CHINA – WATER CITIES – 11 DAYS – APRIL & EASTER 2025

Gathering at Eleftherios Venizelos Airport and flight via Beijing to Shanghai.

Arrival in ultra-modern Shanghai. Transfer and check-in at our hotel (Check in after 2:00 p.m.). Rest and in the afternoon, we will prepare for an acrobatic performance, one of the oldest performing arts in China, which borrows elements from opera, dance and Chinese Kung Fu, creating a unique spectacle with a distinct, very characteristic style. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight.

After our morning tour of the city center. Our first stop will be the Buddhist Jade Buddha Temple, which takes its name from the two elaborate Buddha statues, carved in white jade. The seated Buddha, crafted from a single piece of jade, with its serene expression reflects the exceptional artistic skills of Chinese sculptors, is particularly impressive. We continue to the Old City of Shanghai and the Chenghung Mia Temple, dedicated to the three gods of the city. Next to it, another traditional Chinese garden awaits us, the Yuyuan, which dates back to the Ming Dynasty. The last image of our exciting journey, that of Shanghai from above, specifically from the 88th floor of the Jimao Tower, from where the view over the ultra-modern port of China is breathtaking. Return to our hotel. Afternoon free for strolling along the central Nanjing pedestrian street with endless shops. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight stay

Not far from Shanghai, at the mouth of the Yangtze River and on the banks of Lake Taihu, lies the city of Suzhou, which we will tour, starting from the fairytale environment of one of the four famous gardens of this water city. Our next stop, Tiger Hill, which despite its only 36 meters high, includes a significant number of historical monuments, some over 2,500 years old. This is followed by an entertaining cruise on the Grand Canal and a stop at the Silk Factory, where we will admire the famous embroidered silks of Suzhou. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight.

Departure by road to the picturesque ancient city of Shitang. The day is free to explore at a leisurely pace this charming "water city", which is a crossroads of nine rivers. We will walk along stone-built alleys, cross the beautiful arched bridges that connect authentic neighborhoods, and photograph the traditional boats that glide on the calm waters of the rivers. We continue by road to Hangzhou. Check-in at the hotel Return to our hotel. Dinner. Overnight.

Transfer to the airport and flight to Xi'an. Our acquaintance with the 3,100-year-old former capital of China, which is one of the most important commercial centers in the country and is full of historical monuments, begins at the Ancient Walls, the largest and best preserved ancient walls of China. Here we can easily imagine the caravans of merchants passing through the 4 central gates to follow the Silk Road, which connected East and West. This is followed by a visit to a clay handicraft factory and return to the city of Xi'an, where we will see the monumental Wild Goose Pagoda. The famous Buddhist holy monument with a height of 64.5 meters, 7 levels and a history of over 1,300 years, is considered the shining pearl on the Silk Road due to its excellent architectural harmony, its great religious significance, the important relics and the legends that connect it with the Chinese Buddhist monk and scholar Xuan Zhang. We will then be transferred to the outskirts of the city to admire the 8,000 dynamism-filled Terracotta Soldiers that were made especially to adorn the mausoleum of the first emperor Qin Shi Huang. This is one of the most important archaeological finds that came to light in the 20th century and the sight of the life-sized soldiers - in battle formation, on foot or on horseback - will truly leave you speechless. Check-in at our hotel. Dinner overnight.

Today we will experience a journey by high-speed train to the capital Beijing. Undoubtedly one of the most historic imperial capitals in the world, full of cultural treasures, yet living at the cutting edge of the most modern trends. Arrival and check-in at our hotel. Dinner. Overnight.

After breakfast at the hotel, our acquaintance with the city of 22 million inhabitants will begin from the spectacular Tiananmen Square, the largest square in the world, built in the early 15th century by the Ming Dynasty. The "Gate of Heavenly Peace", as its name implies, has been the theater of impressive national celebrations and military parades, but contrary to what its name suggests, it has also been a place of mass protests, political unrest, and even bloody events. Walking north from the square, we will reach the fascinating Forbidden City, the famous city-palace of the emperors of China, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is an architectural complex, a veritable labyrinth of courtyards, corridors and 800 buildings in total, which hosted the emperors from the Ming to the Qing Dynasties, along with their thousands of concubines and eunuchs. The towering red walls and imperial apartments are equally impressive as the rich collection of Chinese art that is now exhibited here, since the Imperial or Forbidden City is now a public museum. Our next stop is the Temple of Heaven, another imperial complex, religious this time, which was built alongside the Forbidden City, so that the emperors of the aforementioned dynasties could come for the official annual prayer ceremonies for a blessed harvest. The largest surviving complex of its kind in China, with its huge cylindrical, spiral altar symbolizes the relationship between the heavenly and the human, but also the important role that the emperors played in this relationship. Our tour today ends with one of the most authentic images of the city, a ride on bicycle carts in the Hutongs, as the narrow streets and alleys that stretch between traditional houses with peaceful gardens are called. It is a charming labyrinth and an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with the genuine culture and lifestyle of the city's residents, whose roots reach back to the 13th century. Having gotten a good first taste of the unique experiences that Beijing has in store for us. Return to our hotel. Dinner. Overnight.

Breakfast at our hotel and departure for Badaling, the closest to Beijing and therefore the most visited section of the impressive Great Wall. The ultimate symbol of China and one of the top travel experiences, which began to be built in the 7th century to protect the empire from invaders, runs over 21,000 kilometers and 15 provinces, while the specific section that we will see, 70 km. from Beijing, protected the city from the north and offers a good idea of ​​its original form. After the Great Wall there is the possibility of visiting a nearby jade processing factory, the stone that in ancient China was considered more precious than gold and is closely associated with the country's culture. For the end of the day we left the Ming Tombs, the 13 mausoleums in total that began when the first emperor of the dynasty, Zhu Di, built his funerary monument in 1409, to be followed by another twelve, in the next 230 years. We will see one of the three mausoleums that are open to the public, Changling or Dingling, and we will enjoy a wonderful walk on the peaceful Sacred Road that connects the tombs and is decorated with gates, elaborate columns and statues carved in stone. Dinner at a local restaurant where we will try the local specialty and characteristic dish, the "Peking duck". Overnight.

Check out of the hotel and departure for the Summer Palace, a magnificent complex, in whose extensive palaces with magnificent gardens and lakes, emperors sought refuge to avoid the sweltering heat of Beijing. Return to the city and farewell dinner. Transfer to the airport for the midnight direct return flight to Athens.

ARRIVAL IN ATHENS