7 Days China Tour to Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou & Zhouzhuang Tour

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Beijing Arrival
   Arrival, Free activities

   Your private guide will meet you at Beijing Capital Airport or Railway Station. After being transferred to your hotel, please enjoy your first-day free time in Beijing—perhaps have a taste of Peking duck at a nearby restaurant or stroll along nearby bustling shopping streets.

   Accommodation: Downtown Beijing

2. Day 2: Beijing: Heart of the Nation
   Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, Summer Palace

   Your first stop in Beijing is the Tiananmen Square, one of the world’s largest public squares. It has witnessed numerous key national moments. Take some photos, and from there, cross through the grand gates to go into the Forbidden City. It’s a sprawling complex of scarlet walls and golden roofs, all the architectures are splendid and awe-inspiring. While walking in the palaces, you’ll probably grab a sense of tracing the emperors’ steps, and the rich and profound history will come vividly eyes.

   

   Next, your guide will take you to climb up to theJingshan Park for a panoramic view of the Forbidden City and the cityscape of Beijing. Then journey west to the Summer Palace, where you’ll boat on Kunming Lake, stroll the Long Corridor’s painted panels, and visit the Seventeen-Arch Bridge.

   

   It’s time to spend your time freely, but there are also optional activities provided, however, they will be at your own expense: watch a Kung Fu performance at the Red Theatre or Beijing Opera at Liyuan Theatre.

   Accommodation: Downtown Beijing

3. Day 3: Great Wall & Olympic Legacy
   Mutianyu Great Wall, Sacred Way (Ming Tombs), Bird’s Nest, Water Cube

   We’ll make an early start to the Mutianyu Great Wall. You can reach to the top of mountain via either cable car or hiking up by yourself. The wall here is w-preserved, with watchtowers dotting the stone battlements. As it’s less crowed than other sites, so take your time, you’ve got plenty of space to capture photos of this ancient wonder.

   

   In the afternoon, visit the Sacred Way which leads to the Ming Tombs. This ancient stone pathway, with towering statues on two sides, has once served as the ceremonial route for emperors to pay respects to ancestors. As you walk between the silent stone guardians, you'll feel transported back to Ming Dynasty.

   On returning to Beijing, pause at the Bird's Nest and Water Cube to see these iconic Olympic venues.

   Accommodation: Downtown Beijing

   

4. Day 4: Temple of Heaven & Hutong Rickshaw → Fly to Shanghai
   Temple of Heaven, Beijing Hutongs (rickshaw), Airport Transfer → Shanghai

   On our last day in Beijing, we'll first visit the Temple of Heaven, where ancient emperors used to hold ceremonies to pray for heavenly blessings for good harvests. As we explore this UNESCO World Heritage site, you'll discover how its circular architecture symbolizes the connection between heaven and earth.

   Then spend some time in walking in nearby parks where locals practice their everyday routines, such as tai chi or challenge each other in a Chinese chess game. Feel free to watch or even join in them!

   

   Step back in time as we explore Beijing's hutongs. We’ll wind through narrow lanes lined with siheyuan courtyard homes, where generations of families have lived here together. Many people’s neighborhood life unfold here - street vendors preparing snacks to residents chatting under century-old trees, just the same as decades ago. We'll stop at a local family's courtyard to learn about hutong architecture and traditions over tea.

   After all the visiting, it’ll the time to fly to Shanghai. After arrived, your Shanghai guide will meet you at the airport and later he/she will assist you with hotel check-in. Then you can enjoy the evening at leisure, maybe you would like to walk along the Bund to see the city's dazzling skyline.

   Accommodation: Downtown Shanghai

   

5. Day 5: Shanghai’s Urban Tapestry
   Shanghai Museum, Wukang Road, Shanghai World Financial Center, Nanjing Road , The Bund

   Your Shanghai tour begins at the Shanghai Museum. It exhibits some of China's finest ancient artifacts. Your expert guide will tell you the stories of the highlights among 120,000 treasures, from delicate Ming porcelain to ancient bronze ritual vessels. Don't miss the coin collection tracing 3,000 years of Chinese commerce.

   Walk down Wukang Road in the former French Concession, where plane trees shade elegant 1920s villas. Go deeper into hidden courtyards and you’ll learn about the writers, artists and revolutionaries who once lived here.

   

   Ascend the 100th floor of Shanghai World Financial Center for a breathtaking bird’s-eye view. If you’re brave enough, you can try to walk the glass-bottomed observation deck. Then explore the neon-lit shops of Nanjing Road and the colonial façades of the Bund at golden hour.

   

   Evening (optional): Take a nighttime cruise on the Huangpu River to see Lujiazui’s skyline shimmer.

   Accommodation: Downtown Shanghai

6. Day 6: Suzhou Classical Gardens
   Lingering Garden, Shantang Ancient Street, Tiger Hill, Suzhou No.1 Silk Factory → Return to Shanghai

   After a 1.5-hour drive to Suzhou, we’ll enter the tranquil world of Lingering Garden, where Ming Dynasty designers created perfect harmony between pavilions, rockeries and water. Listen for the "singing" sound of the garden's special musical stones.

   

   Then we are going to wander the nearby canal-side shops of Shantang Ancient Street, tasting local snacks and riding a small sampan. Next, exploreTiger Hill, home to Suzhou's leaning pagoda and numerous historical sites. Let’s go and see its famed leaning pagoda.

   

   We'll conclude at the Suzhou No.1 Silk Factory, where you can witness the entire silk production process from live silkworms to shimmering fabrics. Lastly, we’ll return to Shanghai in the evening.

   Accommodation: Downtown Shanghai

   

7. Day 7: Zhouzhuang Water Town & Departure
   Zhouzhuang Water Town (Double Bridge, Shen’s Residence, Cultural Street), Transfer to Shanghai Departure Point

   Our final morning starts with Zhouzhuang, which is often called the “Venice of the East”. This 900-year-old water town attracts visitors with its stone bridges arching over canals and Ming-era residences. Cross the Double Bridge, tour Shen’s Residence, and browse artisan stalls along Cultural Street.

   

   This tour will finally be concluded with afternoon transfer to Shanghai's airport or train station. Hope you’ll travel with vivid memories of imperial Beijing, futuristic Shanghai, and Jiangnan’s timeless waterways, and we wish you a happy and safe journey.