Dates are flexible. This day-by-day plan is provisional until you choose exact travel dates.
Start at Tiananmen Square as early as practical, allowing roughly an hour for the square itself and time for security screening. Bring your passport—the original is normally required—and check the official reservation procedure shortly before visiting, as access can require advance registration and controls can change. The square is best before the crowds and midday haze, but expect queues even early on. From there, walk or take a short taxi/metro ride north toward Jingshan Park; allow about 20–30 minutes for the transfer and entrance formalities. The climb to the central pavilion is modest but steep in places, and the view over the imperial roofs is particularly rewarding in clear weather. Park admission is usually inexpensive, around ¥2–10, though seasonal arrangements vary.
Continue east into Nanluoguxiang, allowing 30–40 minutes from Jingshan by taxi or metro depending on traffic. The main alley is busy and commercial, so wander into the smaller hutongs branching off it for quieter courtyards, independent craft shops, and neighborhood cafés. Plan a relaxed lunch here—Mr Shi’s Dumplings is a dependable option for jiaozi, while Dali Courtyard is a good choice if you prefer Yunnan-style dishes and have reserved ahead. Budget around ¥50–120 per person. In the late afternoon, walk or take a short ride to Shichahai, then follow the lakeside around Houhai and Qianhai for about 1–1½ hours. This is a good time to slow down: watch the locals around the water, explore the hutongs near Yandai Byway, and stop for tea rather than trying to cover every lane.
Finish in the Wangfujing Snack Street area, roughly 20–30 minutes from Shichahai by taxi or metro. The area is convenient for dinner and an easy first-night introduction to Beijing, though the most theatrical snack stalls can be tourist-oriented and some offerings are seasonal. Try Beijing specialties such as zhajiangmian, jianjiao, or lamb skewers at a reputable restaurant nearby rather than choosing solely by the busiest stall; Siji Minfu Roast Duck is an excellent option if you want roast duck, but reservations or a substantial wait may be necessary. Allow ¥80–180 per person, and keep your passport accessible throughout the day. Total city movement is best handled with the metro and occasional taxi—traffic around the central avenues can make short road journeys surprisingly slow.
Start at The Forbidden City at your reserved entry time, ideally around 8:30–9:00am. Allow about 3½ hours for the central axis, including the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Palace of Heavenly Purity, and the imperial gardens. Entry is typically around ¥60–80 depending on season, but admission is limited and must be booked in advance through the official platform or a reputable booking service; bring the same passport used for the reservation. Security and ticket checks can add 30–45 minutes, and the complex is closed on Mondays, so verify the operating day before committing. Exit through the north gate, then take a taxi or DiDi to Beihai Park—walking is possible but takes roughly 25–30 minutes.
Spend around 1½ hours in Beihai Park, following the lakefront paths toward the White Pagoda and the quieter northern gardens. The park is a good decompression after the palace crowds; allow time for the short uphill walk to the pagoda and views across the old imperial city. Admission is usually about ¥10–20, with separate charges sometimes applying to individual sights. From the park, use DiDi or a taxi to Temple of Heaven, allowing 25–40 minutes in normal traffic; the subway can be cheaper, but the final walk is longer. Aim to arrive by about 3:30pm so you have time for the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the surrounding park before closing. The grounds are especially lively late in the day, with locals playing cards, singing, and practising tai chi. The combined ticket is generally around ¥28–34, and the main halls may close before the park itself.
After Temple of Heaven, take a taxi or DiDi north to Quanjude Roast Duck in Qianmen, allowing roughly 20–35 minutes depending on traffic. Expect a busy, formal dining room and a meal of about 1½ hours; a full duck is best for several people, while smaller groups can order a half duck plus a few dishes. Budget approximately ¥180–350 per person, more if ordering generously. Qianmen’s pedestrian streets are pleasant for a short post-dinner stroll, but avoid turning this into another major stop—the day already involves substantial walking. Wear comfortable shoes, carry your passport, and keep water handy; the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven both involve long stretches with limited shade.
Allow roughly 5–6 hours door to door for the Beijing–Xi’an high-speed train, including getting to Beijing West, station security, the journey, and the transfer from Xi’an North into the centre. With an early departure, you should reach your hotel around lunchtime or early afternoon; leave luggage there if the room is not ready. The metro is inexpensive and efficient—Xi’an North connects to the centre by Line 2—but a taxi or DiDi is more practical with bags. Keep your passport accessible, and have your hotel’s Chinese address ready for the driver.
