Itinerary · 7 days · balanced
One week China classics — Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai
The first-time-traveller's loop: imperial Beijing, the Terracotta Army at Xi'an, Shanghai's skyline. Connected by overnight train or short HSR.
This is the canonical first-time-in-China itinerary. Three megacities, three distinct character notes — imperial Beijing, the cradle of Chinese civilisation at Xi'an, the modern China of Shanghai. The HSR connections are the easiest way to do it: Beijing to Xi'an in 4h 30m, Xi'an to Shanghai in 6h. A week is enough to see the headline sights without rushing; two weeks is more comfortable but if a week is what you have, this works.
Day by day
Day 1 · beijing
Arrival and Tiananmen / Forbidden City
Land at PEK or PKX. Hotel near Wangfujing or Qianmen. Afternoon: Tiananmen Square and the National Museum.
Attractions: tiananmen-square, national-museum-china
Stay in: Wangfujing or Qianmen
Day 2 · beijing
Forbidden City and Jingshan
Full morning at the Forbidden City (book online ahead). Afternoon: Jingshan Park for the aerial view, then Beihai Park.
Attractions: forbidden-city
Day 3 · beijing
Great Wall day
Mutianyu section by hired car or tour. Half-day on the wall; afternoon back in town for a Peking duck dinner.
Attractions: great-wall-mutianyu
Hired car ¥600–¥900 with wait. Or organised group tour ¥300–¥500 per person.
Day 4 · xian
HSR to Xi'an, evening Muslim Quarter
Morning HSR Beijing West to Xi'an North (4h 30m). Afternoon: City Wall ride at dusk. Dinner: Beiyuanmen / Muslim Quarter food street.
Attractions: xian-city-wall, muslim-quarter-xian
Stay in: Inside the Xi'an City Wall, near the South Gate (Yongningmen).
G-class HSR ¥515 second class.
Day 5 · xian
Terracotta Army
Full half-day at the Terracotta Army site (Pits 1, 2, 3 and the Bronze Chariots Museum). Return to the city; afternoon at Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the Shaanxi History Museum.
Attractions: terracotta-army, big-wild-goose-pagoda, shaanxi-history-museum
Day 6 · shanghai
HSR to Shanghai, the Bund at dusk
Morning HSR Xi'an North to Shanghai Hongqiao (6h). Afternoon: walk the Bund as the lights come on across to Pudong; dinner in the French Concession.
Attractions: the-bund, french-concession
Stay in: The Bund / People's Square, or French Concession.
G-class HSR ¥670 second class.
Day 7 · shanghai
Yu Garden, Pudong, departure
Morning Yu Garden and the surrounding Old Town. Afternoon Shanghai Tower observation deck and the Pudong skyline. Evening departure from PVG.
Attractions: yu-garden, shanghai-tower
Budget guide (CNY per day)
| Backpacker | ¥700 |
| Mid-range | ¥1500 |
| Comfortable | ¥3500 |
Per day per person. Add ¥1,200 for HSR fares total.
Cities covered
Attractions covered
- Tiananmen Square天安门广场
- National Museum of China中国国家博物馆
- Forbidden City (Palace Museum)故宫
UNESCO
- Great Wall — Mutianyu慕田峪长城
UNESCO
- Xi'an City Wall西安城墙
- Muslim Quarter (Beiyuanmen Street)回民街
- Terracotta Army兵马俑
UNESCO
- Big Wild Goose Pagoda大雁塔
- Shaanxi History Museum陕西历史博物馆
- The Bund外滩
- Former French Concession法租界
- Yu Garden豫园