Classic China · Beijing — Xi’an — Shanghai
The three cities that explain China — imperial Beijing, Tang-dynasty Xi’an and future-facing Shanghai — with the distances handled by high-speed rail, and each day paced for one great thing in the morning and one in the afternoon.
Day by day
Every departure is private, so think of this as a starting sketch we adjust around your pace and interests.
Private airport welcome and transfer. No sightseeing today — a hutong courtyard dinner near your hotel, and an hour with your guide to set up mobile payments and the week ahead.
The Forbidden City with a guide who tells it as history, not a list of halls; the view over the rooftops from Jingshan hill; an unhurried walk through a living hutong with a long-time resident.
Early departure for the Mutianyu section, arriving before the crowds. Afternoon back in the city: the Temple of Heaven in the hour locals use it, or the 798 art district if that’s more you.
Morning train west, first-class seats, station navigation handled. Evening walk in the Muslim Quarter — the city’s Silk Road heritage on a plate.
The warriors with real time to look, then the Ming city wall by bike before dusk. Dinner: a dumpling house that locals queue for.
Morning flight (or rail, if you prefer the ground-level view). Arrive in time for the Bund at dusk — the twenty-first century on one bank, the nineteenth on the other.
Yu Garden and the old town before the tour buses; the French Concession’s plane-tree streets on foot; an architecture thread from Art Deco to the Lujiazui skyline.
Half a day in Zhujiajiao water town while the morning mist is still on the canals. Evening optional: jazz at the Peace Hotel, a Shanghai institution since 1929.
Tai chi in Fuxing Park with the morning regulars, a wet market with your guide, and a hands-on cooking class — or a free day by design. Your call.
Private transfer to the airport, timed generously. We stay reachable until you’re home.
Indicative pricing
| Party | Guide price, per person | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| 2 travellers | from €3,800 | Boutique 4-star hotels, one room |
| 4 travellers | from €3,300 | Boutique 4-star hotels, two rooms |
| 6 travellers | on request | Rooming to suit your party |
Nine nights’ boutique accommodation with breakfast · private English-speaking guide in each city · private car and driver for transfers and touring · first-class rail and domestic flight as described · all entrance tickets and reservations · daily support from our operations team · a working mobile payment setup and local SIM/eSIM advice.
International flights · lunches and dinners (your guide eats with you and orders for the table; we recommend budgeting €50–80 per person per day for very good meals) · travel insurance (required) · personal spending · gratuities, entirely at your discretion.
Make it yours
We reply within one working day with honest thoughts on routing, season and what we’d change for you.