Overview

A two-day themed programme on the culture of Guangzhou and the century that opened it to foreign trade. Day one is Cantonese arts - opera, tea and a craft workshop; day two walks the treaty-port island of Shamian and the city's granite Gothic cathedral. One hotel night included.

Highlights

  • Day one: Cantonese opera, tea and a hands-on craft workshop
  • Day two: Shamian Island's colonial arcades and treaty-port history
  • Sacred Heart Cathedral, granite Gothic, built 1863-1888
  • Cantonese opera performance if dates allow
  • One night in a 4-star Guangzhou hotel with breakfast
  • Private guide and vehicle throughout

Itinerary

Day 1Guangzhou: Cantonese Opera, Tea and Traditional Craft

Morning - Cantonese opera
Cantonese opera (yueju) is sung in its own dialect, with elaborate embroidered costumes, painted faces and a repertoire that mixes history, legend and comedy. You visit a theatre or an opera society hall, see the costumes and instruments at close range, and hear a demonstration of the two main vocal styles. If your dates coincide with a performance, the day is arranged around it.

Lunch
A Cantonese lunch, with the option of a traditional tea-house setting.

Afternoon - Tea and craft workshop
A tea session covering Guangdong's own tradition - pu'er and the region's consumption of it - followed by a hands-on craft session in one of the province's signature techniques: Cantonese embroidery, paper-cutting, or painting a folding fan.

Evening - Dinner and free time
Dinner in the old quarter, then return to the hotel or stay for the riverside lights.

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
2 PAX from $755 / /
4 PAX from $545 / /
6 PAX from $480 / /
8 PAX from $445 / /
10 PAX from $383 / /
20 PAX from $335 / /
30 PAX from $319 / /

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.