9 Full Days Affordable China: Beijing, Xian, Shanghai

Day 1: Heart of the Empire — From Imperial Courtyards to Historic Hutong Alleys

1. The Palace Museum
   4h · Admission ticket included
   The magnificent Forbidden City is the largest Imperial Palace in the world. You’ll spend a couple of hours wandering around this amazing example of Imperial architecture and learning about the history of the palace.
2. Jingshan Park
   1h · Admission ticket included
   You will climb to the top pavilion to get a fabulous panoramic view of Forbidden City.
3. Beihai Park (Beihai Gongyuan)
   2h · Admission ticket included
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4. Hutong Tour
   20m
   There are many Hutongs in Beijing. One of the most famouse Hutong is Nanluoguxiang Hutong: Transition from imperial elegance to local street life. This 800-meter-long pedestrian lane is one of Beijing’s oldest and most famous hutongs (ancient alleyway neighborhoods). Dating back to the Yuan Dynasty, it seamlessly blends vintage gray-brick courtyard residences (siheyuan) with trendy boutique shops, indie cafes, and affordable street food stalls.
5. Bell and Drum Towers
   30m · Admission ticket included
   Conclude your day at this striking historic square. These towering structures served as the official timekeepers of the capital during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing eras. You will admire their imposing ancient architecture, which stands as a proud anchor at the northern end of Beijing's traditional central axis.

Day 2: The Great Ascent & Avant-Garde Art — Conquering Mutianyu to the Galleries of 798

1. Mutianyu Great Wall
   4h · Admission ticket included
   1.5hours driving to visit the Mutianyu Great Wall in the morning. This place is the most famous and ideal section of the Great Wall. You will take a chairlift up to the breathtaking wall and spend a leisurely 1 to 2 hours hiking up and down the various sections exploring the Watch Towers and marveling at the construction and beauty of the renown and legendary Wall. You then will take an exhilarating toboggan ride back down from the top of the Great Wall.
2. 798 Art Zone
   1h
   It's China’s most progressive artistic precinct. It's a hotspot of modern art, culture and design.

Day 3: Royal Retreats & Sacred Chants — The Grand Summer Palace to the Golden Lama Temple

1. Summer Palace
   3h · Admission ticket included
   Morning you will go to visit Summer Palace, a summer resort for imperial family members. It is considered the best preserved Imperial Park.
   Summer Palace has been listed in the World Heritage Sites, originally named Qingyi Yuan or the Garden of Clear Ripples, was the first constructed in 1750. It was razed to the ground by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860. The Government of Qing Dynasty rebuilt it in 1886 with funds that it had misappropriated from the Imperial Navy and other sources then 2 years later, renamed as Yihe Yuan or the Garden of Health and Harmony, it was ravaged by the Allied Forces of the Eight Powers that invaded China in 1900.
   You can visit the court area, lake area, long corridor etc.
2. Lama Temple (Yonghegong)
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Lama Temple also known as Yonghe Temple, Harmony and Peace Palace Lamasery, Yonghe Lamasery is located at the northeast corner of Beijing City, considered as the largest and most perfectly preserved lamasery in present day China.

Day 4: Celestial Echoes & Bullet Train Speed — The Temple of Heaven to Ancient Xi'an (Overnight in Xi'an)

1. Temple of Heaven
   2h · Admission ticket included
   It's the largest Imperial place of worship from ancient times. This special place becomes a park where the local community utilizes this beautiful and enormous space for social activities such as singing, dancing, and Taiji practice.
2. Beijing West Railway Station
   4h · Admission ticket included
   It takes about 4.5 hours from Beijing to Xi'an by a fast train. Your guide will help you to get your ticket easily.
   Please NOTE, this night you will be at Xi'an city. So please book a hotel in advance in Xi'an for this night for yourself.

Day 5: Sentinels of Clay & Bustling Bazaars — Unearthing the Terracotta Army to the Muslim Quarter

1. The Museum of Qin Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses
   3h · Admission ticket included
   It was while digging wells on the outskirts of Xi'an in the 1970s that farmers stumbled across what was to be China's most important archeological find: the Terracotta Army. Distributed over three large underground pits and built to guard the First Emperor's tomb were more than 8,000 life-size warriors, some 520 horses, and more than 100 chariots, along with numerous other non-military characters dating from around 280 BC.
2. Muslim Quarter
   40m
   It's a food street. The Chinese hamburger is a must-eat food here.
3. Xi'an City Wall
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Xi'an City Wall has been guarding the inner city for 600 years.
   Bicycle riding on the top of the wall is a popular activity. If the weather is good, why don't you give it a try.

