Asia · Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin karst & Shanghai
The Forbidden City and the Great Wall, the Terracotta Army, pandas in Chengdu, bamboo rafts among the karst peaks of Yangshuo and the Shanghai skyline, by bullet train.
Overview
China has become much easier to visit: Swiss citizens can enter visa-free for 30 days (until the end of 2026), and there are now direct flights from Geneva to Beijing and Shanghai. The classic route combines the imperial capital, Beijing, and the Great Wall; Xi'an and its Terracotta Army; the pandas and fiery food of Chengdu; the dreamlike karst peaks of Yangshuo; and futuristic Shanghai. The world's largest high-speed rail network links it all at 300 km/h. It's an intense and fascinating trip, with huge distances and big crowds, so preparation matters: set up Alipay or WeChat Pay, get an eSIM (or VPN) for Google and WhatsApp, and book trains and the Forbidden City in advance with your passport.
Scorecard
Tap a criterion to see why it got that score.
Average of 20 criteria
Peking duck, Xi'an noodles, Sichuan hotpot, Shanghai dumplings: a different cuisine in every region.
The Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Terracotta Army, classical gardens: world-class.
The Guilin karst, the Great Wall's mountains and West Lake.
No beaches on this route.
Giant pandas in Chengdu (in a breeding centre).
Great Wall hikes, cycling in Yangshuo, rock climbing.
Shanghai and Chengdu have lively bars and rooftops.
Intense and busy; Yangshuo is the relaxing part.
Imperial capital, ancient city, panda country, karst countryside and a futuristic megacity.
Direct from Geneva: Air China to Beijing and China Eastern to Shanghai (≈ 11 h).
The best high-speed rail network in the world, plus cheap domestic flights and metros.
Visa-free now, but the language barrier, mobile payments and the internet firewall need preparation.
+6 h in summer, +7 h in winter.
10–14 days covers the classics at a fast pace; 2.5 weeks is more comfortable.
Good value: trains, food and sights are cheap; hotels in Beijing and Shanghai are mid-priced.
Spring and autumn are pleasant; summers hot, humid and rainy; winters cold in the north.
Very safe, with low crime; heavy surveillance everywhere.
No particular risks; air pollution on some days in the north.
Modern, good-value hotels and charming courtyard or countryside boutique stays.
Huge crowds at the major sights, especially at weekends and on national holidays.
When to go
Go in April–May or mid-September–November, avoiding the national holidays (1–5 May, 1–7 October).
Getting there
Direct flights from Geneva: Air China to Beijing (daily in summer 2026, 4× a week otherwise) and China Eastern to Shanghai (daily from June 2026), about 11 h. Book an open-jaw: in to Beijing, out of Shanghai.
| Routing | Airline | Stops | Travel time | Return, economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GVA → PEK (direct) | Air China | Nonstop | 11h | CHF 550–1000 |
| GVA → PVG (direct) | China Eastern | Nonstop | 11h30 | CHF 550–1000 |
| GVA → ZRH → PVG / PEK | SWISS | 1 | 13h–14h | CHF 800–1400 |
| GVA → IST / DOH / DXB → PEK | Turkish / Qatar / Emirates | 1 | 14h–17h | CHF 600–1000 |
Itinerary
Pick a trip length. Day 1 is arrival day and the last day is departure day; the overnight flights are extra. Each transfer lists every option, with the recommended one first.
The classic China route: imperial capital, Terracotta Army, karst peaks and skyline.
🧭 Explorer 4 bases · 3 moves
Direct flight from Geneva (Air China), the airport express into town, and a walk around the hutongs near the Drum and Bell Towers.
Lanes of grey courtyard houses and lakeside bars.
Siji Minfu or Da Dong (book ahead).
Tiananmen Square, 9,000 rooms of the Forbidden City (tickets released 7 days ahead), and the view from Jingshan Park.
The imperial palace; book on the official WeChat mini-program with your passport.
The hill behind the palace for the golden roofs at sunset.
Skewers and jianbing.
Hike the restored towers of Mutianyu (cable car up, toboggan down), or the wilder Jinshanling section.
Less crowded than Badaling, with watchtowers along forested ridges.
A wilder, partly unrestored 10-km ridge walk.
4.5 h at 300 km/h across the North China Plain, then the Muslim quarter for dinner.
Roujiamo, biangbiang noodles and lamb skewers.
