Highlights:

*Visit one of the world's great cities, one that is bursting at the seams with culture and excitement. China's largest city, Shanghai is China's economic center and noted for its vast selection of shopping and dining

*Hangzhou, a beautiful lake city and one of China’s Seven Ancient Capitals, is especially known for West Lake. Held on three sides in the embrace of hilly peaks, this water wonderland has been an attraction for centuries and it is small wonder that it was a favorite imperial retreat. You will explore West Lake in full, along with all the different pagodas and temples along the way

*This makes for the perfect Beijing getaway! With the new high-speed rail, traveling has never been cheaper and easier, as the travel time to Shanghai has been nearly cut in two. The price of a rail ticket is dramatically cheaper (and less of a hassle) than flying. And Hangzhou is just outside of Shanghai, and all it takes is a 2 hour drive to get there

(B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner)

You will take China's newest and the world's fastest bullet express train to China's former capital of Nanjing. You'll experience China's world-leading high-speed train technology which is now participating in the bidding for the U.S. California Intro-State High-speed Railroad Project from Sacramento to Los Angeles. Your local English-speaking guide will meet you whenever you arrive at the Nanjing South Railway Station. For your stay in Nanjing you’ll be lodging at a 3 or 4 star hotel (for normal tours) or a 5 star hotel (for deluxe tours).

We'll start off our sightseeing with a visit to that great sage Confucius at his temple. Confucius (Kong Fuzi) who taught philosophy in China 2,500 years ago is considered the most important figure in the shaping of ancient Chinese civilization as well as the cultures of the countries of Japan, Vietnam, and Korea. The Confucius Temple is south of the city’s central district. There was a temple that was built in the year 1034 during the Song Dynasty period on the banks of the Qinhuai River. During the past millennium, it was renovated, reconstructed, and enlarged so that it became a large complex. It was used by Confucian scholars. Next to it was the Jiangnan Gongyuan that was the largest examination area for people taking the imperial examinations and the Xue Gong that was the Qing Imperial Academy for training mandarins to govern the vast empire.

For dinner, we will go to a local restaurant, and you can try a meal of Jiangsu cuisine, named after the province Nanjing is located in, and the specialty of the region. The regional cuisine is noted for its muted sweet flavor, which is a stark contrast to the hotter and spicier dishes of other provinces. We'll cap off your night with a pleasant cruise back on the Qinhuai River.

After breakfast we'll get started on your sightseeing with a trip to what is arguably the biggest highlight of Nanjing, the the Mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat Sen (also known as Zhongshan Ling). Dr. Sun was the first president of the Republic of China and one of the leading organizers of the struggle to create a modern republic in China. The impressive memorial was built in the 1920's. Its architecture is accentuated by its splendid natural setting on the forested slopes of Zijin Mountain on the outskirts of Nanjing, its buildings made of white stone with dark blue roof tiles. We'll then have a Chinese lunch at a nearby restaurant.

We'll then head out to see one of the modern marvels of engineering at the Yangtze River Bridge. The Great Bridge over the Yangtze River in Nanjing is not only a striking example of post-Revolutionary art and engineering, but the story behind it is a source of pride for people throughout China, and especially those in Nanjing. It is the first modern bridge completely built by Chinese people. After the 1949 Revolution, China worked closely with the Soviet Union, and the Soviets provided many technical advisors and engineers.

Unfortunately, relations between the two countries deteriorated in the early 1960's, and the USSR brought all of its engineers home. Unwilling to give up, Chinese engineers managed to overcome the challenge and create this monumental and impressive bridge. The huge piers of the bridge are capped with towers topped by giant glass sculptures representing red flags surging forward, vividly recording the enthusiasm and patriotism of 1960's China.

In the late afternoon, you will be taken to the train station where you will make the quick ride to Shanghai, where you'll be met at the station by your new travel guide. You will then be taken to your 4-star hotel, where the rest of the night can be spent at your own leisure.

