China Culture & Technology Tour: Beijing, Chongqing & Shenzhen

Your Day in Detail

This morning, stop at Tiananmen Square for a quick look, then enter the Forbidden City. When traveling with children or older family members, there's no need to cover every corner of the site. Instead, follow your experienced guide along a carefully chosen route that focuses on the most important and impressive halls and courtyards. Your visit will be far more than a history lesson, as these magnificent buildings are filled with fascinating details, clever design features, and fun stories.

For lunch, head to Haidilao Smart Restaurant, where robots assist with food preparation and service. The interactive dining environment and immersive projection displays make the meal entertaining for both children and adults, and it's a fun introduction to the innovative side of modern China.

Your Day in Detail

Drive about 2 hours to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. A cable car takes you up, so you skip the steepest climb and save your energy for the walk along the wall itself. You can walk as little or as much as you like, and the views open up with every turn.

In the afternoon, visit Shougang Park, a former steel mill that has been turned into a public leisure space. The old blast furnaces, pipes, and industrial structures remain in place, and the site now includes walking paths, open areas, and a few cafés. It's an easy walk, and you can decide how much time to spend.

Your Day in Detail

Start the day at a local morning market, walk past stalls selling steaming buns, potstickers, and fried dough. You'll see locals shopping for produce, picking up breakfast, and going about their morning routines. If you're curious, you can also try douzhi, a fermented mung bean drink that tends to be an acquired taste.

Then head to the sacred Temple of Heaven. The parkland surrounding the temple is where locals gather in the morning to exercise, practice tai chi, dance, and play traditional games. If you're interested, you're welcome to join in and experience authentic local life in Beijing.

Later, board a high-speed train to Shanghai. The journey takes about 4.5 hours comfortably, giving you time to relax.

Your Day in Detail

Start at the Bund, Shanghai's iconic waterfront and the best place to take in the city's past and present. Walk to Yuyuan Garden, a typical Chinese garden with winding paths, rockeries, and goldfish ponds. The adjacent bazaar is lively and practical, with a mix of souvenir stalls and snack shops where you can grab a bubble tea or a quick bite. Then take a short visit to a silk workshop, you can see how silk is produced.

In the afternoon, stroll from Fuxing Park to Bugaoli, a quiet neighborhood of stone-gate houses. This area is pedestrian-friendly and less crowded than the downtown center, with small food stalls and local snacks available along the way.

End the day at Shanghai Tower, where the observation deck presents you sweeping views of the city's vast size and layout.

Your Day in Detail

Start the day at Ciqikou Ancient Town, a hillside neighborhood of old stone streets, small shops, and food stalls. It's a popular spot for travelers, with a mix of local crafts, snacks, and traditional buildings.

From there, visit Kuixing Tower for a view from the 22nd floor. Standing on what appears to be the ground floor, you look over the railing only to find yourself at the height of the 22nd floor. This striking visual illusion gives the place an almost surreal feel. Then walk a short stretch of the Mountain City Footpath, where you'll pass murals, narrow alleyways.

Lunch is Chongqing hotpot. The meal involves a shared pot of spicy broth, with fresh ingredients cooked at the table. It's a local tradition, everyone gathered around the bubbling pot, sharing food and conversation.

In the afternoon, stop at Liziba Station, where the metro runs right through a residential building. Then drive to the Huangjuewan Interchange. You might wonder why a highway junction would be worth a stop. The answer becomes clear when you see it: 5 levels stacked together, 20 ramps branching off in eight directions, weaving through the hillside like a massive concrete knot.

Your Day in Detail

Today, take a 2-hour drive to the Dazu Rock Carvings, a hillside gallery of Buddhist stone carvings. The site also appears as a location in the game Black Myth: Wukong. The carvings are spread across two main areas, Beishan and Baoding Mountain. You'll walk along stone paths past carved figures and reliefs set into the cliff face, and the craftsmanship is still visible in the details. The paths are well maintained, with steps and shaded areas. Your guide will point out key carvings along the way, leaving you free to explore at your own pace.

Your Day in Detail

This morning, experience Hakka culture in Shenzhen. Begin at Hehu Xinju, the city's largest Hakka walled house, built over 200 years ago. You'll be amazed at how a single clan once kept hundreds of people living together here in harmony and order. Then, continue to Dawan Shiju to witness the preservation of Hakka cultural heritage. If your visit coincides with a local festival, you may also have the chance to witness traditional folk performances and celebrations. More than architectural landmarks, these residences tell the story of a people shaped by migration, community, defense, and tradition.

After a delicious Hakka lunch, head to Dapeng Ancient Town, a historic coastal military stronghold. Today, you can stroll along its stone-paved lanes and past its weathered walls. Whenever you feel like a break, find a cozy local shop, sip some tea or sample a few local snacks, and let the laid-back charm of this southern China's town gently embrace you.

Your Day in Detail

Begin at the 6S Robotics Store, where humanoid and interactive robots perform a range of tasks. Get a drink prepared for you by a robot, and watch a robot show with dance and martial-arts routines.

Continue to Gangxia North Station, known as the "Shenzhen Eye," where the ceiling opens into a huge skylight shaped like an eye looking up at the sky. From there, ride Metro Line 14, which runs without a driver at the controls, and transfer once to reach Huaqiangbei. Walk into Huaqiangbei's multi-floor electronics markets, where each floor has its own focus: gadgets, accessories, components, and repair stalls. The concentration of sellers and repair shops in one area is what makes the district move so fast when new products and trends appear.

In the afternoon, take a robotaxi for the final stretch to Shenzhen Talent Park. Order a drink by drone while enjoying views across the water toward Shenzhen's skyline. This park is also a good place to enjoy the city lights after dark, every Friday and Saturday there are dynamic light shows. Follow the schedules if you're interested to watch one.