A Whistle-Stop Tour of China

China is a magnificent country, one that has an equally magnificent selection of cities, sites and food that are all tied up with the country's colourful history. You may think that you need to spend a few weeks in China to see all of the best bits, but this is not necessarily the case! Of course, spending a few weeks exploring will mean that you can enjoy an in-depth experience of the country, but you can still have a great time and see the following list of things on an 8 day tour.

Forbidden City

This was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty, a total of almost 500 years. It is now home to the Palace Museum and holds a splendid collection of Chinese artefacts as well as being a fascinating place to visit in itself.

Terracotta Warriors

The famous collection of terracotta sculptures depicts the army of the first Emperor of China. The figures date from the 3rd century BC and were made to protect the emperor in the afterlife; however they were only discovered in 1974, meaning that they were hidden for over 2000 years. Their preservation is a wonder to behold.

Great Wall of China

This is one of China's most famous structures and the scale of it must be seen to be believed. The idea of the wall has existed as early as the 7th century BC but it was during the Ming Dynasty from 14th-17th century that the wall as we know it was created. The wall is very important to China's history and is an essential visit on any good tour of China.

Tiananmen Square

The infamous square is in the centre of Beijing and the 3rd largest city square in the world. Tiananmen has been the site of many protests and important events in China's history, including the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 and military displays on the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic in 2009.

SummerPalace

The palace can be found in Beijing and covers 2.9km², the majority of which is water thanks to its huge lake. The area is incredibly beautiful and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to the natural beauty combined with traditional Chinese architectural bridges and pagodas.

The Bund and Pudong District

This area of Shanghai is China's financial and commercial hub, a district that has developed rapidly since the 90s. Here you can see the Oriental Pearl Tower and the Jin Mao Building, two of Shanghai's best known buildings. The impressive skyline is spectacular to see both during the day and after dark.

Food

No visit to China is complete without tasting some of the country's delicacies, and there will be opportunities to try local delights such as Peking Duck, Dim Sum and Baozi (steamed buns).

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