6-Day Cultural Tour Through Four Jiangnan Cities from Shanghai

• Lunch

Upon arriving at Hangzhou by high-speed train G7651 (08:26-09:56), your guide and driver will greet you at the station, marking the official commencement of your journey.

Our first stop will be Lingyin Temple, one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries in southeastern China. The renowned Feilai Peak, situated before the temple, houses numerous Buddha statues amidst its famous grottoes.

After concluding your visit to Lingyin Temple, you will proceed to a local restaurant for lunch. Your guide will assist in ordering based on your preferences.

After lunch, continue today's tour with the second destination being the beautiful West Lake.

Taking a punt boat tour of West Lake is a delightful experience and an excellent way to avoid the crowds. The ride lasts about 40 minutes, with a covered top. The boatman will guide you to the most stunning vistas of West Lake.

Concluding the tour, the guide will escort you back to the hotel to rest. 

• Breakfast, Lunch

After having breakfast at the hotel, proceed to visit Six Harmonies Pagoda.

The Six Harmonies Pagoda stands as one of the renowned ancient pagodas in our country and, alongside "The Ten Scenes of the West Lake," contributes to the enchanting landscapes of Hangzhou. Majestically positioned by the Qiantang River, you can ascend to its summit for a breathtaking bird’s-eye view of the Qian River below. 

Next, you will visit Meijiawu Tea Village to explore the tea-making process and savor the teas. 

Meijiawu Tea Village is the birthplace of China’s finest tea — West Lake Dragon Well. A local tea farmer will greet you with traditional bamboo baskets and hats, guiding you to the tea plantation.

Lunch at a nearby restaurant, where you can sample local Hangzhou dishes and experience their unique flavors, savoring tea with exquisite delicacies. 

Proceed to Hangzhou Train Station to take a high-speed train to Suzhou after lunch. 

Once the Suzhou guide meets you at the train station, you will be taken to the Suzhou hotel to rest. 

• Breakfast, Lunch

After savoring breakfast at the hotel in the early morning, the guide and driver will promptly arrive to collect you.

Today's journey will commence with a visit to the Humble Administrator Garden, the best representative of Chinese classical gardens, constructed in the Ming dynasty.

After concluding your visit to the Humble Administrator Garden, you will head to a restaurant near Shantang Street for lunch.

Following your meal, you'll embark on a boat tour of the ancient Grand Canal from the Shantang Street pier.  Cruising on the Canal(about 30-40 minutes), you can see the local peoples' life.

After disembarking, the guide will escort you on a tour of the ancient Shantang Street.

This area was once a vital trade and cultural hub during the Ming and Qing dynasties, now renowned as "a miniature of ancient Suzhou and a window into Wu culture." As you stroll along the bustling streets, you'll admire the waterside architecture and savor local delicacies.

• Breakfast, Lunch

Your driver and guide are waiting for you at the hotel, ready to accompany you on a journey to Wuxi.

The first stop is the Wuxi Three Kingdoms Film and Television City, situated by the picturesque Taihu Lake in Jiangsu Province. It is one of the first national 5A tourist attractions and China's pioneering large-scale immersive film set and tourism base.

After visiting the film city, you'll have lunch at a nearby local restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit Turtle Head Isle, located in the most scenic area of Taihu Lake. With its verdant hills and emerald waters, the natural beauty is enchanting, resembling a picturesque painting. 

You will embark on a boat ride in the scenic area, unlocking the “landscape scroll” of Turtle Head Peninsula, allowing the misty waves of Taihu Lake to narrate their tales for you. 

• Breakfast, Lunch

The guide and driver will escort you to Wuxi Railway Station, where you will board the high-speed train to the next stop on your journey—Nanjing.

You will arrive in Nanjing in approximately 1.5 hours. After the guide and driver meet you, you will proceed directly to visit the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum.

Dr. Sun Yat-sen was a pioneering figure in the Chinese democratic revolution. The mausoleum, nestled at the foot of the majestic Purple Mountain, is imbued with a solemn and reverent atmosphere. 

After your visit, you'll enjoy lunch at a nearby local restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit the Confucius Temple, a quintessential destination for tourists, which embodies a thousand years of Qinhuai culture.

The Confucius Temple nestles alongside the Qinhuai River. After leaving the temple, the guide will take you for a stroll along the riverbank. 

The ancient Wuyi Lane mentioned in Tang dynasty poet Liu Yuxi's poem "Wild grasses and flowers by the Zhuque Bridge; the setting sun slants at the Wuyi Lane entrance," is situated near the Confucius Temple in Nanjing.

At the end of the day's itinerary, the guide and driver will return you to the hotel for a restful evening.

• Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, your guide and driver will be waiting for you at the hotel. The first destination for today's tour is the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum.

The intricate design of the numerous structures within the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum exemplifies ancient China's royal tomb construction, deeply influenced by the traditional Chinese geomantic theories regarding location.

After your visit, you'll enjoy lunch at a nearby local restaurant.

Following lunch, the tour will continue at the Presidential Palace. 

The Presidential Palace dates back to the Ming Dynasty and was expanded and renamed the "Heavenly King Palace" during the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, a regime established by rebels in the Qing Dynasty. In 1912, it served as the headquarters for Dr. Sun Yat-sen's government.

As today's tour concludes, your six-day journey through Jiangnan is also nearing its end.

The guide and driver will escort you to Nanjing South Railway Station, where you will take the high-speed train back to Shanghai.r