Location: Shanghai
Day 1 - 9 Sep 2019
Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport
Content: We took Cathay Pacific flight from Boston to Shanghai via Hongkong. Flight was comfortable and service was also excellent. This is the second airport in Shanghai and has a train station next to it. Traffic can be very bad here, especially during holidays so recommend giving yourself some extra time or take the subway.
Hotel Indigo Shanghai On The Bund
Content: Took cab from airport reached hotel in 30 mins. This stylish Hotel Indigo Shanghai On The Bund is located along the Huangpu River with spectacular views of Pudong. Check in was quick and staff was well trained and happy to serve.
Yuyuan Garden
Content: Soon after getting fresh we left as we didnt wanted to waste time, for Yuyuan Garden which was 5 mins from hotel. In the heart of the city, able to see nice Chinese style architecture and gardening. The Dragon Wall is very impressive visit worthy. Estimate time spent 1.5 hours.
World Financial Centre
Content: World Financial Centre was the tallest skyscraper in the city which looks like giant bottle opener. We went up to the 94th floor by elevator, then an escalator up to floor 97 and finally another lift to the 100th floor. You walk across a partial glass floor so you’re looking straight down 100 floors. Unfortunately it was quite misty and although it kept moving around so we did get a reasonable view on and off we didn’t get very good photos. Still it was fun.
M On The Bund
Content: This is known as first restaurant to open on the Bund. Enjoy the magnificent view of Huangpu river with excellent food.
Location: Shanghai
Day 2 - 10 Sep 2019
Jade Buddha Temple
Content: Had breakfast at Quay restaurant of our hotel and left for our 1st destination of the day Jade temple which was 20 mins far. Early morning is best time to visit this place. Surrounding here is very calm and peaceful. A serene huge and beautiful temple and two amazing Buddha statues one sitting and one reclining made of jade.
Shanghai Museum
Content: You will find an extensive collection of ceramics as well as Chinese paintings, sculptures, coins and furniture. Unfortunately many of the signs & descriptions of the artifacts are not available in English. So I recommend to hire guide
Nanjing Road
Content: This is a central pedestrianized area with an abundance of shops and restaurants. Here you find a mixture of traditional Chinese brands and shops with recognizable western brands and shops.
Pizza Hut
Content: After lots of shopping we had pizza at Chinese pizza hut which was quite different from our local ones along with chinese beer.
Oriental Pearl Tower
Content: Oriental Pearl Tower dominates the Shanghai skyline and looks absolutely amazing lit up at night. The glass deck is the main attraction here and other than that the views from the upper deck are mesmerizing. Inside you will find a hotel, shops, restaurants and even a history museum.
River Cruise
Content: There are several tour lengths you can choose from a 30 minutes to 3 hour cruise. The most popular one is the 50 minute classic cruise. The cruises are available during the day and night. It is recommended to take a cruise at night when the river is veiled in the sparkling neon lights on both sides.
Shanghai Grandmother Restaurant
Content: Good authentic food at reasonable price. Place was very crowded with long queues but they did move fast. Be ready to share table if u r travelling as a couple.
Location: Xian
Day 3 - 11 Sep 2019
Xian airport
Content: We had to catch flight from shanghai for Xian which was 2.5 hours via china eastern airlines.
Hilton Xi'an
Content: The Hilton is a beautiful centrally located property. We were welcomed with fresh juice n staff was ready to help when needed.
Xi'an City Wall
Content: City wall is 5 mins walking distance from hotel. The best part about City Wall is that the top of the wall is fully accessible and best enjoyed by bicycle. When you plan your city wall biking excursion it makes sense to finish off at South Gate just because most of the main attractions within the wall are in that area.
Street of Shuyuanmen
Content: This is one of the cultural streets of Xi’an. You won’t find too many Terracotta Warriors for sale here but there were a few stores that carried them. We made the mistake of purchasing our first two here when we probably should’ve waited until the Muslim Quarter. This street was a great place to wander aimlessly after our noodle lunch.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Content: Worth a look around inside pogoda grounds. Entrance to Pagoda 25 yen extra. A lot of busy narrow steps with a limited views of city through perspex. Only good if you want the exercise. Off to the west side of the large square are a tons of little side streets where food and souvenir vendors line up the streets. There was a lot of snacking along the way.
Hilton Xi'an
Content: Long day it was so we had our dinner in hotel itself at Changle Palace Chinese restaurant. Food was authentic and mild as well
Location: Xian
Day 4 - 12 Sep 2019
Shaanxi Museum
Content: There were a lot of interesting artifacts to see but of course we had to skip quite a few sections simply because there were way too many people especially with the large school groups. Note that selfie sticks are not allowed. We arrived with a massive line up ahead of us.
Muslim Quarter
Content: This area is home to 20,000 Muslims and has become an incredibly popular spot for food and souvenirs. Terracotta Warriors here was much cheaper than anywhere else.
