Shanghai Tailor-Made

Your day begins with a visit to the Shanghai Museum. Set in a newly designed building in the 'People's Park', the Shanghai Museum is China's foremost collection of exhibits dating from Neolithic times. The bronze collection is considered the best in ...

Your day begins with a visit to the Shanghai Museum. Set in a newly designed building in the 'People's Park', the Shanghai Museum is China's foremost collection of exhibits dating from Neolithic times. The bronze collection is considered the best in the world, with other first-rate exhibits of sculpture, jade, calligraphy, painting and Ming and Qing dynasty furniture and minority art. Continue to the old city and the Yuyuan Gardens. Within the past turbulent century much of Shanghai's old quarters were destroyed; however what remains gives an interesting insight into Shanghai's past. For the Chinese, gardens were a microcosm in which the skillful gardener who had to combine the qualities of a painter, poet, architect and landscape gardener could construct his own world using minerals, plants and animals in a limited space. Although the Yuyuan occupies less than two hectares it seems far larger and ingeniously mingles pavilions and corridors, small hills, lotus ponds teeming with goldfish, bridges, winding paths, trees and shrubs. Yuyuan Gardens date from the 16th century and after looking around these, there will be time to visit the adjoining market or sip tea in the tea pavilion. Continue to the Jade Buddha Temple, named after two milk-white jade Buddha statues brought back from Burma in the 19th century and still in active use with dozens of monks in attendance. You will then visit the Children's Palace, which is housed in the pre-1949 residence of the wealthy stock-broking family of Kadoorie. Their former mansion is now a centre for children of exceptional abilities. You will be able to take a quick look at classes taking part and perhaps see a musical performance given by the students. The afternoon ends on the Bund, lined with fine colonial buildings from the 1930's heyday when the city was occupied by European, American and Japanese banks, trading houses, clubs, consulates and hotels. These buildings have been restored as a showcase of the city and are spectacularly lit up at night.

You will be driven out through the suburbs and towns surrounding the city of Shanghai. Suzhou, one of the oldest cities in the Yangtze basin, flourished as a trading and silk centre from the 6th Century. Its most prosperous period was during the ...

You will be driven out through the suburbs and towns surrounding the city of Shanghai. Suzhou, one of the oldest cities in the Yangtze basin, flourished as a trading and silk centre from the 6th Century. Its most prosperous period was during the Ming and Qing dynasties when many officials, scholars and artists settled here and local traders grew rich. This wealth was largely invested in the 150 gardens that make Suzhou famous today. The gardens are however hidden behind high walls. On arrival in Suzhou you will visit the Garden of the Humble Administrator, which is part park, and part restored Ming garden. This classical Ming garden has a pool patterned with islands and bridges one island of which is said to suggest a moored boat. Continue to the Silk Embroidery Institute, started in 1957. For more than a thousand years silk has been a massively important part of China’s trade and art and the institute has its own museum showing the development of embroidery stitches and motifs. After lunch at a local restaurant you will be driven to the charming town of Luzhi. With a history dating back over one thousand years, Luzhi is dotted with arched bridges, small lanes and historic buildings. You will be taken on a boat trip on the ancient Grand Canal which at one time reached from the Yangtze up to the Yellow River and on to Beijing and is the longest canal in the world.

Travel out of Shanghai by car or minibus to the towns of the Yangtze basin, built around the Grand Canal. The ancient township of Zhoujiajiao was a commercial center during the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) Dynasties. Markets could be found ...

Travel out of Shanghai by car or minibus to the towns of the Yangtze basin, built around the Grand Canal. The ancient township of Zhoujiajiao was a commercial center during the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) Dynasties. Markets could be found along the riverside thanks to its convenient water transportation. The township became one of the largest commercial centers on the lower reaches of the Yangtze during the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1911); and that explains why there are so many buildings in the style of both eras. The streets of Zhujiajiao have retained their original structure with granite-laid roads and narrow streets sandwiched in between brick and wooden two-story buildings, most built on the water. In recent years, the ancient township has drawn famous directors from China and other parts of the world and some 60 films and TV dramas have been produced here. Therefore, it is also known as the Hollywood of Shanghai. Zhouzhuang is very similar. A town built on water, crisscrossed with rivers and lakes, numerous arched bridges and 900 year old buildings. It is a small old town of only around a kilometre square but fits in perfectly with most people’s idea of historic China away from the big cities. You will see the picturesque Twin Bridges, the symbol of the town, Fuan bridge with it’s teahouses and Shen house, an elaborate mansion dating back to the 1700’s. One hundred rooms are connected by arcades and aisles and reached by the water gate and the wharf, where Shen’s family moored boats.

This evening enjoy a performance of the Shanghai state acrobats

This evening enjoy a performance of the Shanghai state acrobats