Day 3: Shanghai (B, L)

Following breakfast in the hotel we'll get started on your full day city tour at the Shanghai Museum, a large museum of ancient Chinese art. The museum style and presentation surrounds visitors with artifacts demonstrating ancient wisdom and philosophy. The exterior design of the round dome and the square base symbolizes the ancient idea of a round heaven and a square land. The museum is divided into eleven galleries and three exhibition halls. The eleven Galleries cover most of the major categories of Chinese art: Ancient Bronze, Ancient Ceramics, Paintings, Calligraphy, Ancient Sculpture, Ancient Jade, Coins, Ming and Qing Furniture, Seals, and Minority Nationalities. The museum is a wonderful primer on ancient Chinese culture, and is a must-see when coming to Shanghai.

Nearby is Yuyuan Garden. Yuyuan Garden is a famed classical garden, and even though it may be small, it contains numerous pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and cloisters, and all have unique characteristics. There are six main scenic areas in the garden: Sansui Hall, Wanhua Chamber, Dianchun Hall, Huijing Hall, Yuhua Hall and the Inner Garden. Each area features several scenic spots within its borders.

After experiencing the charm of Yuyuan Garden, we will take a time machine from old Shanghai into the city’s glittering present and future, which the Jin Mao Tower is a prime example. Being the fourth tallest building of the world and the second tallest building in China, Jin Mao Tower is located in the center of Lujiazui Finance and Trade Districts in Pudong. The architect, Adrian D. Smith, of this skyscraper ingeniously combined the elements of traditional Chinese culture with the newest architectural styles of the time, which makes Jin Mao Tower one of the best-constructed buildings in China. The tower’s observation decks give you an almost bird’s eye view of the city’s rapidly rising skyline.

Next, we'll walk down Nanjing Road, Shanghai’s premier shopping street. Open-air bars, abstract sculptures, and lingering sounds from street musicians enhance evening strolls. A trackless sightseeing train provides a comfortable tour of the pedestrian street. Then we’ll go to the most recognizable landmark of Shanghai, the Bund. The Bund is a waterfront embankment and has been regarded as the symbol of Shanghai for hundreds of years. It affords marvelous views across the river of the Pudong district and its numerous towers. The most famous and attractive sight which is at the west side of the Bund are the 52 various buildings of different architectural styles including Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque, Classicism and the Renaissance.

Day 4: Shanghai-Hangzhou-Shanghai (by car) (B, L)

In the morning we will drive out to Hangzhou (2 hr. drive). The capital of Zhejiang province, Hangzhou is one of the more modern and prosperous cities in China. It sits at the southern end of the Grand Canal and is one of China's seven ancient national capitals. Hangzhou's "heavenly" beauty attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists to its exquisite West Lake (Xi Hu) area each year to enjoy the placid lake, beautiful gardens, reflecting pools, lavish temples and lakeside teahouses.

Once we arrive at Hangzhou we'll set out for the city's main attraction, West Lake. West Lake is a man-made lake and is created after the Chinese love for garden style parks for recreation. Hangzhou's West Lake Scenic Area, in the southwest of the city, covers 60 square kilometers (23 square miles), of which West Lake itself occupies 5.6 square kilometers (2.2 square miles). West Lake is a place of tranquility where urbanity becomes a silhouette on the northeast horizon and mountains near and far surround it on the other three sides. The occasional pagoda and Chinese-style arched bridge add atmosphere to the tree-lined walkways, verdant islands and hills.

Within West Lake, is one of China's most famed temples, Lingyin, which we will explore. Commonly translated as "Temple of the Soul's Retreat", Ling Yin is one of the largest and wealthiest temples in China. It was originally founded in 326 AD, but has been rebuilt no less than sixteen times since then. The current buildings are modern restorations of late Qing buildings. The hillside to the south of the temple is also famous as a site of old Buddhist caves and rock carvings. Many of these date back to the time when the temple was first founded and a great many were carved during the blossoming of Buddhism during the Tang dynasty. Despite some damage inflicted by red guards during the Cultural Revolution, the temple and grounds escaped much of the wholesale destruction that other temples in China suffered because of the protection of Premier Zhou Enlai. Today the temple is thriving, though most of the thousands of visitors who come do so for sightseeing and not for religious reasons.

In the late afternoon we will make the drive back to Shanghai, where you will spend the night at the same hotel as you did the night before. The rest of the evening can be spent at your discretion.

Day 5: Shanghai-Beijing (by bullet train) (B)

After breakfast in the hotel, you will be taken to Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station and you will take the new high-speed bullet train back to Beijing (approx. 5.5 hours).