The Best of China
Pandas & Panache Fascinating is an understatement when it comes to melding our understanding of a country with a commanding history that dates back 5,000 years with one whose modern pulse is setting new standards for world-class cities. This fabulous introduction to China brings into focus the leading cities of Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu and Shanghai; monuments to China’s historical might (the Forbidden City, the Great Wall and the Terra Cotta Warriors); its impressive heritage of fine arts in silk, bronze, painting and calligraphy; the vestiges of colonial Shanghai and Shanghai as a booming economy and metropolis with clear plans for the future.
1. ARRIVE BEIJING Tour begins: 6:30 PM, Regent Beijing. A transfer is included from Beijing Capital International Airport to the Regent Beijing, located near the city’s booming business district and historic quarter. Join us this evening for a welcome cocktail reception and dinner. Meals D
2. HALLS OF HISTORY: TIANANMEN SQUARE & THE FORBIDDEN CITY Put your finger on the pulse of history this morning at the center of China’s “Northern Capital.” First up is Tiananmen Square, made a household name by the moving events of 1989. The square’s Gate of Heavenly Peace, bearing Chairman Mao Zedong’s image, was once used as a staging ground for the pronouncement of imperial edicts and in 1949, by Mao himself to declare the founding of the People’s Republic. Next, enter the Forbidden City, which served as the imperial palace until 1912. The immense walled complex is considered a masterpiece of Chinese architectural history. Four corner towers provide strategic views over both the palace buildings and the city outside. Inside, buildings are arranged hierarchically leading from the Outer Palace, where officials met with the emperor to the Inner Palace, the emperor’s private domain. Your visit will focus on the ceremonial outer Halls of Supreme Harmony, Central Harmony and Preserving Harmony; the Hall of Mental Cultivation, where the emperor met in consultation with his officials; and the Imperial Garden. Meals BL
3. WALK THE GREAT WALL / RELAX IN HOT SPRING SPLENDOR Take in the fresh air as you venture outside Beijing today to a mountainous area known as Mutianyu (meaning Majestic Pass), greened by cypress and pine trees, to visit a section of the Great Wall. Erected some 1,400 years ago as a protection against nomads, Mutianyu’s watch towers spread out over the surrounding mountain ranges. The wall here is lined with shelters on both sides – meaning that in this area soldiers were equipped to defend themselves against perpetrators from both inside and outside the wall. On the return to Beijing you’ll have the chance to unwind at a lakeside hot springs resort where choices include a series of bubbling thermal pools set at different temperatures with a selection of relaxing “remedies,” ranging from infusions of lavender, mint, rose petals and milk, to hot stone massages and warmed beds sure to instill repose in the heartiest of travelers. Meals BLD
Call your travel agent or Tauck at 877-519-1035
Tauck Value includes
An amazing opportunity to cuddle a baby panda at the Chengdu Breeding & Research Center
Visits to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, the sprawling palace complex in central Beijing; until 1912, a home to 24 Chinese emperors
An excursion to the “Majestic Pass” section of the Great Wall
Visit with the Director of Conservation for Xi’an’s Terra Cotta Warriors and to a factory to see the workings of a local manufacturing enterprise
A China Cultural Center introduction to Feng Shui (believed to promote health, wealth and peace of mind)
Visit to a museum where the delicate and ancient art of silk embroidery is being preserved by weavers who tell stories through cultivated designs
A walking tour of Shanghai’s Old French Concession, an enclave of the fashionable and funky that provides respite from the city’s fast-moving pace
Time to browse among the new and trendy independent art galleries, shops, bars and cafés along Shanghai’s Taikang Road
Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
26 meals (10 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 8 dinners); gratuities to local guides, taxes, service charges, admission fees and porterage
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