postcard from china - 11 days
 Tour Information
Starts in: Beijing
Ends in: Shanghai
Prices from: USD $1949
Local Payment Required: No
Breakfast: Daily, Lunch: 3, Dinner: 4
Hotel rating: 3 
Guide: Yes (during included sightseeing)
Day 1: Beijing
Welcome to Beijing and the start of your holiday. Arrival transfer from airport to hotel. Dinner and overnight Beijing.
Day 2: Beijing
Beijing - Jinan - breakfast. Day 2 - enjoy an excursion to Tiananmen Square, the imperial Forbidden City and Silk Alley markets. Overnight - Beijing
Day 3: Beijing
Today, visit a section of the UNESCO-listed Great Wall and Ming Tombs. Overnight - Beijing
Day 4: Jinan
Free morning. Afternoon train from Beijing to Jinan. Located south of the Yellow River as it makes its final thrust to the sea, Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province is famous for its springs. Shandong also produces the famous brew - Tsingtao beer at the former German colony of Qingdao. Overnight - Jinan
Day 5: Mt Tai Shan
Jinan - Qufu - breakfast. Enjoy a visit to the UNESCO listed Tai Shan (Peaceful Mountain), perhaps the holiest of the five Chinese holy mountains devoted to Taoism. The upper reaches are approached by cable-car. Visit also Bu Yang Village. Continue to Qufu, birthplace of the sage - Confucius, where tonight by rickshaw, you’ll travel to the Apricot Altar Theatre, to enjoy a Confucius Singing and Dancing Show. Lunch, dinner and overnight - Qufu
Day 6: Qufu
Qufu - Suzhou - breakfast. Enjoy a tai ch’i lesson with a Master of tai ch’i. Occupying a hallowed place not only in the minds of the Chinese but also legions of Japanese and Koreans who come here on pilgrimage, Qufu is greatly revered. Although the sage lived in relative obscurity, his descendents dwelt in the grand Confucius Mansion (Kong Fu) in the heart of Qufu. Wielding immense political clout and wealth, the Kong family, referred to as the First Family Under Heaven, built a palatial mansion. Next to the mansion is the Confucius Temple (Kong Miao), a lengthy complex of memorial gateways, courtyards and pavillions. Afterwards, enjoy a rickshaw tour around the Old City. Later, overnight train to Suzhou. Lunch, dinner and overnight - sleeper train
Day 7: Suzhou
Train - Suzhou. Today we enjoy a tour of ancient Suzhou, a Venetian-like town with it’s 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. It was constructed more than 2,000 years ago as China’s main North-South artery. The hubbub of activity comprising boats and people both on and along the Canal offers an amazing sight. We later visit a silk factory. Lunch, dinner and overnight - Suzhou
Day 8: Suzhou
Suzhou - Shanghai - breakfast. Enjoy a visit to the Fish-Net Master’s Garden and Tiger Hill, before relaxing on the afternoon train to Shanghai. Overnight - Shanghai
Day 9: 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. This evening, witness Shanghai’s illuminated skyline on a Huangpu River cruise. Overnight - Shanghai
Day 10: Shanghai
Free day in Shanghai. Perhaps take a stroll along the Bund and blow some cash at the shops on famous Nanjing Road. Overnight - Shanghai.
Day 11: Shanghai
Hotel check-out and included onward transfer to airport.
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