8 Days Shanghai-Zhouzhuang Water Town Suzhou-Beijing Tour
OVERVIEW
Day 1: Shanghai-Arrival
Day 2: Shanghai: Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai Historical Development Museum, Huangpu River Cruise, Bund, Nanjing Road
Day 3: Shanghai: Yu Garden, Shanghai old Town, French concession, Xintiandi, Jade Buddha Temple
Day 4: Shanghai-Suzhou-Zhouzhuang water town-Shanghai: The Lingering Garden, Pan Gate Ancient City Wall, The Connected Bridge, Shen’s Family Mansion, Zhang’s Family Mansion
Day 5: Shanghai-Beijing by high-speed train-Beijing-Arrival
Day 6: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace
Day 7: Mutianyu Great Wall, Dingling
Day 8: Beijing-Departure
ITINERARY
Day 1: Shanghai-Arrival
On arrival, our driver will hold a welcome sign to meet you and transfer to the hotel.
Day 2: Shanghai
Todays activities: Oriental Pearl Tv Tower, Shanghai Historical Development Museum, Lunch on your own expense, Huangpu River Cruise, Bund, Nanjing Road Morning Breakfast at hotel, meet your guide and the driver at the hotel lobby Visit the Oriental Pearl Tv Tower--------which is the third tallest Tv Tower in the world, Transparent Sightseeing Gallery is located on the second main sphere, with a circumference 150 meters and a width of 2.1 meter. Tourists can overlook the panoramic view of the Huangpu River through the transparent glass at their feet, which makes visitors feel like walking in the clouds. Shanghai Historical Development Museum------Shanghai History Museum, located beneath the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower, was founded in 1983, and formally opened to the public on May 27, 1984. It was a comprehensive museum reflecting the development of Shanghai and the surrounding areas from every aspect, by means of more than 1,300 cultural artifacts, literature, and pictures. It presented a holistic picture of the long history of Shanghai from remote antiquity to the liberation of the city in 1949. The displays covered Shanghai civilization for over 6000 years, including Ma Jia Bing Culture, Songze Culture, and Liangzhu Culture. It also reflected local history from the First Opium War in 1840, when Shanghai was forced to operate as a treaty port, and then the foreign concessions became a key part of Shanghai’s history and later liberation. Huangpu River Cruise-------A Huangpu River Cruise is one of the best ways to see both old and new Shanghai. As you sail down the river towards the East Sea, enjoy the views of the full sweep of The Bund and the 21st-century cityscape of Pudong. Bund ------The Bund shows off Shanghai's outstanding foreign buildings, most of which were erected before 1937. It is the emblem of Shanghai, the area used to be a British concession. Nanjing Pedestrian Street-----It is China’s NO.1 Commercial Street, one of the top 10 famous streets in Shanghai. Its unique, prosperous hustle and bustle has made Nanjing Road a “Prime Site” in Shanghai and a must-visit for tourists. Drop-off service at your hotel and end today's trip.
Day 3 :Shanghai
Today's activities: Yu Garden, Shanghai Old Town, Lunch on your own expense, French Concession Xintiandi, Jade Buddha Temple, Morning Breakfast at the hotel, Meet your guide and driver at your hotel in the morning. Yu Garden-----Yu Garden is a famous garden of classical style in the south of the Yangtze River. Initially built under the reign of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty and up to now it has a history of over 500 years. The major scenic attractions in the Yu Garden include the Mountain and Forest in the City, Pretty Woods and Elegant Dale, Charming Spots by the Spring Hall, Eye-catching Scenes of Water and Rockeries, etc. Shanghai’s Old Town- The Old Town is home to historic buildings. Long histories and unique customs can be found there. It reflects the way of life and cultural traditions of the past and present Shanghai people. French Concession Xintiandi------Xintiandi is the top choice in the French Concession. It has been a Shanghai icon for over a decade. An upmarket entertainment and shopping complex modelled on traditional alleyway (lòngtáng) homes, this was the first development in the city to prove that historical architecture makes big commercial sense. Elsewhere, that might sound like a no-brainer, but in 21st-century China, where bulldozers are always on standby, it came as quite a revelation. Jade Buddha Temple----- Jade Buddha Temple of Shanghai is just like a pure land, quite peaceful and venerable. Originally built in 1882 during the Qing Dynasty (1638-1911), it is a temple to enshrine two jade Buddha statues, which were brought from Burma by a monk from Mount Putuo temple, hence obtaining the name. Drop-off service at your hotel and end today's trip.
