Overview

A two-day programme for student groups on the two things that made Guangzhou: what it made and what it traded. Day one covers Cantonese craft at the Chen Clan Academy with a hands-on workshop; day two covers the maritime trade through Shamian Island, the Sacred Heart Cathedral and Cantonese opera. Suited to art, design and history groups.

Highlights

  • Day one: Chen Clan Academy and a hands-on Cantonese craft workshop
  • Day two: Shamian Island and the treaty-port trading system
  • Sacred Heart Cathedral and Cantonese opera
  • Guangzhou as the southern terminus of the maritime trade
  • One night in a 4-star Guangzhou hotel with breakfast
  • Private coach, guide and workshop materials

Itinerary

Day 1Guangzhou: Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Chen Clan Academy and Guangdong Museum

Morning - Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall
The hall was completed in 1931 on the site of the Qing dynasty's Guangdong provincial assembly, and it commemorates Sun Yat-sen, who was born in Xiangshan in this province and whose revolutionary career began here. The octagonal auditorium spans 71 metres without a single column, an unusually ambitious structure for its date, and the exhibition covers the 1911 revolution and the republic that followed.

Late morning - Chen Clan Academy
Built between 1888 and 1894 as a study hostel for the Chen lineage, the academy is the province's best single display of Cantonese decorative arts: wood, stone and brick carving, plasterwork, ceramics and ironwork across a three-hall, six-courtyard plan.

Lunch
A Cantonese lunch, with a note for teachers on food-safety and allergy handling for group bookings.

Afternoon - Guangdong Museum
The province museum covers Guangdong's history from the Neolithic through the maritime trade era to the present, and holds a strong natural-history collection covering the Pearl River delta and the South China Sea. Timed entry is booked in advance.

Evening - Debrief and return
A short discussion session, then return to the hotel.

Meals
Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation
Day tour - no hotel night included.

Transport: Guangzhou city centre (hotel pick-up and drop-off)
Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Day 2Colonial Charm & Culinary Adventures: Shamian Island, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Cantonese Opera

Morning — Shamian Island & Dim Sum
Shamian Island is a tranquil sandbar lined with European-style colonial buildings and the Gothic Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel along leafy riverside promenades. Begin with a dim-sum breakfast of har gow (shrimp dumplings) and char siu bao (barbecue pork buns) at a historic teahouse such as Lianxiang Lou.

Afternoon — Sacred Heart Cathedral & Beijing Road
The Sacred Heart Cathedral is China's largest granite Gothic church, begun in 1863 using stone imported for its vaulted ceilings and stained glass. Later, stroll Beijing Road, an ancient commercial street where glass walkways reveal buried Song-dynasty pavements, and try double-skin milk pudding.

Evening — Cantonese Opera & Night Market
In the evening, watch a Cantonese opera performance at Liwan Theater, with your guide explaining the classic stories behind the elaborate costumes. Then browse Huifu Night Market for stuffed lotus root, clay-pot rice, or the famously pungent stinky tofu.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Booking Price

Group Size Adult(Age:8-80) Price/p.p Child(Age:4-7) Price/p.p Infant(Age:0-3) Price/p.p
16 PAX from $466 / /
20 PAX from $433 / /
30 PAX from $384 / /

Includes

  • Meals as listed in the daily itinerary (breakfasts and lunches as shown)
  • Private air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver throughout
  • English-speaking local guide (Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian or Japanese on request)
  • All entrance fees for the sites listed, including shuttle buses, eco-buses and cable cars where the site requires them
  • Local handling and coordination service throughout the programme
  • Bottled water (2 bottles per person per day) and audio headsets where group size requires them
  • Travel accident insurance for the duration of the tour

Excludes

  • International air tickets and any domestic flights not listed in the itinerary
  • China visa or visa-free entry documentation fees
  • Meals not specified in the daily itinerary and all beverages/alcohol
  • Tips for guides, drivers and hotel staff (suggested USD 8-12 per person per day)
  • Personal expenses: laundry, telephone, minibar, shopping
  • Optional activities and any item not listed under Price Includes
  • Single-room supplement if a traveller requires a room alone

Trip Notes

Please read the notes below before you book. They cover entry formalities, pace, weather and what to bring.

Q: Is this tour private or shared?
A: It is a private tour. Only your own party travels with the guide and vehicle, so the pace and the order of stops can be adjusted on the day.

Q: What is the best season for this itinerary?
A: April to June and September to November bring the mildest weather and clearest light. The programme runs year round, and we adjust the daily timings in mid-summer and winter.

Q: Can you handle dietary requirements and accessibility needs?
A: Yes. Vegetarian, halal, gluten-free and allergy-aware menus are arranged when you tell us in advance. Step-free and low-mobility versions of the route can also be planned.

Q: How do we book and pay?
A: Send us your travel dates and group size for a same-day quotation. A deposit confirms the booking, the balance is due before arrival, and prices are guaranteed for 7 days.

Quick Inquiry Tailoring is available based on your requirements.