China itinerary, day by day

The imperial capital of the Ming and Qing. The Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square sit at its centre, and the Great Wall runs along the hills about ninety minutes north.

• The Great Wall at Mutianyu, guidedFull day · from €65

  A restored stretch of the Ming wall, quieter than Badaling, with a cable car up and a toboggan down if you want one.

  Book on GetYourGuide →
• The Forbidden City and Tiananmen SquareHalf day · from €30

  The palace of twenty-four emperors, walked from south to north, after the square that fronts it. Tickets are timed and must be booked ahead with your passport.

  Book on GetYourGuide →
• The Temple of Heaven park, with tai chi at dawn2h · from €5

  The park and its temples, where locals practise tai chi at dawn; a through ticket covers the Hall of Prayer.

  Book on GetYourGuide →
• Jingshan Park and its view over the Forbidden City1h · from €1

  A small hill park with the best view over the roofs of the Forbidden City, for a token fee.

  Book on GetYourGuide →

The eastern end of the Silk Road and capital of a dozen dynasties. Outside town, the Terracotta Army has guarded the tomb of the first emperor since around 210 BC.

• The Terracotta Army, guidedHalf day · from €45

  Thousands of life-size clay soldiers, each face different, standing in the pits where farmers found them in 1974.

  Book on GetYourGuide →
• Cycling the city walls2h · from €15

  Fourteen kilometres of Ming ramparts, wide enough to ride the whole loop around the old city.

  Book on GetYourGuide →

The old banks and trading houses of the Bund face the towers of Pudong across the Huangpu, and the plane trees of the former French Concession shade the streets behind.

• Huangpu River cruise1h30 · from €30

  An evening on the river between the lit-up Bund and the towers of Pudong.

  Book on GetYourGuide →
• Shanghai Tower observation deck2h · from €35

  The observation floor of China's tallest building, more than 500 metres above the river.

  Book on GetYourGuide →
• Yu Garden1h30 · from €5

  A classical Ming garden of pavilions, rockeries and ponds in the old town.

  Book on GetYourGuide →

The imperial capital of the Ming and Qing. The Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square sit at its centre, and the Great Wall runs along the hills about ninety minutes north.

• The Great Wall at Mutianyu, guidedFull day · from €65

  A restored stretch of the Ming wall, quieter than Badaling, with a cable car up and a toboggan down if you want one.

  Book on GetYourGuide →
• The Forbidden City and Tiananmen SquareHalf day · from €30

  The palace of twenty-four emperors, walked from south to north, after the square that fronts it. Tickets are timed and must be booked ahead with your passport.

  Book on GetYourGuide →
• The Temple of Heaven park, with tai chi at dawn2h · from €5

  The park and its temples, where locals practise tai chi at dawn; a through ticket covers the Hall of Prayer.

  Book on GetYourGuide →
• Jingshan Park and its view over the Forbidden City1h · from €1

  A small hill park with the best view over the roofs of the Forbidden City, for a token fee.

  Book on GetYourGuide →

The eastern end of the Silk Road and capital of a dozen dynasties. Outside town, the Terracotta Army has guarded the tomb of the first emperor since around 210 BC.

• The Terracotta Army, guidedHalf day · from €45

  Thousands of life-size clay soldiers, each face different, standing in the pits where farmers found them in 1974.

  Book on GetYourGuide →
• Cycling the city walls2h · from €15

  Fourteen kilometres of Ming ramparts, wide enough to ride the whole loop around the old city.

  Book on GetYourGuide →

The old banks and trading houses of the Bund face the towers of Pudong across the Huangpu, and the plane trees of the former French Concession shade the streets behind.

• Huangpu River cruise1h30 · from €30

  An evening on the river between the lit-up Bund and the towers of Pudong.

  Book on GetYourGuide →
• Shanghai Tower observation deck2h · from €35

  The observation floor of China's tallest building, more than 500 metres above the river.

  Book on GetYourGuide →
• Yu Garden1h30 · from €5

  A classical Ming garden of pavilions, rockeries and ponds in the old town.

  Book on GetYourGuide →

Karst peaks rise along the Li River all the way to Yangshuo, the landscape printed on the back of the 20 yuan note.

• Li River cruiseHalf day · from €45

  Down the river from Guilin towards Yangshuo, between the karst peaks of the 20 yuan note.

  Book on GetYourGuide →
• Cycling the Yangshuo countrysideHalf day · from €20

  Back roads through rice fields and villages along the Yulong River, under the peaks.

  Book on GetYourGuide →