According to a Chinese proverb, “It is better to travel ten-thousand miles than to read ten-thousand books.” At Monograms, we couldn’t agree more! That’s why we’ve made it easy for you to travel to China. In fact, we’ve handled all of the details, so you won’t have to sweat the details! On this 9-day vacation, we’ve arranged your choice of hotel accommodations, daily breakfast (plus 3 lunches), private guided sightseeing, and transfers from/to your hotels to/from the airports for your intra-vacation flights. Plus, we have arranged for you to have a Local Host®—someone who will answer questions, offer suggestions, and help ensure your vacation runs smoothly—in Beijing, Xi’an, and Shanghai.

Your vacation begins the moment you arrive in Beijing, where we can escort you from the airport to your selected hotel. Your Local Host will greet you with a warm welcome and help you personalize your stay. The next morning, after an included breakfast, we will pick you up at your hotel for a private guided excursion with a local expert to the Great Wall of China. You’ll have the opportunity to walk along the wall and see amazing views, as well as capture some fantastic photos. The next day, we will pick you up at your hotel for half-day private guided sightseeing in the city, including Tian’anmen Square, the largest public square in the world, and the Forbidden City’s Imperial Palace, once the home of China’s great emperors. Hear the inside stories and little-known facts only a local can share.

Then, you’re off to Xi’an. You’ll probably think that nothing can beat seeing the Great Wall of China, but wait until you see the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an! Discovered accidentally in 1974, construction on the roughly 8,000 soldiers, chariots, and horses started in 210 BC—all to help China’s first emperor in the afterlife. Your private guided tour with a local expert in Xi’an includes the Terracotta Warriors as well as the Dayan Pagoda, built in 652 AD.

Finally, you will travel to Shanghai, where we have arranged two half-day private guided tours with a local expert. The first tour includes a visit to Yu Yuan Gardens, classical Chinese gardens dating back to the Ming Dynasty, followed by a traditional xiaolongbao (soup dumpling) feast. The second tour includes the Shanghai Museum and a walking tour of the former French Concession, where remnants of a bygone era remain, including the famous Art Deco Cathay Theatre.

The inside visits on your Monograms vacation include VIP access, which means you get to skip the lines! Why wait in line with all the other tourists when you can be up close and personal with the attractions? And did we mention we’ve included a noodle-making demonstration by a master chef in Xi’an? You’ll have the opportunity to learn how to make Chinese noodles by hand. Between the sightseeing and guides we’ve arranged, the hotels we’ve booked, and the transfers we’ve included, all you have to do is get out there and enjoy yourself! Add the time and hassles saved by not having to figure out what to do, where to go, and how to get from place to place—not to mention the comfort of having local experts with you throughout your vacation—and you have a perfect vacation!

City Highlights

Private guided sightseeing with your Local Host as outlined in the day-by-day itinerary; inside visits, and special features are shown in UPPERCASE

Meals

American breakfast daily; 4 lunches

Transportation

Private airport transfers to/from all intra-vacation flights; intra-vacation flights not included

PRODUCT_LINE: MONOGRAMS-IACF-2019