The Highlights of the Chinese Empire by Train

Flight to Beijing (On request)
Overnight flight

Early morning arrival at Beijing International Airport. Meet and greet by your French-speaking local guide. Transfer to the hotel.

Beijing is a world-renowned tourist city famous for its ancient architecture, palaces, imperial gardens, temples, and also its modern buildings, landscaped gardens, and green spaces.

The city tour begins with a visit to the Temple of Heaven, undoubtedly the finest example of architecture in the country, with its triple tier of blue glazed tiles. It was here that emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties offered sacrifices to heaven and prayed to the gods for abundant harvests. Stroll on foot through the old quarters of Beijing, the “Hutong”, these typical alleys where each house has a gate with a screen wall and an inner courtyard.

Check in at the hotel, free time.
Overnight at the hotel

Meet your French-speaking guide in the hotel lobby. Excursion to the Great Wall at Ju Yong Guan Pass (60km from Beijing). Dating back over two thousand years, it symbolizes ancient Chinese civilization. According to records, its construction began in the time of the Chu, in the 7th century BC, and continued until the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The Great Wall was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

Visit the Changling Tomb, one of the 13 Ming Tombs, then walk along the Sacred Way.

Return to Beijing around 6:00 pm. Free time.
Overnight at the hotel. (Breakfast)

Meet your French-speaking guide in the hotel lobby.

You will start the day with a walk in Tiananmen Square, the huge plaza in front of the Forbidden City. The square is bordered to the south by the Qianmen Gate and Mao Zedong’s Mausoleum, to the west by the immense Great Hall of the People, to the east by the History and Revolution Museum, and to the north by the famous Tiananmen Gate.

Visit the Forbidden City, whose harmony and sequence of palaces and pavilions make it an exceptional architectural ensemble. Among all the buildings, you will notice three main halls: the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Tai He Dian) where the grand ceremonies were held, the Hall of Perfect Harmony (Zhong He Dian) where the emperor rested before attending solemn ceremonies and held audience with his ministers, and finally the Hall of Preserved Harmony (Bao He Dian) where banquets and imperial examinations were held.

Continue with your guide and driver for a visit to the Summer Palace, the largest imperial garden. Return to the hotel. Free time.
Overnight at the hotel. (Breakfast)

Your guide will take you for a stroll along Dazhanlan Street, a beautiful and lively shopping area where all the buildings have been reconstructed in the Qing era style, the last dynasty.

Transfer to the railway station and high-speed train, second class, to Xi’an at 2:00 pm (journey duration: 4h24). Arrival in Xi’an at 6:24 pm. Meet and greet by the guide. Transfer to the hotel.
Overnight at the hotel. (Breakfast)

Departure with your guide and driver for a visit to the Terracotta Army.

40 km east of Xi’an, the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang Di’s Tomb was discovered in 1974 at the foot of Lishan Hill (listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987).

Return to the city. In the afternoon, visit the Small Wild Goose Pagoda.

Overnight at the hotel. (Breakfast)

In the morning, you will go for a visit to the Grand Mosque in the Muslim quarter located in the old city of Xi’an, followed by free time to stroll around this area. Cycling enthusiasts can rent bicycles to discover the city from the top of the city wall.

Transfer to the train station. Departure at 5:00 pm towards Shanghai, soft-sleeper compartment.
Overnight on board the train. (Breakfast)

Early morning arrival in Shanghai. Meet your French-speaking guide and driver at the station exit. Breakfast in the city or at the hotel depending on traffic.

The tour begins with the Yu Garden featuring pavilions and ponds, located in Shanghai’s Old Town. Enjoy the landscaping art throughout this beautifully laid out two-hectare garden. A short stop at the famous Tea House and then stroll through the Old Town.

Stroll along the Bund by the Huang Pu River, not to mention the Pudong district, already nicknamed the “Chinese Manhattan”. Check in at the hotel.
Overnight at the hotel. (Breakfast)

Visit the Jade Buddha Temple, one of the most important in Shanghai. It was built at the end of the Qing era to house statues made in Burma.

After this visit, your guide will drop you off in the old French Concession district, nicknamed the Paris of the East. Originally, this area was reserved for French settlers in the 19th and 20th centuries and still bears traces of the Art Deco era. Free time to explore the streets of Shanghai.
Overnight at the hotel. (Breakfast)

After breakfast, transfer to the airport and return to Paris.
(Breakfast)