Spend about two hours wandering the Muslim Quarter, beginning around Huimin Street and continuing through the smaller lanes around Dapiyuan and Xiyangshi. This is best treated as a grazing stop rather than a formal meal: try roujiamo (Chinese-style meat burgers), biangbiang noodles, lamb skewers, and persimmon cakes, choosing busy stalls with a high turnover. The main street is touristy, while the side lanes feel more atmospheric; expect snacks to cost roughly ¥10–40 each, with cashless payment widely accepted. Keep valuables close in the crowds, and avoid filling up too early if you are planning the dumpling banquet.
From the quarter, walk about 10 minutes toward Xi’an Drum Tower, where the surrounding Bell Tower area becomes particularly attractive once the lights come on. Allow around 45 minutes to admire the illuminated towers and broad central streets; tower interiors generally close earlier than the exterior viewing areas, so check same-day hours if you want to go inside. Finish at De Fa Chang Dumpling Restaurant near the Drum Tower for its traditional dumpling banquet, allowing 1½ hours and approximately ¥80–180 per person. It is a comfortable introduction to Xi’an cuisine after the train ride, with assorted steamed and boiled dumplings rather than just one large dish. Reserve ahead if possible, especially during busy periods; afterward, your hotel is easiest to reach by short taxi or metro ride from Zhonglou Station.
Leave central Xi’an around 7:30–8:00am for the Terracotta Army in Lintong District. A taxi or DiDi usually takes about 1–1½ hours each way, depending heavily on traffic; a pre-booked car or small-group tour is the easiest option, especially if you want help with the entry process. Reserve timed admission in advance through the official channel or a reputable hotel/tour provider, and carry your passport. Allow around 3½ hours for Pits 1, 2 and 3, the bronze chariots, and the museum buildings. The site is generally open during daytime hours, but exact entry windows and ticket rules can change, so verify them before setting out.
Continue a short distance to Huaqing Palace, where the imperial hot-spring gardens sit beneath Mount Li. Spend about 1½ hours walking through the landscaped courtyards and historic bathing complexes; it is a calmer contrast to the crowds at the excavations. A combined taxi transfer is practical, while local buses can take considerably longer. If you are hungry, have a simple lunch in Lintong before leaving rather than relying on the attraction cafés. Return toward the centre by taxi or DiDi, allowing roughly an hour in normal traffic.
Head to the Xi’an City Wall for a late-afternoon walk or bicycle ride, entering at a convenient central gate such as Yongning Gate. A full circuit is long, so cycling for an hour or two is more enjoyable than attempting to walk every metre; bike hire is commonly available on top of the wall, subject to weather and operating hours. Aim to arrive with at least two hours before closing so you have time for the ramparts, watchtowers, and changing city views. Finish in Beilin at Lao Wan Cheng Restaurant for roughly 1½ hours of Shaanxi cooking—order biangbiang noodles, roujiamo, and a couple of shared dishes, budgeting about ¥60–140 per person. It is sensible to arrive early or ask your hotel to help with a reservation, as local restaurants can become busy at dinner.
After the early high-speed train from Xi’an North Railway Station to Chengdu East Railway Station, allow roughly 5–6 hours door to door once station security, the journey, and your transfer to the hotel are included. Drop your bags, have a quick lunch, and head north to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding—a taxi or DiDi generally takes 45–60 minutes from central Chengdu, with traffic making the return journey longer. Reserve admission in advance through the official channel or a reputable booking platform; entry procedures and available sessions can change. Although morning is usually best for feeding activity, an afternoon visit still gives you around three hours for the panda enclosures, red pandas, and shaded walking paths. Bring water and comfortable shoes, as the grounds are spread out.
Return toward the centre and spend about 1½ hours wandering Jinli Ancient Street in Wuhou District. It is atmospheric after dark, when the lanterns come on, though the main lane can be busy; duck into the smaller side alleys rather than stopping at the first snack stall you see. From Jinli, take a short taxi or DiDi ride to Chen Mapo Tofu for dinner—allow about an hour and expect approximately ¥50–120 per person. Order the namesake mapo tofu with rice, but add a milder dish if you are not used to Sichuan pepper and chilli. Chengdu restaurants can fill quickly at dinner, so joining the digital queue through a local map app or asking your hotel to help is useful.
Begin at Wenshu Monastery, ideally around 8:30–9:00am, when the courtyards are quieter and the incense atmosphere feels most peaceful. Allow about 1½ hours to explore the halls and gardens, then sit briefly in the monastery’s tea area—Chengdu’s tea culture is part of the experience, not just a refreshment stop. Admission is generally free, though donations and small charges for particular facilities may apply. From here, a short taxi or DiDi ride, or roughly 20 minutes by metro depending on your entrance and route, brings you toward People’s Park.
