Best of China

Arriva in Beijing check into your hotel. The rest of today is yours to take things easy at your hotel or get acquainted with this captivating and eclectic city.

Today enjoy an introductory tour of Beijing, whose origins extend back 3,000 years. The seat of the Ming and Qing emperors until the early 20th century, China’s capital fuses gleaming temples with austere public monuments built by Chairman Mao. Ogle Tiananmen Square, the world’s biggest public square, and visit the Forbidden City, the secret-steeped residence of 24 emperors. This UNESCO World Heritage site is girded by 10-metre high walls and consists of more than 8,000 rooms, all exuding imperial mystique. Later, visit the gorgeous UNESCO-protected Summer Palace. Walk around this entrancing park, a vision of Chinese landscaping, to view the elaborate bridges, temples and pagodas that flank Kunming Lake. Cap your day with photo stops at the impressive Bird’s Nest and Water Cube stadiums, built for the 2008 Olympics. (B,L)

After breakfast at your hotel, travel to the Great Wall or `Long Wall of Ten Thousand Li’ as it’s named in old Chinese. Built over 2,000 years ago to stave off nomadic invasions from the north, the gargantuan wall trails for over 5,500 miles across China like an imperial dragon. Stride along the battlements and behold the views over the mountains and valleys stretching into the distance. Next, continue to the Sacred Way and walk along this stone pathway or `Divine Way’, inspecting the richly carved marble figures of animals, humans and mythical creatures, including a lion, unicorn and dragon that line the route. (B,L)

Today’s sightseeing starts at the Temple of Heaven, a fascinating complex of imperial cult buildings centered on a sacrificial altar pavilion. Constructed in the early 15th century, the temple compound was used by China’s emperors to perform animal sacrifices that they believed would secure bountiful harvests. Admire the halls and pavilions before catching an afternoon flight to Xian and arriving at your hotel in time for dinner tonight. (B,D)

Once China’s capital and eastern terminus of the Silk Road, the vibrant city of Xian dates back 3,000 years and is best known as the home of the Terracotta Warriors. Unwittingly unearthed by farm workers in 1974, this 6,00o-strong mass of carved life-size soldiers and horses represent the real army that guarded China’s first emperor, Qin Shih Huang, and were interred with his tomb in 200 BC. After viewing the ranks of warriors, neatly arranged in the battle order of the time, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. This afternoon, visit Xian’s ancient City Wall and ornate Big Wild Goose Pagoda before ending the day with a Tang Dynasty Dinner Show this evening. (B,L,D)

Take a flight to Shanghai, China’s largest city, after breakfast this morning. Located where the Yangtze River empties into the East China Sea, and sometimes referred to as the `Pearl of the Orient’, this exciting city mixes 21st-century skyscrapers with elegant 1930s architecture, old world teahouses and traditional pagodas and pavilions. See its highlights on our sightseeing tour, taking in everything from the handsome Bund waterfront to the City God Temple Bazaar and the teeming shopping avenue of Nanjing Road. After dinner tonight, sit down to a thrilling Chinese Acrobatic Show. (B,D)

After breakfast, set out on a sightseeing tour along the Bund, Shanghai’s riverside boulevard. Lined by grand colonial buildings built by foreign powers in the 1930s and 1940s, this imperious promenade bustles with activity and affords stirring views over the glass high-rises of the Pudong district. After exploring here, continue your sightseeing at Shanghai Museum where you’ll view its fascinating collections of Chinese art and antiquities. The rest of the afternoon is free to spend as you wish. (B)

A free day today gives you the opportunity to explore dynamic Shanghai independently, perhaps browsing for souvenirs and enjoying its tempting restaurants. Alternatively, book our optional excursion to Suzhou, often called the `Venice of the East’. Strategically situated on ancient trade route, Suzhou has been an epicenter of silk production for centuries and serves up photogenic canals, stone bridges and ornamental gardens. Discover its highlights on a guided tour, which includes a cruise on the Grand Canal and time at the Master of the Nets Garden and a silk factory. (B)

Bid a fond farewell to China as you board your homebound international flight. Re-cross the expansive Pacific Ocean once again to arrive back in the United States. (B)