Day 6: Dynastic Deep Dive — Unveiling Ancient Silk Road Treasures to the Tomb of Jingdi

1. Shaanxi History Museum
   3h · Admission ticket included
   It's one of the first huge state museums with modern facilities in China and one of the largest. The museum houses over 370,000 items, including murals, paintings, pottery, coins, as well as bronze, gold, and silver objects. The modern museum was built between 1983 and 2001 and its appearance recalls the architectural style of the Tang Dynasty.
2. Tomb of Emperor Jingdi (Hanyangling)
   3h · Admission ticket included
   It is the mausoleum of Emperor Jing, the sixth emperor of the Western Han Dynasty and his Empress Wang.
   The Han Yang Ling is composed of two large burial mounds, 86 smaller burial pits and a criminals' graveyard. The site today also hosts a museum. The larger of the two mounds is the burial place of the Jing Emperor, it sits next to the slightly smaller mound of his Empress Wang.

Day 7: Sacred Pagodas & Coastal Flight — Historic Xi'an Traditions to Neon Shanghai (Overnight in Shanghai)

1. Xi'an Museum
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Xi'an have a long history and it was a very important city in China for long years. So the museums are a lot in this city.
2. Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
   1h · Admission ticket included
   Fully functioning buddhist temple with numerous buildings containing statutes and alters set in a pretty garden area. Plenty of beautiful photo opportunities.
3. 2h
   20kg free check-in luggage.

Day 8: Heritage Grid to Sci-Fi Horizons — Classic Shanghai Masterpieces to Megatall Heights

1. Shanghai Museum (Shanghai Bowuguan)
   2h · Admission ticket included
   This elegant museum, opened in 1996, features eleven state-of-the-art galleries housing China’s international-standard exhibits of bronzes, paintings, sculpture, ceramics, jade and Ming and Qing dynasty furniture.
2. Yu Garden
   2h · Admission ticket included
   Yu Garden presents exquisite examples of traditional landscaping.
3. The Bund (Wai Tan)
   40m
   A remarkable act of smart city planning and preservation can be seen in Shanghai's splendid riverside promenade, the Zhongshan Lu, perhaps better known as the Bund (Wàitan). As you stroll this wide pedestrian zone along the Huangpu Jiang River, you'll almost forget you're bang-smack in the middle of China's largest city (Shanghai's population exceeds 24 million people).
4. Huangpu River
   20m
   When you see the Bund you will see this river at the same time. This river divided the City into two parts. They are Puxi side (west, with old historic buildings) and Pudong side (east with mordern skyscrapers).
5. Shanghai Tower
   1h · Admission ticket included
   Shanghai Tower is the world's second-tallest building by height to architectural top. The first is Burj Khalifa. Get to the top of Shanghai Tower and get a panorama view of Shanghai city. It having the world's highest observation deck within a building or structure at 562m.
6. Yuyuan Old Street
   30m
   Yuyuan Old Street is a free, bustling pedestrian bazaar in Shanghai designed in traditional Ming and Qing dynasty architectural styles, featuring dramatic swooping roofs, grand archways, and vibrant alleys packed with commercial energy. As an open-air marketplace, it serves as a legendary street-food hub where crowds line up for authentic pan-fried pork buns and steaming soup dumplings (Recommend food stall: Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant), alongside narrow paths filled with vendors selling traditional crafts like silk, hand-painted fans, and jade jewelry.

Day 9: Ancient Waterways & Artisan Lanes — The Canals of Zhujiajiao to bohemian Tian Zi Fang

1. Zhujiajiao Ancient Town
   5h
   Venice of the East: Meet your driver for a comfortable ride out to Zhujiajiao Ancient Town, a picturesque water village networked by historic canals and 36 ancient stone bridges. Board a traditional, hand-rowed wooden gondola to drift past weeping willows and historical riverside homes. Enjoy an authentic waterfront lunch featuring local specialties like braised pork wrapped in bamboo leaves.
2. Tian Zi Fang
   2h
   (You have choice of visiting this or The Humanoid Robort.) Bohemian Art & Cafes: End your tour in the French Concession at Tian Zi Fang. This trendy arts district successfully adapted historic 1930s residential alleys into a maze of creativity. Wander through narrow lanes lined with indie craft boutiques, local art studios, tea concept stores, and cozy cocktail bars—an ideal place to find custom, handmade souvenirs.
3. Putuo
   Pass by
   If you don't like visit Tianzifang, you can choose to do this Interactive Humanoid Robot Experience: Head back into the city for an exclusive tech experience inside a premier AI showcase and robotics lab. Get hands-on by operating a state-of-the-art humanoid robot and taking a robot dog for a walk. You will control these advanced machines, see them mirror human movements, interact with voice-activated AI units, and witness the incredible frontier of robotics firsthand.

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• This tour is for solo traveler. However if your group of two persons have no more than 2 check-in luggage totally, and can be put into the trunk of a small taxi, then this tour is available for 2 persons as well.