Spend late morning at People’s Park, allowing another 1½ hours to watch locals play mahjong, meet friends over tea, and stroll around the lake and shaded paths. The famous ear-cleaning service is optional, but use a reputable-looking operator and agree on the price first. For lunch, keep it casual around the park or nearby central streets—try a Chengdu noodle shop or a small restaurant serving dan dan noodles and sweet-water noodles rather than making this a heavy meal. Continue by taxi or metro toward Tianfu Square; allow around 20–30 minutes with the transfer and station walking.
Set aside about two hours for the Chengdu Museum, where the galleries on local archaeology, Sichuan culture, and the city’s development make a useful counterpoint to the morning’s living traditions. Check the current weekly closure day, opening hours, identification requirements, and whether a free timed reservation is needed before you go; arrive with your passport if using a foreign visitor booking. Afterward, take an unhurried walk through the central streets around Tianfu Square before heading to Kuixinglou Street, usually a 10–15-minute taxi ride or a manageable metro-and-walk combination. The street is best enjoyed as a progressive dinner: order one or two Sichuan dishes at a time, perhaps mapo tofu, cold rabbit, or grilled skewers, and expect roughly ¥80–180 per person for a relaxed meal with drinks. Stay for the neighborhood bars and evening bustle, but keep spice levels modest if you are travelling early the next day.
Allow 5–6 door to door for the flight Chengdu to Shanghai, including the airport transfer, check-in, security, flight, baggage collection, and getting into the city. An early departure is worthwhile, but don’t plan sightseeing until you have for delays; depending on whether land at Hongiao Airport orPudong Airport, the or taxi into centralHuangpu** can take about 30–75 minutes. Drop your bags at the hotel, then have a light lunch before heading to the waterfront.
Start at The Bund, where a relaxed 1½-hour walk takes you past the grand former banks and trading houses along Zhongshan East 1st Road, with the modern skyline across the Huangpu River. The best light is usually later in the afternoon, and the promenade becomes increasingly atmospheric as the office towers begin to illuminate. From the Bund, walk west along Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street—roughly 15–20 minutes—to spend another 1½ hours among department stores, historic signs, snack shops, and neon. Keep valuables secure in the busiest sections, and expect crowds even on ordinary evenings.
Make your way back toward the river for the Huangpu River evening cruise, allowing about 1½ hours. Departures from Shiliupu or nearby terminals are slot-based and can sell out, so reserve a departure time in advance and arrive 20–30 minutes early with your passport details and booking confirmation. After disembarking, walk or take a short taxi ride to Jia Jia Tang Bao for dinner—budget approximately ¥50–100 per person for soup dumplings and a few small dishes. Eat carefully: the broth inside is extremely hot, and queues can be substantial, so treat this as a simple, lively local meal rather than a leisurely restaurant sitting.
Start at Yu Garden around 8:30–9:00am, before the surrounding Old City becomes crowded. Allow about 1½ hours for the zigzag bridges, dragon walls, jade-colored ponds, halls, and famously intricate rockeries. It is a popular attraction, so check the official booking system shortly before visiting and reserve a timed ticket if required; admission is commonly around ¥30–40. Take Metro Line 10 or 14 to Yuyuan Garden station, then allow 10–15 minutes on foot through the busy approach streets.
From the garden, continue into Shanghai Old City on foot for roughly 1½ hours. Wander south and west away from the souvenir-heavy lanes around the entrance, looking for quieter residential alleys, small produce stalls, and remnants of the traditional courtyard neighborhoods. Fangbang Middle Road is convenient for snacks, while the lanes around Wenmiao Road feel more local. Keep valuables secure in crowded passages, and expect some old buildings to be private homes rather than open attractions.
After lunch, take Metro Line 10 from Yuyuan Garden to People’s Square for the Shanghai Museum. Set aside about 2½ hours for its bronzes, ceramics, calligraphy, paintings, and furniture collections. Entry is generally free, but a timed reservation may be required through the museum’s official channel, with passport details often needed for foreign visitors; do not assume you can walk in during busy periods. The museum is closed on some recurring days or may change its reservation rules, so verify hours before setting out.
Later, take Metro Line 1 or 12 toward Tianzifang, allowing around 30–40 minutes door to door depending on the transfer and walk. Spend about 1½ hours exploring the narrow lanes, former shikumen houses, small studios, and independent shops, preferably browsing rather than trying to cover every alley. Finish at Din Tai Fung in Xintiandi, a short taxi or Metro journey away, for xiaolongbao and a relaxed dinner; budget roughly ¥150–300 per person. Order the dumplings soon after sitting down, and leave a little time afterward to enjoy Xintiandi’s restored stone-gate architecture before returning by Metro or taxi.
No packing list attached yet.