Lit up after dark.
The 8,000 clay warriors of the first emperor, then cycle the 14-km Ming city wall at sunset.
Three pits of life-size soldiers, each face different; take a guide.
The complete Ming wall, best at sunset.
A flight south to Guilin, then a car or shuttle Guilin airport → Yangshuo (1h15, CHF 30–45 per car).
From your riverside guesthouse terrace.
A bamboo raft between Yangdi and Xingping, the most beautiful stretch of the Li River, and a hike to a viewpoint above Xingping.
The 20-yuan-note view, peaks reflected in the river.
A steep 30-min climb for the famous view at sunset.
Fly from Guilin or take the bullet train, and see the Bund lit up at night.
Colonial facades facing the lit-up towers of Pudong.
The Yu Garden and old town, lunch in the French Concession, and the 118th-floor view from the Shanghai Tower.
A Ming-dynasty garden and xiaolongbao at Nanxiang.
Plane trees, art deco villas and cafés on Wukang Road.
One of the world's highest observation decks.
The Maglev at 300 km/h to Pudong airport, and a direct flight to Geneva (China Eastern).
8 minutes, 30 km, up to 300 km/h.
Two bases linked by one bullet train; Suzhou and Hangzhou as day trips.
🌴 Relaxed 2 bases · 1 move
Direct flight from Geneva (Air China), the airport express into town, and a walk around the hutongs near the Drum and Bell Towers.
Lanes of grey courtyard houses and lakeside bars.
Siji Minfu or Da Dong (book ahead).
Tiananmen Square, 9,000 rooms of the Forbidden City (tickets released 7 days ahead), and the view from Jingshan Park.
The imperial palace; book on the official WeChat mini-program with your passport.
The hill behind the palace for the golden roofs at sunset.
Skewers and jianbing.
Hike the restored towers of Mutianyu (cable car up, toboggan down), or the wilder Jinshanling section.
Less crowded than Badaling, with watchtowers along forested ridges.
A wilder, partly unrestored 10-km ridge walk.
Morning tai chi at the Temple of Heaven, the lakeside Summer Palace, and the 798 art district.
Locals dancing, singing and playing cards in the park at 7 am.
Imperial gardens and the Long Corridor on Kunming Lake.
Galleries in old factories.
The flagship high-speed line: 1,300 km in 4.5 hours.
Colonial facades facing the lit-up towers of Pudong.
The Yu Garden and old town, lunch in the French Concession, and the 118th-floor view from the Shanghai Tower.
A Ming-dynasty garden and xiaolongbao at Nanxiang.
Plane trees, art deco villas and cafés on Wukang Road.
One of the world's highest observation decks.
30 minutes by bullet train to the classical gardens of Suzhou (UNESCO) and the Pingjiang canal street.
The most famous classical Chinese garden.
A canal lane with teahouses and pingtan music.
The poetic West Lake, the Lingyin temple, and Longjing tea plantations.
Causeways, pagodas and lotus ponds.
Green tea tasting among the terraces.
Zhujiajiao water town, a rooftop bar, and a massage.
Stone bridges and canals, 1 h by metro line 17.
Cocktails facing Pudong.
The Maglev at 300 km/h to Pudong airport, and a direct flight to Geneva (China Eastern).
8 minutes, 30 km, up to 300 km/h.
More time in Beijing.
🧭 Explorer 4 bases · 3 moves
Direct flight from Geneva (Air China), the airport express into town, and a walk around the hutongs near the Drum and Bell Towers.
Lanes of grey courtyard houses and lakeside bars.
Siji Minfu or Da Dong (book ahead).
Tiananmen Square, 9,000 rooms of the Forbidden City (tickets released 7 days ahead), and the view from Jingshan Park.
The imperial palace; book on the official WeChat mini-program with your passport.
The hill behind the palace for the golden roofs at sunset.
Skewers and jianbing.
Hike the restored towers of Mutianyu (cable car up, toboggan down), or the wilder Jinshanling section.
Less crowded than Badaling, with watchtowers along forested ridges.
A wilder, partly unrestored 10-km ridge walk.
Morning tai chi at the Temple of Heaven, the lakeside Summer Palace, and the 798 art district.
Locals dancing, singing and playing cards in the park at 7 am.
Imperial gardens and the Long Corridor on Kunming Lake.
Galleries in old factories.
