Shanghai Travels - Your 1STOP guide to Shanghai

• Duration: 3 days
• Departure Date: You Choose!
• Tour Type: Land tour + well selected hotel + Your own English speaking guide (otherwise specified), your own driver at your own pace and schedule.

For centuries, Huangshan is a place where painters paint, mediators meditated, and people came to seek solace. Spend your weekend with us to the gorgeous Yellow Mountain, refreshing yourself with the fresh air, breath-taking scenery: twisted pine trees, peaks, sea cloud.

Day by Day Itinerary:

Day 1
Place & Transport: Shanghai to Huangshan, Shanghai Airlines FM9265 Dep 19:30 - Arr 20:40
Today's Activities: Airport to Hotel Transfer (Huangshan)

Day 2
Place & Transport: Huangshan
Today's Activities: Yungu Cable Car, Yellow Mountain

Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
- Yungu Cable Car: You can enjoy the scenery along the way to the yellow mountain by cable car.

- Yellow Mountain: Located in the south of Anhui Province, with an area of about 1,200 square kilometers, known as "the loveliest mountain in China",famous for magnificent scenery whatever the season: granite peaks piercing the clouds, strangely shaped rocks and gnarled trees, hot springs, waterfalls, wonderful outlooks and over 1500 plant species. No traffic within the core area of about 150 square kilometres, accessible by cable car or on foot. Many enticing walks of all grades, all include some steps.

Day 3
Place & Transport: Huangshan to Shanghai, Shanghai Airlines FM9266 Dep 21:30 - Arr 22:40
Today's Activities: Hotel to airport Transfer (Huangshan), Airport Transfer (Shanghai), Yungu Cable Car, Hongcun Village

Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
- Yungu Cable Car: You can enjoy the scenery along the way to the yellow mountain by cable car.
- Hongcun Village: It's located in the place which is about 10 kilometers off the northeast part of Yixian County. An ancient town over 800 years old leaning against Mt. Huangshan, it is folded in the fog of the Mt. which makes it look like a river and mountain picture. It enjoys the reputation of "The Chinese town in the pictures". Especially, the whole town distributes like a cow, which made it one of the wonders in the world culture heritage. The famous film "Crouching Tiger" was made here.

Surrounded by a picturesque moat with bridges to the village and a half-moon shaped pond in the centre, this is a favourite haunt of artists, and students often stay with local families to paint here. Laid out to represent a buffalo, it is one of the prettiest places in the area, known as the Chinese town in the pictures and has been listed by UNESCO for its beauty and largely undeveloped traditional streets and houses. Various halls, dwellings and an old school are open to visitors.

Just a short distance from the mega city of Shanghai is the peace and tranquility of Zhujiajiao with its lakes, ancient canals and traditional architecture. Why not experience the water culture of yester-year while visit the Shanghai.

Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch at Lv Bo Lang Restaurant
- Yuyuan Garden: Located at a very busy marketplace in a complex of traditional-style buildings, backing onto Yu Gardens, you can find everything there from popular local snacks and food, crafts, antiques and souvenirs to Starbucks, teahouses and some great restaurants. There is a small (reconstructed) Temple (Chenghuang: Temple of the City Gods) in there as well.

-Lv Bo Lang Restaurant: Lv Bo Lang Restaurant is located near the Yuyuan Garden and specializes in 4 types of Shanghai-style food, Shanghai-style snacks, shark's fin dishes and crab feasts. The restaurant has hosted heads of state from more than 40 foreign countries including President Clinton.

Place & Transport: Shanghai
Today's Activities: Zhujiajiao Water Town, Xintiandi

Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch
- Zhujiajiao Water Town: Shaped like an ancient fan, it is an old town with hundreds of years of history. Thousands of architectures of Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty stand by the lakes and 36 stone bridges retain the ancient style.

- Xintiandi: Xintiandi is located downtown nestled between the towering skyscrapers; it is one of the busiest urban tourist attractions and imbued with the city's historical and cultural legacies. Shanghai Xintiandi's Shikumen building was created by converting residential blocks into a multifunctional dining, retail and entertainment center flowing with restaurants, boutiques, cafes and bars of an international standard.

Shanghai cuisine is rich, oily, sweet and luscious. Sumptuous, velvety meat or fish dishes braised with soy sauce, sugar and a touch of vinegar are a specialty. Follow this tour, your can find everything there from Yuyuan Market especially popular local snacks and food. Taste the Shanghai cuisine combine with mystique city tour will let you an impressive tour.

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1
Place & Transport: Arrive in Shanghai, Flight not included
Today's Activities: Airport to Hotel Transfer (Shanghai)

Day 2
Place & Transport: Shanghai
Today's Activities: Yuyuan Garden, Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, Jade Buddha Temple, Children Palace

Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch at Lv Bo Lang Restaurant, Chinese Dinner at Old Shanghai Restaurant

- The Shanghai World Financial Center : The Shanghai World Financial Center is a super tall skyscraper. It is a mixed use skyscraper, which will consist of offices, hotels, conference rooms, observation decks, and shopping malls on the lower floors. The hotel component has 175 rooms and suites and goes by the name: The Park Hyatt, Shanghai. On September 14, 2007, the skyscraper reached 492.3 meters (1,615.2 ft) and became the tallest structure on mainland China, including Hong Kong, as well as the world's third tallest building (including unfinished ones), after the Burj Dubai and Taipei 101.

