Tour Itinerary
Hotel Summary
Beijing: Crowne Plaza Beijing, 48 Wangfujing Avenue, Dongcheng District
Xian: Howard Johnson Hotel Xian, 18 W Section Huancheng S Road
Hangzhou: Zhejiang Hotel, Santaishan Road
Shanghai: Howard Johnson Shanghai Plaza, 595 Jiu Jiang Road
Travel Schedule
November 1 Saturday
Depart USA for Beijing. Flight times depend on your city of departure within the USA. Passengers are responsible for transportation to their USA departure city.
November 2 Sunday
Arrive Beijing, transfer to hotel, free time and dinner. Crown Plaza Beijing Hotel – 3 nights.
November 3 Monday
Your first full day in China’s capital city begins with a visit to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, from which 24 emperors ruled for over 500 years. After lunch, see the Temple of Heaven, a masterpiece of the Ming Dynasty situated in a colorful public park. Shop at the pearl market. Evening performance of Kung Fu. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
November 4 Tuesday
In the morning, tour the Great Wall, China’s most famous landmark that winds for over 3,000 miles through the mountains north of Beijing. Take a cable car to the summit. After lunch, stroll through the Summer Palace, built by the Qing Dynasty, featuring a marble ship and an outdoor corridor decorated with 14,000 scenic paintings. Shop at the jade market. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
November 5 Wednesday
Fly to Xian, transfer to hotel – China’s ancient capital was home to 11 dynasties for over 4,000 years. Walk on the City Wall, the only intact municipal ramparts in China and a major stop on the famed Silk Road. Visit the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, built in 652 AD. Enjoy a historical show and dinner of dumplings, a Shaanxi Province specialty. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Howard Johnson Hotel – 2 nights.
November 6 Thursday
See the Terracotta Army, thousands of life-size pottery figures guarding the burial site of Qin Shi Huangdi, the despotic ruler who unified China 2,200 years ago. After lunch, tour Xian’s famed Drum Tower in the city’s old Muslim Quarter. Shopping opportunities: terracotta figures, lacquered furniture and jade. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
November 7 Friday
Fly to Hangzhou, transfer to hotel – Hangzhou is the city that most Chinese want to visit because of its peaceful landscapes and the classic beauty of West Lake. Marco Polo described it as “the City of Heaven, the most magnificent in the world.” After lunch, you will cruise the lake on a traditional boat, sample the Emperor’s tea at Dragon Well Tea Village and climb the exquisite Leifeng Pagoda for an unparalleled view of the lake. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Zhejiang Hotel – 2 nights.
November 8 Saturday
The day begins at the Lingyin Si Temple, a vast complex that once housed 3,000 monks. Then visit the Hefang Shopping District, which dates back to the Song Dynasty, and tour Hu Qing Yu Tang Museum of traditional Chinese medicine. Shopping opportunities: The Silk Road begins in Hangzhou, which is justly famous for its fine silk. In the afternoon, attend a seminar on traditional Chinese medicine, followed by a special banquet with faculty from Hangzhou Medical College. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
November 9 Sunday
Transfer by motor coach to Shanghai and check into your hotel. After lunch, walk along the Bund and visit the Pearl Tower. Evening cruise on the Huangpu River. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Howard Johnson Plaza – 2 nights.
November 10 Monday
Sightseeing in Shanghai, including the great Shanghai Museum, Yu Garden – perhaps the most famous garden in China – and shopping in one of Shanghai’s famous districts. Evening performance of Shanghai Acrobats. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
November 11 Tuesday
Do some last minute shopping at the silk market or just sleep in. After lunch, head for Shanghai’s Pu Dong Airport to board your return flight to Boston. (Note: Passengers returning to a USA city other than Boston may depart Shanghai in the morning.) Breakfast and lunch.