China First Time Classic: Beijing, Xi’an & Shanghai

Day 1

Arrive in Beijing, Hotel Check In

On arrival in Beijing, you’ll be met and welcomed by your guide at the airport arrival hall, then transferred in comfort to your hotel, Grand Hyatt Beijing, a 5* hotel, where you will be staying for the next 3 nights. Take time to refresh after your flight and ease into the city’s atmosphere. The remainder of the day is free for rest or a gentle first walk nearby.

Overnight: Beijing

Day 2

Beijing City Highlights

After breakfast Our guide will meet you up at the hotel lobby. Today brings you into the heart of the capital. Begin at Tiananmen Square, a landmark of modern China, then continue into the Forbidden City, the vast imperial complex that once housed emperors for centuries. Later, explore the older soul of Beijing with a rickshaw ride through the hutongs, where courtyard homes and narrow lanes preserve the city’s traditional rhythm. Your day concludes at the graceful Temple of Heaven, where emperors once came to pray for good harvests, an enduring symbol of Beijing’s ceremonial past.

Overnight: Beijing

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 3

The Great Wall and the Ming Tombs

Once you have finished breakfast, your guide will be waiting for you in the hotel lobby. Leave the city behind for a memorable visit to the Great Wall at Mutianyu, a scenic and beautifully restored section known for its dramatic watchtowers and sweeping views. After time on the Wall, continue to the Ming Tombs, stopping at Changling, the impressive mausoleum of Emperor Yongle and Empress Xu, set within a tranquil landscape. On the return journey, pause at a residential park to observe everyday life, offering a quieter and more local perspective away from the main tourist corridors. Optional evening, consider a Kung Fu show or Beijing Opera to add a cultural flourish to your night.

Overnight: Beijing

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 4

Summer Palace and High Speed Train to Xi’an

After breakfast, you will have enough time to pack, then your guide will meet you in the hotel lobby. Start the day at the Summer Palace, the former imperial retreat of lakeside pavilions, landscaped gardens, and shaded walkways stretching around Kunming Lake. After your visit, you’ll transfer to the station and board the high-speed train to Xi’an, travelling comfortably across China’s changing landscapes. On arrival, enjoy a private transfer to your hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, Xi’an, a 5* hotel, where you will be staying for the next 2 nights, and settle in for the evening.

Overnight: Xi’an

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 5

Terracotta Warriors and Xi’an Landmarks

Following breakfast, meet your guide in the hotel lobby to begin the day’s programme.  A highlight of any first visit to China, today is dedicated to Xi’an’s most famous treasure, the Terracotta Warriors. Seeing the scale and detail of the army in person is unforgettable, each figure unique, frozen in time for over two thousand years. Continue to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, a significant monument linked to the introduction of Buddhist texts into China. Later, visit Xi’an’s ancient City Wall, one of the best preserved fortifications in the country, still encircling the historic centre and offering a powerful sense of the city’s former importance.

Overnight: Xi’an

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 6

Xi’an to Shanghai

After breakfast, enjoy time to pack and check out, then meet your guide in the hotel lobby for your onward travel.  Begin with a visit to the Great Mosque and a walk through the vibrant Muslim Quarter, where centuries of trade and culture have shaped a distinctive local identity. In the afternoon, you’ll fly to Shanghai and transfer into the city. On arrival, check in to your hotel, Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund, a 5* hotel, where you will be staying for the next 2 nights. This evening, take a relaxed stroll along The Bund, Shanghai’s iconic waterfront promenade, where colonial era architecture faces the luminous skyline of Pudong across the river. You’ll also have time to explore Nanjing Road before returning to your hotel.

Overnight: Shanghai

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 7

Shanghai City Tour

After breakfast, meet your guide at the hotel lobby and begin at Yu Garden, a refined classical garden created as a private retreat during the Ming era, filled with rockeries, ponds, bridges, and elegant pavilions. Continue to the Shanghai Museum, widely regarded for the quality of its collections and cultural artefacts. Later, ascend Shanghai Tower for panoramic views that reveal the city’s extraordinary scale. End your day in Zhangyuan, a revitalised neighbourhood of historic shikumen lanes, where Shanghai’s architectural heritage has been reimagined with a contemporary edge.

Overnight: Shanghai

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 8

Depart Shanghai

After breakfast, enjoy a comfortable transfer to the airport for your onward flight home, bringing your Classic China journey to a close. Sit back, relax, and savour the memories of your travels. We look forward to creating your next adventure, wherever it may take you.

Meals included: Breakfast