4.5 h at 300 km/h across the North China Plain, then the Muslim quarter for dinner.
Roujiamo, biangbiang noodles and lamb skewers.
Lit up after dark.
The 8,000 clay warriors of the first emperor, then cycle the 14-km Ming city wall at sunset.
Three pits of life-size soldiers, each face different; take a guide.
The complete Ming wall, best at sunset.
A flight south to Guilin, then a car or shuttle Guilin airport → Yangshuo (1h15, CHF 30–45 per car).
From your riverside guesthouse terrace.
A bamboo raft between Yangdi and Xingping, the most beautiful stretch of the Li River, and a hike to a viewpoint above Xingping.
The 20-yuan-note view, peaks reflected in the river.
A steep 30-min climb for the famous view at sunset.
Fly from Guilin or take the bullet train, and see the Bund lit up at night.
Colonial facades facing the lit-up towers of Pudong.
The Yu Garden and old town, lunch in the French Concession, and the 118th-floor view from the Shanghai Tower.
A Ming-dynasty garden and xiaolongbao at Nanxiang.
Plane trees, art deco villas and cafés on Wukang Road.
One of the world's highest observation decks.
The Maglev at 300 km/h to Pudong airport, and a direct flight to Geneva (China Eastern).
8 minutes, 30 km, up to 300 km/h.
The Lama Temple and a cooking class.
🌴 Relaxed 2 bases · 1 move
Direct flight from Geneva (Air China), the airport express into town, and a walk around the hutongs near the Drum and Bell Towers.
Lanes of grey courtyard houses and lakeside bars.
Siji Minfu or Da Dong (book ahead).
Tiananmen Square, 9,000 rooms of the Forbidden City (tickets released 7 days ahead), and the view from Jingshan Park.
The imperial palace; book on the official WeChat mini-program with your passport.
The hill behind the palace for the golden roofs at sunset.
Skewers and jianbing.
Hike the restored towers of Mutianyu (cable car up, toboggan down), or the wilder Jinshanling section.
Less crowded than Badaling, with watchtowers along forested ridges.
A wilder, partly unrestored 10-km ridge walk.
Morning tai chi at the Temple of Heaven, the lakeside Summer Palace, and the 798 art district.
Locals dancing, singing and playing cards in the park at 7 am.
Imperial gardens and the Long Corridor on Kunming Lake.
Galleries in old factories.
The Lama Temple, a cooking class, and a foot massage.
A working Tibetan Buddhist temple with an 18-m Buddha.
Dumplings and noodles in a hutong.
The flagship high-speed line: 1,300 km in 4.5 hours.
Colonial facades facing the lit-up towers of Pudong.
The Yu Garden and old town, lunch in the French Concession, and the 118th-floor view from the Shanghai Tower.
A Ming-dynasty garden and xiaolongbao at Nanxiang.
Plane trees, art deco villas and cafés on Wukang Road.
One of the world's highest observation decks.
30 minutes by bullet train to the classical gardens of Suzhou (UNESCO) and the Pingjiang canal street.
The most famous classical Chinese garden.
A canal lane with teahouses and pingtan music.
The poetic West Lake, the Lingyin temple, and Longjing tea plantations.
Causeways, pagodas and lotus ponds.
Green tea tasting among the terraces.
Zhujiajiao water town, a rooftop bar, and a massage.
Stone bridges and canals, 1 h by metro line 17.
Cocktails facing Pudong.
The Maglev at 300 km/h to Pudong airport, and a direct flight to Geneva (China Eastern).
8 minutes, 30 km, up to 300 km/h.
The Yulong River by bike and raft.
🧭 Explorer 4 bases · 3 moves
Direct flight from Geneva (Air China), the airport express into town, and a walk around the hutongs near the Drum and Bell Towers.
Lanes of grey courtyard houses and lakeside bars.
Siji Minfu or Da Dong (book ahead).
Tiananmen Square, 9,000 rooms of the Forbidden City (tickets released 7 days ahead), and the view from Jingshan Park.
The imperial palace; book on the official WeChat mini-program with your passport.
The hill behind the palace for the golden roofs at sunset.
Skewers and jianbing.
Hike the restored towers of Mutianyu (cable car up, toboggan down), or the wilder Jinshanling section.
Less crowded than Badaling, with watchtowers along forested ridges.
A wilder, partly unrestored 10-km ridge walk.
