7 Day Shanghai and Water Town Trip

Upon your arrival, your personal guide and driver will wait for you at the airport arrival hall, holding your name sign. You will be escorted to your hotel safely in a private, air-conditioned vehicle, driving time is about one hour from PVG airport, take your time to recover from the jetlag.

• Hotels: Shanghai Fairmont Peace Hotel, Les Suites Orient, Bund Shanghai, Central Hotel Shanghai

Tongli Water Town

In the morning, get some fresh air in Yuyuan Garden, a classic man-made garden. Follow on is the visit to Shanghai City God Temple (Chenghuang Miao), a Taoist temple known for its long history and grand architecture. You can also find many delicious food at the temple area. Then visit the French Concession, a place famous for its boulevard and French style architectures.

After lunch, you will go atop to the World Financial Center, the second highest building in Shanghai, to overlook the Shanghai city and the Bund. End your day with a leisure walk to appreciate the European architectural heritage along the Bund.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch at Xiangyefu Teahouse Restaurant with a la carte menu

Feature Dinner Option: Nan Xiang Mantou Dian, Green Wave Gallery, Lost Heaven-Yunnan Restaurant Bund Branch,

Optional evening activity: Era Time or Shangcheng Acrobatic Show

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Shanghai City God Temple

Drive about 1.5 hours from hotel to visit Xitang Ancient Town and take a sampan cruise into town. Xitang Ancient Town is an ancient scenic and cultural town dating back to at least the Spring and Autumn Period. In the town, there are well-preserved buildings originated from Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The town is also famous for its large number of covered corridors, lanes & bridges; after a fine local lunch in the town, drive about 1.5 hours from the town to your hotel in Hangzhou.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: Sofitel Hangzhou Westlake, Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Hangzhou, Zhongwei Sunny Hotel

West Lake

Visit the Lingyin Temple, literally translated as the Temple of the Soul's Retreat and it contains numerous pagodas and Buddhist grottoes. This is followed by the Peak Flown From Afar with its scraggy exotic stones and unusual scenery. Visit the Six Harmonies Pagoda (and climb up the pagoda), it is 60 meters high with 7 stories inside which look like 13 stories from the outside. The lovely paintings and patterns on the walls in each storey are stunning. You could choose to stop at Hangzhou Meijiawu Tea Plantation and Tea Shop to see how tea is being made. After lunch at a fine, local restaurant to try Hangbang style food, take an exclusive Rowing Boat Cruise on West Lake only available for 2-6 travelers. The 5.68 square kilometers wide West Lake is famous for its beautiful sceneries especially around Su Causeway and Broken Bridge, feel the tranquility on the Lake.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Yongqing Temple

Drive about 2 hours from Hangzhou to Suzhou, visit Panmen Gate, part of the ancient city wall built in 514 BC that surrounded and protected Suzhou, learn how the ancient troops used both land and water gates to fight against invading intruders; the old gate, walls, canals, the pagoda, lake and gardens have their own stories. Lunch will be arranged at a fine, local restaurant. Then tour Tiger Hill, which is known for its natural beauty and historical sites. The hill is so named because it looks like a crouching tiger. An optional tour is available to NO.1 Silk spinning Mill, a 60-year old Silk Factory where visitors can see firsthand the entire process of manufacturing silk, from live silk worms to the cocoon stage and spinning.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,
• Hotels: W Suzhou, Suzhou Marriott Hotel, Hyatt Regency Suzhou

Suzhou Pingtan (a form of musical storytelling)

The biggest highlight for today is the Humble Administrator’s Garden, it is deemed to be the largest and most classical garden in China. You would not get bored for 2-3 hours inside this garden. Suzhou Museum sits next to the Garden, a museum where you can see ancient Chinese art; ancient Chinese paintings, calligraphies, and handmade crafts. Lunch will be arranged in a local restaurant. Enjoy a Rickshaw tour in the old part of Suzhou and see local people coming and going. Then there is the Hanshan Temple, also named "Cold Mountain Temple",  a Buddhist temple and monastery Suzhou. The Temple is famous because of the poem "A Night Mooring by Maple Bridge" written by Tang Dynasty poet Zhang Ji. Finally take a Grand Canal sampan Cruise, the canal also known as the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, is the longest manmade canal in the world.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,

Humble Administrator’s Garden

Private transfer from Suzhou hotel to Shanghai airport for your flight departure, the transfer takes about 2-3 hours depending on traffic, plus allow about 2 hours prior to your departure time; it takes about 5-6 hours to catch your flight. 

• Meals: Breakfast,

Shanghai Pudong area