8 Days Beijing Xian Shanghai Group Tour

Day-by-day Itinerary

1. Day 1: Beijing Arrival

   Hello! Welcome to our 8-day classic Beijing Xian Shanghai group tour! Upon arrival in Beijing, a local driver will hold a welcome sign waiting for you at the exit. Then transfer you to the hotel in the downtown area. The rest of the day is yours to explore at your own pace. You might try famous Beijing dishes like Peking Duck, stroll through a park to see local life, or enjoy a relaxing foot massage.

   Meal: N/A

   Accommodation: in Beijing

2. Day 2: Beijing City Highlights
   ‌Trace Imperial Glory from Forbidden City to Summer Palace

   Around 7 am to 8 am, your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel to visit the world's largest city square, Tiananmen Square. There are many meaningful buildings here, including the Monument to the People's Heroes, the Mao Zedong Memorial Hall, and the National Museum. You will spend about an hour here to learn about some important events.

   Afterwards, walk for about 10 minutes to reach the Forbidden City, the world's largest wooden structure ancient architectural complex. Follow the guide along the central axis to explore core buildings such as the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Palace of Heavenly Purity, and imperial garden, and listen to the daily life of Ming and Qing emperors. Red walled and yellow tiled buildings are great filming materials.

   

   After lunch, you will be taken to visit the Temple of Heaven. This is the place where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties held sacrificial activities. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (with triple eaves covered with blue glazed tiles) and the Echo Wall are the highlights. There is a park around where you can see locals taking walks, exercising, and performing musical instruments.

   The last stop today is the Summer Palace, the most well preserved royal garden in China. The Long Corridor and Seventeen Arch Bridge are must see attractions here. Among them, there are 273 galleries in the long corridor, painted with more than 8000 colored paintings, with a total length of 728 meters. In 1990, it was rated as the longest gallery in the world by the Guinness World Records. Today we will take you to visit a pearl factory at an appropriate time to learn about pearl farming and processing techniques.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: in Beijing

3. Day 3: Beijing Great Wall Tour of China
   Conquer Mutianyu's Towers through Four-season Splendor

   After breakfast, the guide takes you to Mutianyu Great Wall, the "essence section of the Great Wall", which is famous for its well-preserved and dense towers. You can take the cable car directly to enemy building No. 14 to save energy.

   Mutianyu boasts beautiful scenery throughout the four seasons. In spring, when the mountain flowers are in full bloom, the 20 enemy buildings are particularly magnificent under the shade of apricot blossoms; Summer is full of lush greenery, allowing you to experience the visual shock of 'Green Dragon'; In autumn, the layered forests are dyed; In winter, snow covers the walls. You will tour for 3 hours, focusing on viewing characteristic enemy buildings such as Zhengguantai.

   Afterwards, you will be transferred to a jade workshop to learn about jade mining and carving techniques. After the trip is over, drive back to your hotel for a good rest.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Beijing

   

4. Day 4: Beijing Train to Xian, Food Tour
   Discover The Heart of Xi’an and Enjoy Tasty Local Snacks

   After breakfast, you will be transferred from your hotel to Beijing West Station for a high-speed train to Xi'an. After arrival, the driver in Xi'an will pick you up and send you to the hotel in the city center for check-in.

   In the late afternoon, the tour guide will meet you in the hotel lobby and take you to visit the most central area of Xi'an - the Bell and Drum Tower Square. It becomes very lively here in the evening. To the west of the square stands the largest Drum Tower in the country, while to the east is the Bell Tower with a history of over six hundred years. You will learn about their role in ancient times. Next to the square is the Muslim Quarter, where you can see a dazzling variety of food, from beef and mutton to carbohydrate foods, such as Pita bread soaked in Lamb Soup, Roujiamo, soup dumplings, Liangpi, and beef skewers. Carefully taste their flavors and pick your favorite one! After the food tour, escort you back to your hotel.

