Day Fifteen - Shanghai - Free time before transfer to airport for return flight home.
meals: (B)

Highlights: Home.

Summer Palace: Much-loved summer retreat of the Imperial families of China, the lovely landscaped gardens, halls, pavilions and corridors are set around the lake and rivers in natural harmony. You spend a few hours here. Renovations (complete in 2010) mean that an individual section or building may be closed at any one time, but this is a huge site. Wear good walking shoes and protection from the weather.

Sacred Way (Ming Tombs) Optional: Is an attractive tree-lined walk which leads to the Ming Tombs, this is bordered by 12 sets each of animal and human statues, and includes the attractive Great Red Gate, housing a stele on the back of a tortoise, and marble memorial archway.

Great Wall, Mutianyu: This less-crowded section of the Great Wall is a pleasant drive 90km NE of Beijing. A cable car can take you to (avoiding a very steep climb), where you can walk along the wall, through the watch towers and enjoy superb views as it snakes across the hills and mountains. You can return by cable car, walk down or walk along the wall for about an hour. Wear good walking shoes and protection from the weather.

Beijing Hutong Tour: A maze of historic alleyways and old single storey traditional courtyard houses, now fast disappearing. Dotted around the hutong are the Drum and Bell Towers, Kindergarten, Tea Houses, and local people's houses.

Summer Palace: Much-loved summer retreat of the Imperial families of China, the lovely landscaped gardens, halls, pavilions and corridors are set around the lake and rivers in natural harmony. You spend a few hours here. Renovations (complete in 2010) mean that an individual section or building may be closed at any one time, but this is a huge site. Wear good walking shoes and protection from the weather.

Xi'an City Wall: Built in the Ming dynasty over 700 years ago, the Xian City Wall is the most complete ancient city wall in China. The wall measures around 13.9 km in circumference, 12 meters in height, 18 meters wide at its base while 15 meters wide on the top. It is a fine example of China's ancient defensive fortifications that were formed over 2,000 years ago, and continued even to the last imperial era of the Qing Dynasty. The wall reflects a brilliant beauty at night when the area is lit up by colourful lights.

The Forbidden City: The Imperial Palace, home to 24 Emperors between 1420 and 1911. Great squares, halls and gates contrast with the intricate networks of side halls, gardens, courtyards and quarters for those who lived in this 'city within a city'. The exhibitions, both permanent and temporary, are also absolutely fascinating. Expect to spend at least 2-3 hours, wear good walking shoes and protection from the weather.

The Tian'anmen Square: The world's largest city square and enduring symbol of China's national pride, surrounded by many imposing buildings including the Heavenly Gate (entry to the Forbidden City), Museums, government buildings and Chairman Mao's Mausoleum.

Temple of Heaven: One of the most famous sites in Beijing, this is Ming architecture at its best: beautiful, controlled, and highly symbolic. The surrounding gardens are full of interesting activity, particularly weekend mornings. Wear good walking shoes and protection from the weather.

Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses: This incredible 2000 year-old army of life-sized warriors, each one unique, is part of the underground tomb of the Emperor Qin. Well over 7000 figures were drawn up in full battle array in several large pits. Many of the figures, including soldiers, archers, horses and chariots, have been restored, and the repairs and excavations continue at the site where you can see both repaired and broken warriors in a truly impressive display. There is also an excellent museum, including bronze chariots unearthed nearby, and a film about the history and discovery of the tomb. The Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses is about 35 km from Xian

Big Wild Goose Pagoda: The pagoda (7 floors, 64.5meters high) where widely renowned Master Xuanzang (Monk Tripitaka) stored his classics brought from India. It is the landmark of the ancient capital city - Xian.

The Grand Mosque: With more than 1200 years' history, the mosque is one of the four grand Islamic mosques in China. It is really well worth a trip to see the Great Mosque, not only for its history but also for its particular design of mixed architecture–combining traditional Muslim and Chinese styles. It is among the four most important mosques in China.

The Bund: This spot in the city is home to a myriad of European-styled buildings that face the Huangpu River. Home to chic restaurants and shopping opportunities, the Bund is a must-see site when visiting Shanghai. Architectural styles include gothic, baroque, Romanesque, and renaissance. Being the most imposing spectacle in Shanghai, the Bund has been seen as the embodiment of Shanghai for a long time.

Nanjing Road: Shanghai's main shopping street, known as "the No.1 commercial street of China", also one of the most prosperous streets in Asia. Like a lying dragon shining day and night, stretching from the Bund east towards Hongqiao, with People's Square in the middle. - Narrow streets and alleys, traditional Chinese stores, restaurants selling delicious dumplings, this is the original pre war Shanghai. It is also called Chinatown or Nanshi.

Shanghai Museum: The biggest museum in China, with a collection of over 120,000 pieces of Chinese art & cultural relics. The museum is especially famous for its treasures of bronzes, ceramics, paintings, and calligraphy.- In 1882, an old temple was built to keep two jade Buddha statues that had been brought from Burma by a monk named Huigen. The temple was destroyed during the revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty. Fortunately the jade Buddha statues were saved and a new temple was built on the present site in 1928. It was named the Jade Buddha Temple.

Yuyuan Garden: A traditional Chinese park decorated by beautiful pavilions, miniature lakes, bridges and rock formations. Yuyuan Garden is not only a famous classical garden in South China, but also a major historic and cultural site under state protection.

Shanghai Museum: The biggest museum in China, with a collection of over 120,000 pieces of Chinese art & cultural relics. The museum is especially famous for its treasures of bronzes, ceramics, paintings, and calligraphy.

Oriental Pearl TV Tower: Standing by the Huangpu River with 468 meters high, Oriental Pearl TV Tower is the highest TV Tower in Asia (up to the last floor to see Shanghai scenery).It is a new landmark of Shanghai in 21st century.