Essential China Tour from Beijing

Welcome to Beijing, the capital of China! Your wonderful China 7-day tour will start here. Our guide will wait for you at the airport, and then you will be transferred to your hotel and have a nice rest.

Beijing, steeped in a long history and splendid culture, is the political center of the country and the hub of international exchanges. It is listed as one of the six ancient capitals of China along with Xi’an, Luoyang, Kaifeng, Nanjing, and Hangzhou. Beijing is also the region with the most developed education in the country. Peking University, Tsinghua University, and many other famous universities in the country are located in Beijing. Beijing Daxing International Airport, positioned as a “large international hub airport”, is about 46 kilometers away from the city center. It is a world-class project built in the 21st century and was put into operation in 2019. If you are landing at this airport, make sure you check it out!

This morning your tour will start from the Temple of Heaven. Located in the southern part of Beijing, the Temple of Heaven was the place where emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1638 - 1912) sacrificed to the gods of heaven and earth and prayed for a bumper harvest. It is regarded as the most exquisite and beautiful ancient architecture in China for its peculiar architectural structure and magnificent decoration. 

Then your guide will show you around Tian’anmen Square, the largest city center square in the world. Located in the center of Beijing, Tian’anmen Square is 880 meters long from north to south and 500 meters wide from east to west. It covers an area of 440,000 square meters and can accommodate one million people to hold a grand ceremony. It bears witness to the unyielding revolutionary spirit and fearless heroism of the Chinese people. On October 1, 1949, Chairman Mao proclaimed the founding of the People’s Republic of China on the Tian’anmen Gate Tower on Tian’anmen Square and personally pushed the button that raised the first Five-Starred Red Fag-Chinese national flag. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Tian’anmen Square was widened and the Monument to the People’s Heroes was built in the center of the square. Later, the Great Hall of the People was built on the west side of the square, the Museum of Chinese Revolution and the Museum of Chinese History were built on the east side, and the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall was built on the south side. 

After that, your tour guide will take you to the Forbidden City (closed each Monday). Located in the center of Beijing’s central axis, the Forbidden City is the royal palace of 24 emperors in the Ming and Qing Dynasties in China. It covers an area of about 720,000 square meters and a building area of about 150,000 square meters. The Forbidden City in Beijing was built in the fourth year (1406) of the Yongle period and was completed in the eighteenth year of Yongle (1420). The central axis runs through the whole Forbidden City, and all the buildings in it are unfolded along the central axis, with many magnificent halls symmetrically distributed on both sides. The Forbidden City in Beijing is one of the largest and best-preserved ancient wooden buildings in the world, which was listed as a world cultural heritage in 1987. At present, the Forbidden City is also called the Palace Museum, as it has a large collection of ancient art treasures. It is the museum with the richest collection of cultural relics in China, many of which are unique and priceless.

After lunch, your guide will show you around the Summer Palace, which is a park with a large collection of cultural relics. It covers an area of about three square kilometers with 70,000 square meters covered by ancient palaces and gardens. Taking advantage of the surrounding landscape and environment, the Summer Palace is an outstanding display of Chinese landscape gardening art. It plays a key role in the development of the whole oriental gardening art. 

Evening Free Time Suggestion: 

Going to Houhai Bar Street is a good choice. Houhai has a unique bar culture. There is no noisy music, only beautiful melody and unique cultural atmosphere. Bars are all distributed in the old Beijing alleys-Hutongs. You can take a leisurely walk around those alleys or choose a bar to spend your evening time! Besides bars, various local snacks can be found here. 

Evening Optional Activity: 

It will also be a good choice if you watch a Kungfu Show (19:30-20:50) at Red Theater in the evening. The Red Theater is a famous performance theater in Beijing. The “Kung Fu Legend” staged here every night has always been popular. Chinese Kung Fu has a long history. In China, Kung Fu can be found everywhere, like in novels, movies, TV series, as well as stage performances, and has irreplaceable significance. With the rendering of the big screen, Chinese Kung Fu has stepped onto the international stage and become an important footnote for European and American countries to understand Chinese culture. 

Temple of Heaven

Tian'anmen Square

This morning, we will drive for about 1.5 hours and 55 kilometers to visit the Chang Tomb of the Ming Tombs. The Ming Tombs are the mausoleums of thirteen emperors in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), which are characterized by the large scale, complete system, and relatively complete preservation. The Chang Tomb we are going to visit is the joint tomb of Emperor Zhu Di and Empress Xu. Its construction started in the 7th year (1409) of the Yongle period and was completed in 1413. The Chang Tomb is the largest one among the thirteen Ming Tombs, and with the earliest construction time as well as the best-preserved ground buildings. 

After lunch, the guide will take you to visit the Mutianyu Great Wall. Steeped in the long history and splendid culture, the Mutianyu Great Wall enjoys a good reputation at home and abroad. Apart from its cultural importance, it also attracts people for its natural beauty, with a vegetation coverage rate of over 90%. With a total length of 5,400 meters, it is the longest section of the Great Wall in China. Former US President Bill Clinton, former British Prime Minister Major, and many other foreign leaders have visited Mutianyu Great Wall.