Bell Tower and Drum Tower
Content: The Muslim Quarter actually starts from the Drum Tower and so after we finished there, we simply made our way back. Since it didn’t seem like the Drum Tower had great views we bolted over to Bell Tower. I would highly recommend the Bell Tower over the Drum Tower simply because it is right in the middle of a roundabout and gives you straight line views of North and South gate of the wall.
Dumpling Dinner
Content: Get there earlier to get a good seat. There are 10 short sets in the show some excellent. I wouldn't have missed the opportunity to see the costumes, dancers and particularly drummers. We were served with different types and shapes of dumplings served with rice wine.
Location: Beijing
Day 5 - 13 Sep 2019
Beijingnan Railway Station
Content: Took morning bullet train from Xian for Beijing which was 5.5 hours. Taking a high speed train is one of the best ways to travel between Beijing and Xian. It is clean, comfortable, modern and cheap.
Hotel Kapok Beijing
Content: The location of this hotel is value for money. Nicely apportioned rooms of above average size and friendly staff.
Temple of Heaven
Content: It was 15 mins far from hotel. A prime example of Chinese religious architecture, this is where emperors once performed important rites. Be sure to whisper into the echo wall encircling the Imperial Vault of Heaven. We recommend buying an all-inclusive ticket. If you only buy a ticket into the park you'll need to pay an additional Y20 to get into each building. We missed out one corner of the temple as it gets closed at 5:30 pm. Going early is recommanded.
Tiananmen square
Content: Located in the heart of Beijing City, it is the site for massive parades and rallies, which is the largest square of this kind in the world. At sunrise and sunset the raising and lowering ceremony of the Chinese National Flag is well worth the watching. The precision of the young troops is very well performed.
Siji Minfu Restaurant
Content: This restaurant was 5 mins from Tiananmen square. Food was delicious and very reasonably priced. Service was amazing and our waiter was a real pleasure, going over and beyond to help with communication.
Location: Beijing
Day 6 - 14 Sep 2019
Jingshan Park
Content: Beautifully maintained historic park worth climbing up to admire stunning views of the Forbidden City. The Wanchun Pavilion on the top of the hill is the best place to overlook and photograph the panorama of the Forbidden City.
Forbidden City
Content: Once home to China’s ancient emperors. A large scale royal ancient architectural complex with a wide range of precious cultural relics. It is advisable to do some homework in advance before the visit. You can also rent an audio guide. We spent more than 4 hours just wandering around all the hallways, pathways, rooms, halls, open squares and garden areas and still there was so much more to see.
Beijing Zoo and Olympic Park
Content: Meet the lovable Giant Pandas of Beijing Zoo. Take pictures of the striking Olympic Games buildings of the Bird's Nest and Water Cube. It is better to visit this attraction at evening time after 5 pm as you can take photography when the building is lit up with different colors.
King's Joy
Content: This restaurant was 2 mins walk from Lama Temple. Every course was beautifully prepared and tasty vegetarian food. It was expensive but worth visiting.
Location: Beijing
Day 7 - 15 Sep 2019
Great Wall of China
Content: We left for Great wall early after breakfast at hotel. It was 1.5 hours from hotel. Public transport is a nice choice for budget travelers. Mutianyu is one of the four main tourist sections of The Great Wall of China. This section is notable as the most beautiful and less crowded areas of The Great Wall. We headed up via Cable Car to the entrance. On the short 5minute ride up, we saw incredible views of the surrounding area. That China heat was stagnant and unbearable. After a fantastic time at the Great Wall it was time to head back down. The cable car was available but we went with the Toboggan ride. It was one of the most exciting activities.
Hotel Kapok Beijing
Content: After spending whole day at Great Wall everyone was tired so we took dinner in room only.
Location: Beijing
Day 8 - 16 Sep 2019
Summer Palace
Content: Imperial Palace and Gardens of the Qing Dynasty. Take your time and relax this is beautiful traditional Chinese garden on an impressive scale. I strongly urge you to have a route plan so as not to wear yourself out and miss some of the highlights. It takes 3 to 4 hours to explore each corner.
Wangfujing Street
Content: Beijing’s most famous commercial street and one of China’s famous ancient commercial streets. Along the pedestrian section, you can find the Malls at Oriental Plaza, numerous shops that have been in operation for hundreds of years, brand name flagship stores, and the hugely popular snack street. After the pedestrian section, there are still more shops but possibly the major attraction in this section is St. Joseph’s Wangfujing Church.
Location: Shanghai
Day 9 - 17 Sep 2019
Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport
Content: Most memorable place was beijing being capital of China it was just amazing. Left for Shanghai via Hainan airlines as we had to depart for our home from SHA airport which was scheduled at 1.30 pm.