   Meal: Breakfast + Snacks

   Accommodation: in Xi’an

   

5. Day 5: Xian Essence Exploration
   See Famous Historic Landmarks and Tang-Style Building Complex

   From 8:00 to 9:00 in the morning, the guide will take you on a cultural tour of Xi'an and drive for one hour to the World Miracle - Terra Cotta Warriors. Firstly, we will visit the Terra-Cotta Replication Factory (about 40 minutes), where we can witness firsthand the entire process of craftsmen replicating pottery figurines using traditional techniques. Later, we visit three pits of the Terracotta Army in depth (about 2 hours). In Pit 1, be amazed by the military momentum of more than 8000 life size terracotta figures. In Pit 2, we can see exquisite products such as kneeling and shooting terracotta figures. In Pit 3 are the pattern of ancient military headquarters.

   After lunch, return to the city center and visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Located within the Daci’en Temple, this tower was built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) to store Buddha statues and scriptures brought back from India. The pagoda was originally five stories, but later rebuilt and collapsed, becoming the seven-story pagoda, with a height of 64.5 meters. Climbing up to the top (for an additional fee, optional), you can see the music fountain square and panoramic view of the surrounding temple gardens.

   Next to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a lively pedestrian street called Grand Tang Ever-bright City, where you can see Tang-style buildings and rich culture of that era. At the main square, you can enjoy one of Asia’s biggest musical fountain shows. After the visit, you will be driven back.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Xi’an

   

6. Day 6: Xian to Shanghai by High-speed Train
   Stroll Along China’s Largest City Wall and Soak Up Centuries of Cultural Charm

   Today is your last day in Xi'an. In the morning, you will go to visit the Xi'an Museum. This national first-class museum houses 130000 cultural relics. The guide will lead you to focus on the treasures of the museum, such as Tang Dynasty tri colored flying horse and Han Dynasty jade carvings. Through the permanent exhibition, we can systematically understand the evolution history of the ancient capital of the thirteen dynasties. Then walk to the adjacent Small Wild Goose Pagoda. This Tang Dynasty brick tower has withstood many earthquakes and still stands firm. Listen to the legend of the "The Morning Bell Chimes of the Pagoda". Please note that the museum is closed on Mondays.

   After that, climb up the Ming Dynasty City Wall, the largest and best-preserved city wall in the country. You can choose to ride a bike (paid on site) to overlook the panoramic view of the city from the 12-meter-high wall. Shuyuan (Academy) Gate, the final stop in Xian, is a cultural street named after the highest school in Shaanxi during the Ming and Qing dynasties - Guanzhong Academy. The street is filled with the fragrance of Chinese ink. You can find the calligraphy works, paintings, antiques, and handmade souvenirs here.

   After the visit, we drive to the train station for a high-speed train to Shanghai. Upon your arrival, the local driver will pick you up and send you to a city center hotel for check-in.

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: in Shanghai

   

7. Day 7: Shanghai Day Trip
   Glimpse the Modernization, Creativity, and Past of Shanghai

   Meet your guide after breakfast. The first stop of the Shanghai group tour is Yu Garden. This Ming Dynasty Jiangnan garden is famous for its nine curved bridge and exquisite Jade Linglong rockery. You can appreciate architectural details such as carved doors and windows, dragon walls, etc.

   Next take a stroll along the Bund, admiring 52 building complexes. Across the Huangpu River is the skyline of Lujiazui. Then walk along Nanjing Road, called the "First Commercial Street of China," where historic buildings like the Gothic-style Peace Hotel mix with modern shopping malls. After that, go to visit Xintiandi and experience fashion shops and art exhibitions in the renovated Shikumen Alley.

   Visit Jade Buddha Temple in the afternoon. Here, you can see a whole Burmese jade carved reclining Buddha statue and experience the wonderful coexistence of temple incense and urban life. Continuing on to M50 Creative Park. Originally a textile factory, it began to transform into an art and creative park in 2000. In recent years, there have been over 140 artist studios, galleries, and various cultural and creative institutions, and street graffiti can be seen everywhere.

   1000 Trees, actually a building group, is planted with thousands of green plants. The night light show here is particularly dreamy. At the end, you will be transferred to the Mid-lake Pavilion Tea House to experience the tea ceremony.

   Meal: Breakfast + Lunch

   Accommodation: in Shanghai

   

8. Day 8: Departure from Shanghai

   This is the end of your 8 days China Golden Triangle Group Tour. After breakfast, you will be escorted to the airport for departure. Safe travels! Hope to see you on your next China trip with China Xian Tour!

   Meal: Breakfast

   Accommodation: N/A