Day 4: Shanghai-Zhouzhuang water town -Suzhou
Today's activities: The Lingering Garden, Pan Gate Ancient City Wall, The Connected Bridge, Shen’s Family Mansion, Zhang’s Family Mansion Lingering Garden-----It was built in the year 1593 of the Ming Dynasty. The garden was selected to be one of the first batch of places enjoying the status of a key cultural and historical relic site under state-level protection. It has been known as one of the “Four Famous Classic Gardens”, and was included in UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage List in 1997. The year 2010 witnessed the garden added to the list of national 5A-level scenic areas. Pan Gate Ancient City Wall-----According to historical records, Panmen, or Pan Gate, built in 514, was one of the eight gates of the capital of the Wu Kingdom. As a landmark of the ancient city of Suzhou, Panmen is the only existing ancient parallel city gate for both land and water in China. Zhouzhuang water town-------Known as the “number one water town” in China, Zhouzhuang is in UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre Tentative List and in the first batch of the national 5A scenic spots. The destination preserves traditional architecture with distinct riverside features, including revetments, arch bridges, and the white Connected Bridge. The Connected Bridge------It refers to the Shide Bridge and the Yong’an Bridge attached to each other during the period between 1573 and 1619. Seen from above, the connected bridges -- an arch bridge and a flagstone bridge -- resemble a key used in the past. The late famous artist Chen Yifei (1946-2005) painted the two bridges into his famous work Memory of Hometown in 1984, winning countless praises for the beauty of this enchanting waterfront town. walls and black tiles. Shen’s Family Mansion------The Hall of Shen's Residence, originally known as Jingye Tang, was built by Shen Wansan (a legendary tycoon) in the Ming Dynasty. And now, it is a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the Jiangsu provincial level. It enjoys great popularity among visitors. Zhang’s Family Mansion-----One of a handful of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) structures preserved in Zhouzhuang, the Zhang Family Mansion covers an area of more than 1,800 square meters with dozens of rooms and a private garden. It was listed as one of the foremost protected cultural heritage sites in Jiangsu province.
Day 5: Shanghai-Beijing by Bullet Train-Beijing Arrival
Our driver will pick you up from your hotel, then transfer to the Train Station in Beijing. On arrival in Beijing, our driver will pick you up from the Train Station and then transfer you to the hotel in Beijing
Day 6: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace
Tiananmen Square- the largest public square in the world. Located in the heart of Beijing City, it is the site for massive parades and rallies, which is the largest square of this kind in the world. This was the site where, in 1949, from a rostrum on Tiananmen (the Gate of Heavenly Peace), Chairman Mao proclaimed the establishment of the People's Republic of China. Forbidden City- the Chinese imperial palace from the mid-Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. For almost 500 years, it served as the seat- bed of the Emperors in the Ming and Qing Dynasties as well as the ceremonial and political centre of the Chinese government. Temple of Heaven----- It was built for the emperors in ancient China to worship Heaven. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO. Summer Palace------The Summer Palace, originally named Qingyi Yuan or the Garden of Clear Ripples, was first constructed in 1750. It was razed to the ground by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860. The Government of the Qing Dynasty started to rebuild it in 1886 with funds that were misappropriated from the Imperial Navy and other sources. Renamed two years later as Yihe Yuan or the Garden of Health and Harmony, it was supposed to serve as a summer resort for the Empress Dowager Cixi.
Day 7: Mutianyu Great Wall, Dingling
Mutianyu Great Wall- as one of the best-preserved parts of the Great Wall, the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall used to serve as the northern barrier defending the capital and the imperial tombs. First built in the mid-6th century during the Northern Qi, the Mutianyu section is older than the Badaling section of the Great Wall. During the Ming dynasty, under the supervision of General Xu Da, construction of the present wall began, building over the previous wall. In 1404, a pass was built in the wall. In 1569, the Mutianyu Great Wall was rebuilt, and till today most parts of it are well preserved. The Mutianyu Great Wall has the largest construction scale and best quality among all sections of the Great Wall. Dingling---------- one of the 13 Ming Tombs of the 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty ( 1368 - 1644). From the Yongle Emperor onwards, 13 Ming Dynasty Emperors were buried in this area. You will visit Dingling, the tomb of the Wanli Emperor, which is the only one of the Ming Dynasty Tombs excavated.
Day 8: Beijing-Departure
Our driver will pick you up from your hotel, then transfer you to the Airport or Train Station.
Price includes:
All entrance fees are listed in the itinerary.
Professional English-speaking guide & driver + air-conditioned vehicle.
Local Facility 4-star Hotel accommodations (Standard Room with twin share basis) as listed in the itinerary.
Round-trip transfers between airports or railway stations and hotels.
Bullet Train tickets, second class, from Shanghai to Beijing or Beijing to Shanghai, one way.
Service charge & Government taxes.
Custom-designed personal tours available upon request
Price Excludes:
Meals
Any Fees are not mentioned above
Tips for the guide and driver
Travel Insurance
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