7-Day Tailored China Trip: Xi'an, Suzhou & Shanghai

Morning — Arrival and Hotel Check-in
Land at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport, where your guide and driver are waiting. A private vehicle takes you into the city and to your hotel for check-in and rest.

Afternoon — Bell Tower Square
When you are ready, stroll around Bell Tower Square and feel the geometry of Chang'an: the Ming bell tower stands at the crossing of the city's four great axes, exactly where the Tang capital placed its own administrative heart.

Evening — Flavours of the Northwest
Head to the Muslim Quarter for dinner. Roujiamo, lamb pao mo and cold liangpi noodles come in quick succession, and the rich, savoury northwestern palate of Shaanxi announces itself in the first mouthful.

Meals
Breakfast, Dinner included.

Morning — The Terracotta Army
Drive east to Lintong and stand at the edge of Pit 1, where more than six thousand life-sized soldiers face east in battle formation. Each face is modelled differently, and the bronze weapons found with them were still sharp when they came out of the ground. Your guide walks you through Pits 1, 2 and 3 and the Bronze Chariot hall, and explains how the figures were moulded in parts, fired, assembled and then painted.

Afternoon — The Han Yangling Mausoleum
Continue to the Yangling Mausoleum, the tomb built for the fourth emperor of the Western Han. It is the only imperial tomb of the period with an underground museum open to the public, where the small clay officials, servants, horses and animals excavated on site over past decades are displayed behind glass exactly where they were found. Coming after the Terracotta Army, the miniature figures make the difference between the Qin and the Han idea of the afterlife plain.

Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.

Morning — the Tang West Market Museum
The West Market was the commercial half of the Tang capital: a walled grid of lanes in which silk, spices, glassware, horses and slaves were traded, and where the merchants of the Silk Road were registered and taxed. The museum stands on the site, and the exhibits work outward from the excavation - coins from Persia and Byzantium, the ledger of what came in and what went out, and the ordinary objects that show how much of daily Tang life arrived from somewhere else.

Afternoon — Daming Palace National Heritage Park
Daming Palace was the imperial residence and the ceremonial centre of the Tang court for more than two hundred years. The park preserves the platforms, gateways and foundations across a very large site, with a museum that reconstructs the palace at scale so that the ruins outside can be read. Because the site is open and flat, this is a walking afternoon rather than a museum afternoon; comfortable shoes and water are worth having.

Evening — the Grand Tang Mall
Datang Everbright City is a pedestrian street built in the Tang idiom, and its street lighting follows the period rather than the present day: timber frames, lanterns, and the yellow-red palette of the surviving Tang paintings. There are street performances along the length of it, and it is the busiest and most photographed stretch of the city after dark. Dinner is arranged nearby, and the return to the hotel is by private vehicle.

Meals
Breakfast and lunch included; dinner on your own or arranged on request.

Afternoon — Arrival in Shanghai
Fly to Shanghai, China's futuristic metropolis and a global center of finance and culture. Your guide welcomes you and accompanies you to your hotel for check-in.

Evening — The Bund Night Tour
Embark on a night tour of the Bund, the historic waterfront where Art Deco buildings glow alongside neon-lit skyscrapers such as the Oriental Pearl Tower. The contrast between the old banking houses on one bank and the modern skyline on the other makes a striking introduction to the city.

Morning — Depart Shanghai for Suzhou
Depart Shanghai and travel to Suzhou, the historic canal city renowned across China for its classical gardens. Begin with the Humble Administrator's Garden, one of the most famous classical gardens in Suzhou, laid out in the 16th century during the Ming Dynasty. It is admired for its graceful water features, rockeries, and pavilions, and for the harmonious balance of nature and architecture that defines the Chinese garden tradition.

Lunch — Local Restaurant in Suzhou
Enjoy a meal at a local restaurant in Suzhou before continuing your exploration of the city.

Afternoon — Pingjiang Road & Lingering Garden
Stroll along Pingjiang Road, a historic lane that preserves the traditional architecture and culture of Suzhou and is lined with canals, stone bridges, and small shops. Afterward, explore the Lingering Garden, a compact and delicate classical garden known for its sequence of interconnected halls, pavilions, and courtyards, each with its own distinctive charm.

Evening — Return to Shanghai
Take the high-speed train back to Shanghai, concluding your day trip to Suzhou. Your guide sees you back to your hotel.

Morning — City God Temple & Yu Garden
Start in the Old Town at the City God Temple (Chenghuangmiao) to experience traditional religious culture, then wander the market for handicrafts and snacks. Enter Yu Garden to appreciate delicate Jiangnan garden architecture, including the Nine-Zigzag Bridge and Huxin Pavilion.

Afternoon — Xintiandi
Enjoy a traditional Shanghainese lunch, then visit Xintiandi, exploring preserved shikumen lane houses blended with modern shops and galleries. Visit the Site of the First National Congress of the CPC to learn modern history, and stroll the pedestrian streets experiencing old and new Shanghai.

Evening (Optional) — Xintiandi Dining
Dine at a trendy Xintiandi restaurant (not included) and enjoy the restored historic district's evening ambiance.

Morning — Departure from Shanghai
Your guide assists with hotel checkout, and a private vehicle transfers you to Shanghai Pudong International Airport for your onward journey. Your guide helps with your luggage and sees you to the departure hall, ensuring a smooth end to your time in China.