Hangzhou Holiday Planner. Tailor-made Holidays to Hangzhou in China

Day 1: Beijing

Welcome to China and the start of your holiday! Enjoy an arrival transfer to our hotel, where you sit back and relax after your long flight.

Today we explore the heart of Beijing including the vast Tiananmen Square where Chairman Mao’s tomb is located. Dominating the city’s heart is the Forbidden City, a centre of power for five centuries and seat of the emperors. Entering through the Gate of Heavenly Peace, we enjoy a guided walk of this old city within a city. This evening, enjoy dinner in a city restaurant.

Day 3: Beijing

Today we drive out of the city to Badaling, where we can walk a section of the Great Wall. Some sections are fairly steep, but the walk on the vast wall is one of those ‘must do’ experiences! We visit the tombs of the Ming emperors and a cloisonne workshop, where we’ll see firsthand the unique Chinese art of combining copper and enamel.

Day 4: Beijing - Xi'an

We have a guided visit to the Silk Alley markets and the Summer Palace with its UNESCO-listed imperial gardens, located on Kunming Lake. Overnight train to Xi’an after some free time for dinner and drinks.

Day 5: Xi'an

Pulling into Xi'an Station, our friendly guide will be there to meet you and transfer you to your hotel. Later today, we visit the archaeological site of the Terracotta Warriors, Huanqing Hot Springs and a workshop where clay warrior replicas are made.

Day 6: Xi'an - Guilin

Today, we visit the city symbol, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, before enjoying a leisurely bike ride on Xi’an’s medieval City Wall, which dates from the Ming dynasty. We then visit the local Muslim Quarter and Great Mosque. Later, fly from Xi’an to Guilin.

Day 7: Guilin

Renown for it’s striking, if bizarre scenery, vast areas of karst limestone outcrops that rise up from flat rice paddy fields, Guilin is often the subject of Chinese painting. We undertake a relaxing cruise down the River Li to Yangshuo, spending some time exploring its little shops and cafes. Back in Guilin, we visit the enormous Reed Flute Caves.

Day 8: Guilin - Hangzhou

Today, we fly from Guilin to scenic Hangzhou. Hangzhou is unusual for a Chinese city in that it encompasses large tracts of greenery which might normally be classified as countryside. This is thanks to Xi Hu, the large lake that Hangzhou straddles. The lake is dotted with various islands and causeways. We visit Six Harmonies Pagoda and Chinese Tea Museum.

Day 9: Hangzhou

We explore the West Lake, Lingyin Temple and take a bicycle ride in this scenic area.

Day 10: Hangzhou - Suzhou

Today you will take a speed train to Suzhou.Remaining day free.Overnight at Pan Pacific Hotel

Day 11: Suzhou

Today we enjoy a tour of ancient Suzhou, a Venetian-like town with its UNESCO-listed gardens and many waterways and bridges. Enjoy a cruise on the Grand Canal, which stretches over 1,000 miles from Beijing to Hangzhou and crosses the Yellow and Yangtze rivers. The hubbub of activity comprising boats and people both on and along the Canal offers an amazing sight. Overnight at Pan Pacific Hotel

Day 12: Suzhou

Free day to explore Suzhou.Overnight at Pan Pacific Hotel

Day 13: Suzhou - Shanghai

Enroute to Shanghai we stop off at lovely Zhouzhuang - an ancient town featuring traditional buildings, small bridges and tree-lined waterways astride the Jinghang Canal. Focus your eyes on spectacular Shanghai. Perhaps China’s most modern city, its amazing Pudong skyline is breathtaking. Enjoy a tour of the Bund area and a cruise on the Huangpu River.

Day 14: Shanghai

Once known for its decadent magnetism that attracted fortune-seekers and adventurers, Shanghai looks like a European city in a Chinese setting. Enjoy a big day out in Shanghai, with a visit to the Oriental Pearl TV tower, Jade Buddha Temple, charming Yuyuan Gardens and the Old City.

Day 15: Shanghai

Enjoy two free days for you to explore the sights of Shanghai. Perhaps visit the Oriental Pearl TV tower, the Jade Buddha Temple, French Quarter or the Old City and have a drink at landmark Peace Hotel on Shanghai’s famous Bund, with its legendary jazz band which play nostalgic rhythms amidst 1930s Art Deco elegance.