ESSENCE OF CHINA

Beijing – Pingyao – Xi’an – Lijiang – Dali – Shanghai – Suzhou – Tongli  15 days / 14 nights

Day 1 BEIJING

Upon arrival in Beijing meet local English speaking guide and transfer to visit the Temple of Heaven 天坛, one of the most remarkable examples of Chinese classical architecture. Meals not included. Overnight in hotel.

Day 2 BEIJING  (B, L, D )

After breakfast, meet the guide, visit Tian’an men Square 天安门广场 and the Forbidden City 故宫, the Chinese imperial palace from Ming Dynasty to the end of Qing dynasty. Lunch in a local Chinese restaurant. In the afternoon, visit of the Summer Palace 颐和园, emperors’ summer residence, dominated by the Longevity Hill and the Kunming Lake. Back to the hotel. Special dinner with roasted Beijing duck in a local restaurant. Overnight in hotel.

Day 3 BEIJING (B, L, -)
After breakfast, meet the guide and transfer to visit Mutianyu Great Wall 慕田峪长城 (70km, 1h drive) - cable car not included. Lunch in a local Chinese restaurant and back to Beijing. In the afternoon, take a stroll in the hutong, narrow alleys typical of Beijing, formed by lines of siheyuan 四合院, traditional courtyard residences. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 4 BEIJING/PINGYAO (B,- D) fast train REF: G609 (10:28/14:32) 2nd class

Breakfast in hotel, meet the guide and transfer to the station to take the train to Pingyao. Lunch not included. Upon arrival, meet the local guide and visit the Shuanglin Temple 双林寺. In this temple you will admire about 2000 colored sculptures from Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasty. Since 1997 it is enlisted as UNESCO heritage site. Afterwards, go to Pingyao parking lot outside the city walls to rent battery cars (inside city walls, private cars are not allowed). Transfer to the hotel and check-in. Special dinner with noodle show and possibility to make noodles on the spot. Overnight in hotel.

Day 5 PINGYAO/XI’AN  (B, L, -)  express train REF: D2525 (16:58/19:45) 2nd class

After breakfast, meet local guide and visit Pingyao ancient city 平遥古城, one of the best preserved ancient city. During the Qing dynasty, Pingyao was an important financial centre. Lunch in a local restaurant. Then, transfer to the station and take the train to Xi’an. Upon arrival, meet local English speaking guide and transfer to the hotel. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel.

Day 6 XI’AN (B, L, D) 

After breakfast, meet the guide and transfer to visit Terracotta Warriors 兵马俑 (45km, 1h drive) with more than 8.000 stone statues of warriors to guard Qing Shi Huang Di emperor’s tomb. Lunch in a local restaurant. Then visit Big Goose Pagoda 大雁塔. Special dinner with jiaozi (Chinese dumplings) typical of Xi’an and of Shaanxi region. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 7 XI’AN /LIJIANG  (B, -, -) flight REF: JD5521  18:45-21:20  

After breakfast, meet the guide and the driver, transfer to visit Xi’an ancient city walls 古城墙. Lunch not included. In the afternoon, time at disposal with the guide. Then, transfer to the airport to take the flight to Lijiang. Upon arrival, meet local English speaking guide and transfer to the hotel. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 8 LIJIANG (B, L, -) 

After breakfast, meet the guide and visit Yuhu village 玉湖村, near Lijiang. Then, go to visit Baisha Fresco 白沙壁画, paintings that combine Buddhist, Taoist and Lamaist characteristics. Lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit Suhe village 束河古镇, ancient centre of Lijiang, with a history of more than 1000 years. It was an important commercial centre for tea trade between China and the Red Sea. Back to Lijiang. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel.  

Day 9 LIJIANG (B, L, -) 

After breakfast, meet local guide, visit the Black Dragon Pond 黑龙潭公园 and Mufu Palace 木府. Lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit Lijiang old town 古城. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel.  

Day 10 LIJIANG-DALI (B, -, D) 

After breakfast, meet the guide and departure towards Dali (200km, 2.5ore in macchina). On the way, stop to visit Xizhou village 喜洲村 where Bai ethnic minority lives. Dinner not included. Coffee break (not included) in Linden center hotel. Linden center hotel: http://www.linden-centre.com/zh-hans/yunnandalixizhouxilinyuan/

This is a traditional building, preserved as an heritage site by Bai ethnic minority. From the terrace on top of the building the panorama is gorgeous over rice fields and with Cangshan mountain on the background. Transfer to Dali. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel. Then, visit a local Farmhouse where you can experience Bai minority food learning how to make traditional dishes. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 11 DALI (B , -, -)  

After breakfast, meet the guide. Morning at disposal, with the guide and the driver. Suggested activity: bike or scooter tour (rent fee not included) of Dali countryside or a walk along Erhai lake 洱海. Lunch not included. In the afternoon, visit Three Pagodas 三塔寺, Dali symbol, once they were part of Chongwen monastery, destroyed during Qing dynasty. Then, visit Dali old town 古城, and Foreigners street 洋人街. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 12 DALI/SHANGHAI (B, -, -) flight

After breakfast, meet the guide and transfer to the airport to take the flight to Shanghai (stop in Kunming). Upon arrival, meet local English speaking guide, transfer to the hotel. Meals not included. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 13 SHANGHAI  (B, L, -)

After breakfast, greet and meet local English speaking guide, visit Jade Buddha Temple 玉佛寺, built in 1882 to gather two jade statues brought from Burma by Huigen Monk. Lunch in a local Chinese restaurant. In the afternoon visit Yu Gardens 豫园, built in the second half of 1500, destroyed during the Opium Wars, then repaired by the Shanghai Government. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel. Then, walk along Nanjing Road 南京路 famous for shops and malls and visit the Bund 外滩 a walk on the banks of Huang Pu river, where to admire Shanghai skyline. Dinner not included. Overnight in hotel. 

Day 14 SHANGHAI-TONGLI-SUZHOU-SHANGHAI  (B, L, -)

After breakfast, visit Tongli water town (boat ticket not included). Lunch in a local restaurant. Then, visit Suzhou, its most beautiful garden, Humble Administrator’s Garden 拙政园, and a silk factory. Back to Shanghai, dinner not included. Overnight in hotel.

Day 15  SHANGHAI  (B)  flight

After breakfast, meet the guide and transfer to the airport to take the flight back home.