Real Taste of China: Food & Culture

Itinerary

• Day 1: Beijing, Arrival

  Hello and welcome to Beijing! This city is ideal as the first stop on your Chinese food tour as it offers numerous distinctive and well-known delicacies. After being picked up at the airport by your private guide and driver and transported to your hotel, you can make your own arrangements for the rest of the day.

  • Beijing

• Day 2: Beijing, Forbidden City

  Today's exploration begins in Tiananmen Square, one of the most important cultural centers in China, where many major political and cultural events have been held. Opposite it is the Forbidden City that you will visit. It used to be the residence and office of the royal family, and now it is the largest museum of ancient culture and art in China.

  At noon, you will enjoy one of the representatives of Beijing snacks - Zha Jiang Mian (literally "Fried Sauce Noodles"), which is famous for its delicious sauce made from fermented soya beans. Then, a short walk to Jingshan Park will help your digestion, which has a history longer than the Forbidden City. When you reach the Wanchun Pavilion on the top of the park, enjoy the panoramic view of the Forbidden City.

  Treat yourself to a big meal after a long day of visits! Yes, the well-known Peking duck! The server will slice the flavorful duck in front of you, and you can even hear how crisp it is. The traditional method of eating is to wrap the duck flesh in a thin crust with sweet sauce and refreshing scallions and cucumbers. Taste it and you'll know why Peking Duck is so famous.

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  • Beijing

• Day 3: Beijing, Great Wall Tour

  Today's first stop is at the Temple of Heaven, formerly a sacred site where emperors worship and pray for a bountiful harvest. Being constructed in 1534, its structure reflects the ancient Chinese understanding of heaven. Today, this place has become a public park. You'll have the opportunity to join in the local people's morning exercises, such as practicing Tai Chi, sword dancing, Kung Fu fan, calligraphy, and so on.

  After a sleep with typical Beijing snacks, prepare for the next highlight. In the afternoon, take the cable car up to the Great Wall (Mutianyu section), an emblem of China's 5,000-year-old civilization, to admire the steep mountains and meandering walls above. After arriving, walk amid the beacon towers with the assistance of a professional guide, and understand why Chinese people regard this miracle engineering as a source of pride.

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  • Beijing

• Day 4: Beijing - Xi'an

  The day will begin with a morning food tour. Your tour guide will take you through the Hutongs, which are narrow alleyways between traditional Beijing dwellings. While learning about daily life there, you will also utilize your sense of taste to discover the distinctive cuisine culture of old Beijing. A bowl of Dou Zhi (a fermented drink made from ground beans) with a distinct flavor is recommended and will refresh you rapidly.

  Following lunch, you will fly to Xi'an, formerly the capital of 13 Chinese dynasties, which was once the most prosperous metropolis in the world along with Constantinople thousands of years ago. As such, there is an abundance of culinary options here. On arrival, your private guide and driver will transfer you to your hotel. In the remaining free time, start a food exploration at your own pace or have a good rest.

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  • Xi'an

• Day 5: Xi'an, Terracotta Army

  This morning, enjoy your breakfast before admiring the majestic Terracotta Army, which is considered "the eighth wonder of the world" by some travelers. In a space of almost 4 acres, nearly 10,000 pottery figurines of generals, soldiers, horses, and chariots are lined up, just like protecting Qin Shihuang (the first emperor of China) to unify China thousands of years ago. Even more overwhelming, the amount of the mausoleum has been only partially excavated which you can see is less than 5%.

  Back in the urban area, the crowded Muslim Quarter is the main highlight this afternoon. Here, pay a visit to the unique Great Mosque. Built 1,300 years ago, this is the best-preserved ancient complex in China that perfectly combines Chinese classical architecture with Islamic architectural styles. Getting a little hungry? Muslim Quarter is also one of the busiest snack streets in Xi'an! Rou Jia Mo (marinated beef with bread), Liang Pi (noodles made of mung beans), Pao Mo (pancake in mutton soup) ... these traditional street foods of Northwest China are waiting for you to taste! If you don't know what to try, your private guide is always glad to give you advice.

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  • Xi'an

• Day 6: Xi'an - Chengdu

  Happy morning! You're in for a relaxing day. Your discovery of Xi'an will come to a great conclusion with a visit to a local family. Get ready with your questions since you'll be chatting with the hosts and learning about anything everything there is to know about local life. If you are interested, by joining the hosts at the neighborhood market to purchase goods, you will get to experience an important aspect of a typical day in Xi'an. Then, following the host's instructions, prepare your own lunch using the ingredients you purchased.

  Say goodbye to Xi'an and head to Chengdu, the home to giant pandas and spicy hot pot. When you arrive, your new guide and driver will transfer you to your hotel for the night.