Morning tai chi at the Temple of Heaven, the lakeside Summer Palace, and the 798 art district.
Locals dancing, singing and playing cards in the park at 7 am.
Imperial gardens and the Long Corridor on Kunming Lake.
Galleries in old factories.
4.5 h at 300 km/h across the North China Plain, then the Muslim quarter for dinner.
Roujiamo, biangbiang noodles and lamb skewers.
Lit up after dark.
The 8,000 clay warriors of the first emperor, then cycle the 14-km Ming city wall at sunset.
Three pits of life-size soldiers, each face different; take a guide.
The complete Ming wall, best at sunset.
A flight south to Guilin, then a car or shuttle Guilin airport → Yangshuo (1h15, CHF 30–45 per car).
From your riverside guesthouse terrace.
A bamboo raft between Yangdi and Xingping, the most beautiful stretch of the Li River, and a hike to a viewpoint above Xingping.
The 20-yuan-note view, peaks reflected in the river.
A steep 30-min climb for the famous view at sunset.
Bikes through rice paddies and villages, a slow bamboo raft on the Yulong, and Moon Hill.
Flat country lanes between peaks; hop on a raft for an hour.
A natural arch on a hilltop; 20-min climb.
Zhang Yimou's light show on the river.
Fly from Guilin or take the bullet train, and see the Bund lit up at night.
Colonial facades facing the lit-up towers of Pudong.
The Yu Garden and old town, lunch in the French Concession, and the 118th-floor view from the Shanghai Tower.
A Ming-dynasty garden and xiaolongbao at Nanxiang.
Plane trees, art deco villas and cafés on Wukang Road.
One of the world's highest observation decks.
The Maglev at 300 km/h to Pudong airport, and a direct flight to Geneva (China Eastern).
8 minutes, 30 km, up to 300 km/h.
Three long stays: capital, karst countryside and the big city.
🌴 Relaxed 3 bases · 2 moves
Direct flight from Geneva (Air China), the airport express into town, and a walk around the hutongs near the Drum and Bell Towers.
Lanes of grey courtyard houses and lakeside bars.
Siji Minfu or Da Dong (book ahead).
Tiananmen Square, 9,000 rooms of the Forbidden City (tickets released 7 days ahead), and the view from Jingshan Park.
The imperial palace; book on the official WeChat mini-program with your passport.
The hill behind the palace for the golden roofs at sunset.
Skewers and jianbing.
Hike the restored towers of Mutianyu (cable car up, toboggan down), or the wilder Jinshanling section.
Less crowded than Badaling, with watchtowers along forested ridges.
A wilder, partly unrestored 10-km ridge walk.
Morning tai chi at the Temple of Heaven, the lakeside Summer Palace, and the 798 art district.
Locals dancing, singing and playing cards in the park at 7 am.
Imperial gardens and the Long Corridor on Kunming Lake.
Galleries in old factories.
A flight south to Guilin, then a car or shuttle Guilin airport → Yangshuo (1h15, CHF 30–45 per car).
From your riverside guesthouse terrace.
A bamboo raft between Yangdi and Xingping, the most beautiful stretch of the Li River, and a hike to a viewpoint above Xingping.
The 20-yuan-note view, peaks reflected in the river.
A steep 30-min climb for the famous view at sunset.
Bikes through rice paddies and villages, a slow bamboo raft on the Yulong, and Moon Hill.
Flat country lanes between peaks; hop on a raft for an hour.
A natural arch on a hilltop; 20-min climb.
Zhang Yimou's light show on the river.
A cooking class in a farmhouse, rock climbing, or a massage and a book on the terrace.
Market visit, then beer fish and stuffed dishes.
Yangshuo is China's climbing capital; beginners welcome.
Fly from Guilin or take the bullet train, and see the Bund lit up at night.
Colonial facades facing the lit-up towers of Pudong.
The Yu Garden and old town, lunch in the French Concession, and the 118th-floor view from the Shanghai Tower.
A Ming-dynasty garden and xiaolongbao at Nanxiang.
Plane trees, art deco villas and cafés on Wukang Road.
One of the world's highest observation decks.
30 minutes by bullet train to the classical gardens of Suzhou (UNESCO) and the Pingjiang canal street.
The most famous classical Chinese garden.
A canal lane with teahouses and pingtan music.
The Maglev at 300 km/h to Pudong airport, and a direct flight to Geneva (China Eastern).