- Pujiang Cruise(from South bund to Yangpu Bridge): A Huangpu River Cruise is one of the best ways to see both old and new Shanghai.

- The Bund: Once the home of the foreign traders and major banks, the embankment has taken on a new vitality; lovely old European-style buildings mix with futuristic developments, chic restaurants, top end shops and bars offer plenty to see and do – and by night it's magic!

- Nanjing Road: One of the most famous shopping streets in the world. Giant shopping centers, specialist boutiques, international brands, local upmarket goods - it's all here; it's very busy, and at night it really glitters. It's a fascinating glimpse of modern, commercial China.

- Home's Restaurant (Set Menu): Home's Restaurant is located near the Nanjing Road. It specializes in Shanghai cuisine using the best local ingredients. Smoked fish and red jujube with sticky rice are well known in Shanghai. The restaurant enjoys a great reputation with diners from many parts of China and abroad.

- Xi's Garden : Xi's Garden has a great garden-side location in the French Concession with a beautiful open platform and provides typical Shanghai style dishes.

Day 2
Place & Transport: Suzhou
Today's Activities: The Grand Canal, Panmen Gate, Lingering Garden, The No.1 Silk Factory, Wangshi Garden, Tiger Hill

Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch at Qinghua Restaurant
- The Grand Canal: The Grand Canal ranks alongside the Great Wall of China as the country's greatest engineering achievement and it is the longest man-made waterway in the world. Cruising on the Canal, you can see the local peoples' life.

Known as the land of rice and fish, Suzhou city has a network of picturesque lakes and canals both large and small, which all link in eventually to the Grand Canal. The view from the little boats that ply the smaller canals is enchanting, whilst the traffic on the Grand Canal reminds you of Suzhou that it was the original source of the 'sea' silk road.

- Panmen Gate: Pan Gate is an ancient city gate with land and water entrances. Once, a gate with land and water entrances was quite typical in ancient China. Much restored, this is one of the last remaining land and water gates in China, once a vital part of Suzhou’s defences. The city wall, towers and gates form a nice scenic area.The view from the top across the town's rooftops and distant pagodas, is all the better because of strict local rules regarding building height and design.

- Lingering Garden: Suzhou is famous for its gardens.Lingering Garden is an elaborate succession of small gardens. Lingering in a garden you will marvel at its unique architecture and art. It is located on No.338 Liuyuan Road, Suzhou City.

Designed to "linger" through the generations, with a succession of small beautifully landscaped gardens, pools and pavements and a pavilion for each season. It has wonderful covered walkways, carved corridors, elaborately shaped doorways and perfect viewpoints for a variety of perspectives on this special garden.

- The No.1 Silk Factory: Suzhou is famous for its silk produts. Tourists may go and see how the silk is processed from worm to the final product, and some of the silk history of in China. There's also an opportunity to buy something beautiful from the showroom, or just enjoy the goods on display.

- Wangshi Garden : It is the smallest of the Suzhou residential gardens and the most exquisite in design. It is the most impressive because of its use of space that creates the illusion of an area that is much greater than its actual size.Its has a series of lovely pavilions around a central pond, rocks and plants uses design details filled with symbolism and story references, with delightful touches such as the mirror backing that provides three moons (sky pond and mirror).

- Tiger Hill: Tiger Hill, known also as Surging Sea Hill, is a large hillock, standing 36 meters high and covering an area of some 14,100 square meters. Going up to the hill, you will find a number of historical sites, including some from 2,500 years ago, which are as old as the Suzhou city.

It is a beautiful park around the hillock where, according to legend, King Wu was buried in 514BC, guarded by a white tiger. A gentle climb passes attractive historic spots, each with own tale such as Sword Testing Rock, Miss Wu’s Tomb, Sword Spring, 1000 People Rock, to the leaning pagoda at the top. Tourists may walk down past tea bushes to the pretty canal and wooden boats. Horse-drawn or electric carts may travel some of the paths.

- Qinghua Restaurant: Qinghua Restaurant mainly specializes in Suzhou style cuisine. It is continually creating new style dishes, to be a leader in its field. Its light-taste delicacy reminds customers of it while dine, popularizing in the local place.

Day 3
Place & Transport: Suzhou to Shanghai
Today's Activities: Rickshaw ride, Humble Administrators Garden, Tongli

Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch at Pine and Crane Restaurant
- Rickshaw ride: Through the old streets & Hutongs in Suzhou, you will see local people's life.
- Humble Administrators Garden: The garden is the best representative of Chinese classical gardens, constructed in the Ming dynasty,which focuses on a central pond with pavilions, terraces, chambers, and towers located nearby, the garden is divided into three parts: the eastern, middle and western parts.

At 5 hectares the largest of these beautiful gardens, it is one of the most famous one. It provides everyone with pleasure. Don't miss the Garden Museum - actually don't miss any of this lovely place. Tourists may wear comfortable shoes, as there's a lot of walking here.

- Tongli: Tongli town has a history of more than one thousand years. There are over hundreds of gardens established in Ming dynasty and Qing dynasty, temples, cartilages and former residence of eminent souls. Fifteen rivers divides the town into seven island and 49 sets of historic bridges connect the town as a whole.

 

- Pine and Crane Restaurant: Located near Humble Administrator's Garden, this old famous restaurant and serves Suzhou cuisine. The dishes are famous for the fresh ingredients and traditional cooking methods. It is a very popular restaurant in Suzhou.