Tour Features: This trip will bring you to enjoy the two most beautiful cities in China, the 'Oriental Pearl' Shanghai and the 'Oriental Venice' Suzhou. Taking a stroll on the bund and one of the four most famous gardens, Yuyuan Garden and getting a bird's eye view of Shanghai from the Oriental Pearl Tower will make your trip enjoyable. Excurse to the water town of Tongli, walk along the ancient Ming and Qing Dynasty Street and the Ternate Bridges to get good luck. You can experience traditional Chinese culture from visiting there.
Day by Day Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival in Shanghai, The Bund, Nanjing Road (-, L, D)
Upon arrival Shanghai, you will be met at Shanghai Airport by your tour guide and transferred to your hotel by the private car. Shanghai is the largest city in China in terms of population and located on China's central eastern coast at the mouth of the Yangtze River.
You will start your tour in Shanghai from the Bund, also called the Zhongshan Road, which is a famous waterfront and regarded as the symbol of Shanghai for hundreds of years. It winds a 1500 meters (less than one mile) length. The most famous and attractive sight which is at the west side of the Bund are the 52 various European-style buildings of different architectural styles including Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque, Classicism and the Renaissance.
Then you walk along Nanjing Road which has been a centre of commerce in Shanghai for more than a century. It is 3.4-mile-long and starts at the Bund in the east and ends in the west to People's Square. After that, drive you back to the hotel.
Day 2: Shanghai Museum, Yuyuan Garden, Oriental Pearl Tower (-, L, D)
After your breakfast, you will proceed to Shanghai Museum, located in the center of Shanghai in People's Square. It is a large museum of ancient Chinese art and possesses a collection of 120,000 precious works of art, including bronze, ceramics, calligraphy, furniture, jades, ancient coins, paintings, seals, sculptures, minority art and foreign art.
Then you will take a stroll through the Yuyuan Garden, located in the center of the Old Shanghai City, is considered one of the most lavish and finest Chinese gardens in the region. The pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and cloisters all have unique characteristics in the garden.
Finally you will go to the Oriental Pearl Tower by the side of Huangpu River. The 468-meter-high tower is the tallest completed tower in Asia and the third tallest tower in the world. Visitors can travel up and down the tower in double-decker elevators. The view of Shanghai from this height fills you with wonder at the beauty that surrounds you. Then you will be driven back to your hotel.
Day 3: Suzhou City Tour (-, L, D)
Today you will take train from Shanghai to Suzhou, which takes about 1 hour from Shanghai.
Suzhou is on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and renowned for its beautiful stone bridges, pagodas, and meticulously designed gardens.
Your trip in Suzhou starts with a visit to the Grand Canal, the oldest and longest man-made canal in China.The total length of the Grand Canal is roughly 1,770 km (1,114 miles). Cruising on the Canal, you can see the local peoples' life.
Then you will take a stroll throuth the Humble Administrator's Garden which was originally built in 1509 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is one of four great Chinese gardens. Due to its unique designs and ethereal beauty, the garden has garnered many special honors.
Later you move to the No.1 Silk Factory to learn how the pure Chinese silk products are made from a small cocoon since the 14th century. Stay at Suzhou overnight.
Day 4: Tongli Water Town, Back to Shanghai (-, L, D)
After your breakfast, you will have an excursion to water town of Tongli, 18 km from Suzhou City and 30 minutes drive from Suzhou. Tongli is an age-old but very well-preserved water township with a history of more than 1,000 years where you can experience traditional Chinese culture.
Visit Retreat and Reflection (Tuisi) Garden, built by the retired official during 1885 and 1887, is the most spectacular garden in Tongli. The ingenious design for Tuisi Garden conforms to the local landforms and conditions with flourishing trees and colorful flowers.
Then visit Pearl Pagoda Garden, which is the largest of Tongli's gardens with beautiful laid out. Afterwards, move to Ternate Bridges: Peace and Tranquility (Taiping) Bridge, Luck (Jili) Bridge and Lasting Celebration (Changqing) Bridge. They cross three rivers at the rivers confluence and form a natural ring road.
At last, stroll through the Ming and Qing Dynasty Street. Many houses and temples built along the riversides, dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasty, decorated with flying eaves, carved windows, porcelain furniture, figured clay bricks, dapper gardens and small stairs leading down to the water.
After your trip in this beautiful village, back to Shanghai by train. Stay at Shanghai overnight.
Day 5: Jade Buddha Temple, Departure from Shanghai (-, L, -)
After your breakfast, you will proceed to Jade Buddha Temple in the western part of Shanghai. The old temple was founded in 1882 with two jade Buddha statues had been brought to Shanghai from Burma by a monk by sea. Both the Sitting Buddha (1.95 metres tall, 3 tonnes), encrusted by the agate and the emerald and the smaller Reclining Buddha (96 cm long) representing Buddha's death are carved with whole white jade.
Then your personal guide will escort you to the Shanghai Airport for your flight to next destination.
Itinerary: B: Breakfast AB: American Breakfast L: Lunch D: Dinner SD: Special Dinner
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