ask us about business class upgrades.

Meals: (B)
Hotel: Kapok Hotel (4 stars)

Day 5: Beijing’s free and forbidden places

Today we tour some of Beijing’s most popular sites.

Tiananmen Square is one of the oldest and largest city squares in the world, first built in 1651, and large enough to fit 500,000 people into its over 100 acres of open space.

Adjacent to the square is the world famous Forbidden City (Please note closed on Monday and your passport will be required to gain entry), superbly elegant and in close to pristine condition.

UNESO declared the Forbidden City as the largest collection of ancient wooden structures in the world. Go on a journey back in time as you walk down its red-walled alleys, through its magnificent courtyards and intricate interiors, and along the serene moat that rings the city with green.

The dirt dug out to build the moat, was turned into Jingshan Park – an artificial hill. The top of the park provides stunning views over the Forbidden City and Beijing, but also a great look into the lives of locals who go to the park every day to socialise.

In the afternoon, we will take you to the spectacular Summer Palace, which sprouts above the lush forest canopy and sits along the serene Kunming Lake. The colourful palace holds China’s largest royal garden, a beautiful promenade along the lake’s shores, and dragon boats you can rent for a leisurely cruise.

We finish the day with welcome dinner.

Meals: (B, D)
Hotel: Kapok Hotel (4 stars)

Day 6: The Great Wall of China

Visit the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, which is among the best-preserved and most scenic sections of the Great Wall.

Built more than 2,300 years ago, the Mutianyu Great Wall’s pristine parapets line the ridges of soft, sloping hillsides that are blanketed with verdant forests and lined with deep blue streams.

Take it all in, along with a delicious lunch, during a picnic atop one of the wall’s highest watchtowers – an exclusive event only available with this tour.

Meals: (B, L)
Hotel: Kapok Hotel (4 stars)

Day 7: Last day in Beijing

The Temple of Heaven, constructed in the early 15th Century, is a masterfully landscaped and designed structure that combines imperial Chinese décor with spiritual grandiosity. Spend the morning exploring its opulent, bright and colourful Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, where emperors would pray for healthy harvests.

Then, take an easygoing jaunt through Beijing’s historical hutongs. In these old neighbourhoods, traditional courtyard houses connected by narrow stone-paved alleyways have been transformed from residences to hubs of culture for visitors and locals alike.

Enjoy traditional and modernised gourmet snacks and cafes, relax on stone benches under willow trees, or search for handicrafts to take home as keepsakes.

After lunch in an authentic hutong family home, ride a rickshaw to Houhai Lake.

Later in the afternoon, you will be transferred to the airport for your departure flight.

Want to extend your stay in China? Ask us for details on extending or combining this tour with another one of our fantastic tour options.

Meals: (B, L)

SHANGHAI & BEIJING HOTELS

SSAW Boutique Hotel Shanghai Bund (4-Stars)

Rooms at SSAW Boutique Hotel Shanghai Bund come with modern interiors and a seating area by the large window. Each is equipped with a minibar with free drinks and private bathroom with shower facilities.

The hotel has a 24-hour front desk, with laundry and ironing services available upon request. There is a fridge in the lobby where guests can help themselves to free mineral water and soft drinks.

Novotel Beijing Xinqiao (4-Stars)

Novotel Beijing Xinqiao is a 5-minute walk from Beijing Train Station and a 10-minute walk from New World Shopping Mall.

There are a variety of amenities at Novotel Beijing Xinqiao including free Wi-Fi and a spa and wellness centre. The air-conditioned rooms at the hotel are modern and each have a mini bar and bath robes.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

If you cancel some or all portions of your booking, cancellation fees apply. For a cancellation notice to be effective it must be received in writing. Unless otherwise indicated to you by your respective travel consultant, after confirmation, if you cancel a portion or all of your travel, the terms and conditions in the confirmation documents will apply. Some general aspects that apply to all confirmed bookings include if you leave a trip for any reason after it has commenced, the supplier is not obliged to make any refunds for unused services. If you fail to join a tour, join it after departure, or leave it prior to its completion, no refund i part or whole can be made. We strongly recommend that you take out appropriate travel insurances at the time of booking. The cancellation fees, in addition to any supplier fees, may also be levied by accommodation providers, or third party tour, transport operator fees or other service providers. Your consultant will confirm the terms at time of booking.

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