Essential China : Beijing, Suzhou & Shanghai

Arrival at Beijing International Airport. Welcome by your guide, then transfer and check-in at a 5-star hotel in Beijing. Free time and dinner on your own.
Xiyuan hotel Beijing***** or similar

Breakfast，Lunch
After breakfast at the hotel, departure for a visit to Tian An Men Square, the largest public square in the world. Located in the heart of the city, it was the main gate to the Imperial Palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Facing the Forbidden City (closed on Mondays), the vast Tian An Men Square stretches over nearly 40 hectares. To the north, the red wall of the Forbidden City rises on both sides of the imposing Tian An Men Gate.

Visit of the Forbidden City, also known as the Imperial Palace, which the Chinese themselves call the “Red City.” It was the residence of 24 emperors. Covering an area of 72 hectares, it contains more than 9,000 rooms. The former imperial city was once surrounded by walls. After the fall of the empire in 1912, the Forbidden City gradually opened to the public.

After lunch, visit the Temple of Heaven. In the 15th century, during the Ming dynasty, altars were built to the south, north, east, and west of Beijing to offer sacrifices to Heaven, Earth, the Sun, and the Moon. Under the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), the site was expanded to become the largest sanctuary in China. It covers an area of 273 hectares and is one of the most beautiful architectural complexes due to its highly symbolic design, the harmony of its colors, and the perfect proportions of its buildings.

Dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel.
Xiyuan hotel Beijing***** or similar

Breakfast，Lunch，Dinner
In the morning, after breakfast, visit the Summer Palace, which was the former imperial garden during the Qing dynasty. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Summer Palace is renowned for its natural beauty and the grandeur of its royal gardens. The entire complex covers an area of nearly 2.7 km².

After lunch, visit the Lama Temple, the largest Tibetan temple in Beijing and one of the best preserved in China. Also known as Yonghe Temple, it boasts over 300 years of history and holds three world records: the largest wooden Buddha; bronze Buddhas of the past, present, and future; and the Hill of 500 Arhats.

Take part in a cultural workshop on Chinese tea art and culture.

After dinner at a local restaurant, transfer back to hotel.
Xiyuan hotel Beijing***** or similar

Breakfast，Lunch，Dinner
After breakfast, visit the Great Wall at Juyongguan, located in the Changping District. Its name dates back to the Qin dynasty. At the time, Qin Shi Huang’s soldiers had to build this section of the Great Wall. Low-cost labor was used, including immigrant workers and convicted criminals.

After lunch, transfer to the train station to board a high-speed train to Suzhou.

Visit Suzhou, often referred to as the “Venice of the East,” with its ancient city crossed by many canals. It is one of the oldest cities in the Yangtze River basin and is also known as the Silk Capital of China.

After dinner at a local restaurant, transfer and check-in at the hotel.
New City Garden Hotel***** or similar

Breakfast，Lunch
After breakfast, visit the Suzhou Museum (closed on Mondays), located near the famous Humble Administrator’s Garden. This modern museum was designed by award-winning Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei. It features over 15,000 exhibits, ranging from calligraphy and ancient paintings to cultural relics and wooden sculptures — offering deep insights into Suzhou’s history and culture.

After lunch, visit Liu Garden, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of China’s most famous and beautiful classical gardens, renowned for its artistic integration of architectural elements.

Continue on the way to Zhujiajiao Water Town, known for its charming old streets lined with traditional wooden houses. The town is full of souvenir shops and local food vendors offering specialties like lacquered pork feet, grilled rice with bacon wrapped in banana leaves, live crabs, and a variety of desserts.

Dinner on your own.

Optional: Huangpu River Dinner Cruise
Jinling Purple Mountain Hotel Shanghai***** or similar

Breakfast，Lunch
After breakfast, visit the Shanghai Museum (closed on Mondays), which houses impressive collections illustrating the evolution of Chinese art in chronological order. Its eleven galleries feature top-tier collections of paintings, bronzes, sculptures, ceramics, calligraphy, jades, Ming and Qing dynasty furniture, coins, seals, and ethnic minority art.

After lunch, visit Yu Garden, built in the 16th century. Its rounded shapes are meant to symbolize the heavens, with winding paths, circular pavilion doors, and symbolic elements. Hills, streams, and ponds represent a miniature version of the world.

Finish the day with a visit to the Jade Buddha Temple (Yufosi), home to two magnificent jade Buddha statues.

Then visit a silk workshop to learn about the ancient history of Chinese silk.

Dinner on your own.

Optional: Dinner and Chinese acrobatic show
Jinling Purple Mountain Hotel Shanghai***** or similar

Breakfast，Lunch
After breakfast, enjoy a walk along the Bund. Now called Zhongshan Donglu, or “Sun Yat-sen East Road,” this boulevard runs along the Huangpu River and was once the landing dock for travelers as well as the site of the first Western settlements in the mid-19th century.
Lunch included.

Visit the Old Town of Shanghai. This historic district is an enclave within the ultra-modern city and offers the chance to admire buildings with typical Chinese architecture from various dynasties.

Continue with a visit to the former foreign concessions of Shanghai. The French Concession is a historic area in central Shanghai, named after the Second Opium War. At that time, it was governed by the French as though it were part of France, with its own laws.

Transfer to the hotel. Dinner at your leisure.
Jinling Purple Mountain Hotel Shanghai***** or similar

Breakfast
Breakfast at the hotel. Free time.

Depending on your flight schedule, transfer to the airport for your flight back to London.