Day 1: USA – Shanghai
Board your transpacific flight.

Day 2: Shanghai - Suzhou
Arrive in Shanghai and transfer to Suzhou—the ancient water city, 50 miles from the airport. Stay in Suzhou.

Day 3: Suzhou - Hangzhou
Your first stop is Panmen Scenic Area, Suzhou has a history of almost 3,000 years, with Suzhou’s highest stone arch bridge spanning the Grand Canal. Begun in 506 B.C., and ten times longer than the Suez Canal in Egypt (20 times the Panama Canal), it is one of the three wonders of China. Next is the elegant Garden of Master Net, which exemplifies the Chinese garden-designing principle of “catching a world of beauty in a highly limited space.” The metropolitan museum in New York has a copy of part of this garden. Your next stop is a time-honored silk-weaving factory. The reeling process for unwinding silk filaments from cocoons might mystify you. Continue bus tour to Hangzhou. You will stroll through the Song Street Stay overnight in Hangzhou. (B/L/D)

Day 4: Hangzhou - Beijing
Hangzhou is praised along with Suzhou as “earthly paradise”. Today’s activities include a boat trip on the lotus-lined West Lake, the setting of many Chinese love stories. Surrounding the lake are pagodas, hills, gardens, grassy parks, and bridges. Stop by a typical Hangzhou teahouse (Hangzhou is famous for green tea). Return to Shanghai for the evening flight to Beijing. Stay overnight in Beijing. (B/L/D)

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