Dinner Option: 

You can choose Beijing Roast Duck for dinner, which is a world-famous Beijing dish. Having originated in the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420 - 589) of China and being the royal food at that time, Beijing Roast Duck is known as “one of the most delicious food in China” for its juicy and tender taste. 

Chang Tomb of the Ming Tombs

Mutianyu Great Wall

Today, you will leave for Shanghai. You will take the estimated flight MU5156 13:30/15:45 to Shanghai, an international metropolis yet still keeping its traditional Chinese characteristics. 

Free Time Suggestion: 

1. It will be a good choice to visit Hengshan Road Bar Street, located in Hengshan Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, with a total length of about 2.3 kilometers. Adjacent to the famous shopping district of Huaihai Road in the north and Xujiahui Commercial District in the south, Hengshan Road is a very prosperous area in Shanghai. In addition to bars and coffee shops, Hengshan Road Bar Street is also the best place for people to buy works of art, books, and records. People traveling to Shanghai should not forget to experience the intoxicating exotic atmosphere in Hengshan Road Bar Street.

2. We also suggest you take a look around Tianzifang, a fashion landmark and a gathering place of the creative industry. Many artists choose to start their art studios here. It is also a good place for tourists to buy souvenirs for their family and friends. 

This morning, your tour will start from Yu Garden (closed each Monday). Yu Garden is a famous classical garden and a key cultural relic site. It used to be a private garden and is now a popular tourist attraction. It was built in the year 1559 by a local governor Pan Yunduan for his family. He named it Yu Garden because he wanted his family to live a happy and peaceful life, as Yu in Chinese means “peace” and “to please someone”. 

Getting out of the Yu Garden, you will find yourself in Shanghai Old Street, a nice place to enjoy local snacks and buy some souvenirs.

After lunch, your guide will take you to Shanghai Museum (closed each Monday), which is a large museum of ancient Chinese art. Founded in 1952, located in People’s Square in the center of Shanghai, Shanghai Museum has a total building area of 39,200 square meters and a building height of 29.5 meters. The whole building skillfully integrates traditional Chinese culture and modern features. It is unique and distinctive among the world’s museums. There are about 120,000 precious cultural relics in its collection, such as bronze ware, ceramics, calligraphy works, and paintings.

Next, your guide will take you to Shanghai Tower, a super high-rise landmark integrating business, hotel, entertainment, and sightseeing. It is located in the core area of Lujiazui Financial and Trade Zone in Pudong District. With a total height of 632 meters and 119 floors above the ground, Shanghai Tower is so far the tallest building in China and the fourth tallest in the world. Its appearance is special and artistic. It twists nearly one degree per floor to slow down the wind current. And if you look from above, the top of the tower looks like a guitar pick.

Your last stop today is the Bund. It is one of the landmarks of Shanghai and the must-visit place for travelers coming to Shanghai. You will have some free time here, and you can take some stunning pictures to post on your social media!

Yu Garden

Shanghai Museum

After breakfast at the hotel, you will first visit Zhujiajiao Ancient Water Town. Zhujiajiao is located in the transportation hub of Jiangsu Province, Zhejiang Province, and Shanghai. It is in the west of Shanghai and it takes about one hour (45 KM) to drive there from Shanghai city center. The town’s inland river ports crisscross, nine long streets extend along the river, thousands of Ming and Qing style buildings stand by water, 36 stone bridges still exist, and places of interest abound. If you are tired of the artificial constructions in the metropolis, come to this well-preserved natural landscape with real mountains and waters in the suburbs of Shanghai. 

It is no wonder that a famous professor from Tongji University, after visiting Zhujiajiao, unconsciously praised: “Zhujiajiao has such rich cultural heritage, which is not only a treasure of Shanghai but also a treasure of the country”. San Mao, a famous late Taiwanese writer, was infatuated with the “small bridges, flowing water, and small residence” here, and was intoxicated by its quiet, picturesque, and poetic features. Zhujiajiao has become a popular location for movie and TV shooting at home and abroad and is known as “Hollywood in the suburbs of Shanghai”. 

After lunch, you will go to Jade Buddha Temple, which is a building complex imitating the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279) style. As one of the top ten tourist attractions in Shanghai, Jade Buddha Temple is located in the bustling urban area, and people regard it as “a pure land in the downtown area”. In 2014, the Jade Buddha Temple underwent a three-year overhaul due to its long service life. The overhauled Jade Buddha Temple now faces the public with a brand-new appearance.

Zhujiajiao Water Town

Jade Buddha Temple

Today, your guide will pick you up at the hotel lobby and take you to the airport according to the time of your flight. Our service ends here. We look forward to seeing you in the future!

Author: Ren Ziyan

Proofreader: Li Yiwen