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  • Chengdu

• Day 7: Chengdu, Giant Panda and Hotpot

  Happy morning! You're in for a relaxing day. Your discovery of Xi'an will come to a great conclusion with a visit to a local family. Get ready with your questions since you'll be chatting with the hosts and learning about anything everything there is to know about local life. If you are interested, by joining the hosts at the neighborhood market to purchase goods, you will get to experience an important aspect of a typical day in Xi'an. Then, following the host's instructions, prepare your own lunch using the ingredients you purchased.

  Say goodbye to Xi'an and head to Chengdu, the home to giant pandas and spicy hot pot. When you arrive, your new guide and driver will transfer you to your hotel for the night.

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  • Chengdu

• Day 8: Chengdu, Sichuan Cuisine Cooking

  Start off the day by learning more about Sichuan's food culture and visiting the spice market and Sichuan Cuisine Museum.

  In the spice market, learn to identify various spices and their functions. Especially the source of flavor in Sichuan cuisine - hot peppers that burn the tongue and Sichuan peppercorns that give a numbing sensation. It is said that because of the humid and hot climate in Sichuan, the two senses of numbness and piquancy will stimulate the appetite and remove the moisture in the body.

  Then, at the Sichuan Cuisine Museum, learn about traditional culinary utensils, sample snacks, prepare famous dishes like Kung Pao Chicken, and enjoy your own masterpiece for lunch. When you complete this course, the chef will present you with a "Rookie Master Chef" certificate to recognize your efforts that day.

  The rest of the day is yours to spend any way you like; whether you want to stay in the room and reminisce about your Chengdu experience, or go out and try new food.

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  • Chengdu

• Day 9: Chengdu - Guangzhou

  It's time to relax your palette after indulging in the fiery flavors of Sichuan food! Welcome to Guangzhou, another Chinese food hub and the cradle of Cantonese cuisine - one of China's eight primary cuisines. The remainder of the day is up to you once you've been driven to your hotel by the new tour leader and driver.

  Need some inspiration for your own street food adventure? You may try Bao Zai Fan (steamed rice in a clay pot) and Chang Fen (rice noodles roll). For dessert, you can choose from a variety of sweet soups - the drink based on brown sugar water or coconut milk with cereal products, herbal jelly, fruit, etc. If you wish to try the local wellness culture, a cup of Liang Cha (herbal tea) will nourish your body.

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  • Guangzhou

• Day 10: Guangzhou, Yum Cha in a Teahouse

  After breakfast, two important cultural attractions, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and the Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family, will start today's exploration. Both are good places to learn about the history and tradition of Guangzhou.

  As it approaches noon, an unforgettable Yum Cha (tea-drinking) experience will be the highlight of the day. Yum Cha is a symbol of the leisurely life of citizens in Guangzhou: Order a pot of tea, meet with friends, and chat from morning to afternoon. Pu'er tea, white tea, Tieguanyin tea, and chrysanthemum tea are all excellent options. Another main character of Yum Cha is Dim Sum - some exquisite pastries, dishes, and staples. There are hundreds of kinds to choose from, such as shrimp dumplings, barbecued pork buns, egg tarts, roast goose, roast suckling pig, seafood porridge, etc.

  Eaten more than enough? Visit Qingping Market to get a glimpse of local life in old Guangzhou while also digesting food.

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  • Guangzhou

• Day 11: Guangzhou - Hong Kong

  Your final stop on your tour of China will be Hong Kong, a gastronomic haven where you can find civilian tea houses serving exquisite refreshments, authentic Cantonese street snacks, and various restaurants without borders.

  After leaving the high-speed rail station, you will be escorted to the hotel for a rest. In the late afternoon, walk around Kowloon's old-fashioned community and search for some Michelin-recommended street food, such as roast squab, sweet and sour pork ribs, glutinous rice, rice noodle rolls, etc.

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  • Hong Kong

• Day 12: Hong Kong City Highlights

  The majority of today's tour will focus on Hong Kong's top attractions. Begin by riding a sampan and traveling through Aberdeen, a floating community where you can discover how local fisherman spends their days. Keep on to Repulse Bay, referred to as "Hawaii of the East". Next, enjoy the excitement of bartering at the relaxed coastal Stanley Market. Finally, the perfect end of the day is at Victoria Peak. Walking on the top of the mountain, you can have a bird's-eye view of Hong Kong's urban area from different angles.

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  • Hong Kong

• Day 13: Hong Kong, Leisure Day

  Today is yours to discover the remaining highlights that interest you among Hong Kong's many more attractions. Bird Garden, Lui Seng Chun, and Wong Tai Sin Temple are all worthwhile stops. Want to keep trying more delicacies? Yum Cha, Shao La (roast meat), and other Cantonese eateries are good options.

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  • Hong Kong

• Day 14: Hong Kong, Departure

  After being escorted to the airport, your Chinese food adventure comes to a perfect end. But China's culinary delights go well beyond that. We eagerly await your return to China to continue your exploration.

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