8 minutes, 30 km, up to 300 km/h.
Sichuan food and giant pandas between Xi'an and Guilin.
🧭 Explorer 5 bases · 4 moves
Direct flight from Geneva (Air China), the airport express into town, and a walk around the hutongs near the Drum and Bell Towers.
Lanes of grey courtyard houses and lakeside bars.
Siji Minfu or Da Dong (book ahead).
Tiananmen Square, 9,000 rooms of the Forbidden City (tickets released 7 days ahead), and the view from Jingshan Park.
The imperial palace; book on the official WeChat mini-program with your passport.
The hill behind the palace for the golden roofs at sunset.
Skewers and jianbing.
Hike the restored towers of Mutianyu (cable car up, toboggan down), or the wilder Jinshanling section.
Less crowded than Badaling, with watchtowers along forested ridges.
A wilder, partly unrestored 10-km ridge walk.
Morning tai chi at the Temple of Heaven, the lakeside Summer Palace, and the 798 art district.
Locals dancing, singing and playing cards in the park at 7 am.
Imperial gardens and the Long Corridor on Kunming Lake.
Galleries in old factories.
4.5 h at 300 km/h across the North China Plain, then the Muslim quarter for dinner.
Roujiamo, biangbiang noodles and lamb skewers.
Lit up after dark.
The 8,000 clay warriors of the first emperor, then cycle the 14-km Ming city wall at sunset.
Three pits of life-size soldiers, each face different; take a guide.
The complete Ming wall, best at sunset.
Through the Qinling mountains to Sichuan, and hotpot for dinner.
Numbing peppercorns and chilli; ask for a split 'yuanyang' pot.
Restored Qing lanes with teahouses.
The Panda Base at opening time (pandas are active in the morning), then tea and ear-cleaning in People's Park, and Sichuan opera.
Adults, cubs and red pandas in bamboo forest; go at 7:30.
Tea, mahjong and professional ear-cleaners.
Shufeng Yayun teahouse show.
A flight to Guilin, then a car or shuttle Guilin airport → Yangshuo (1h15, CHF 30–45 per car).
From your riverside guesthouse terrace.
A bamboo raft between Yangdi and Xingping, the most beautiful stretch of the Li River, and a hike to a viewpoint above Xingping.
The 20-yuan-note view, peaks reflected in the river.
A steep 30-min climb for the famous view at sunset.
Fly from Guilin or take the bullet train, and see the Bund lit up at night.
Colonial facades facing the lit-up towers of Pudong.
The Yu Garden and old town, lunch in the French Concession, and the 118th-floor view from the Shanghai Tower.
A Ming-dynasty garden and xiaolongbao at Nanxiang.
Plane trees, art deco villas and cafés on Wukang Road.
One of the world's highest observation decks.
The Maglev at 300 km/h to Pudong airport, and a direct flight to Geneva (China Eastern).
8 minutes, 30 km, up to 300 km/h.
West Lake and tea villages.
🌴 Relaxed 3 bases · 2 moves
Direct flight from Geneva (Air China), the airport express into town, and a walk around the hutongs near the Drum and Bell Towers.
Lanes of grey courtyard houses and lakeside bars.
Siji Minfu or Da Dong (book ahead).
Tiananmen Square, 9,000 rooms of the Forbidden City (tickets released 7 days ahead), and the view from Jingshan Park.
The imperial palace; book on the official WeChat mini-program with your passport.
The hill behind the palace for the golden roofs at sunset.
Skewers and jianbing.
Hike the restored towers of Mutianyu (cable car up, toboggan down), or the wilder Jinshanling section.
Less crowded than Badaling, with watchtowers along forested ridges.
A wilder, partly unrestored 10-km ridge walk.
Morning tai chi at the Temple of Heaven, the lakeside Summer Palace, and the 798 art district.
Locals dancing, singing and playing cards in the park at 7 am.
Imperial gardens and the Long Corridor on Kunming Lake.
Galleries in old factories.
A flight south to Guilin, then a car or shuttle Guilin airport → Yangshuo (1h15, CHF 30–45 per car).
From your riverside guesthouse terrace.
A bamboo raft between Yangdi and Xingping, the most beautiful stretch of the Li River, and a hike to a viewpoint above Xingping.
The 20-yuan-note view, peaks reflected in the river.
A steep 30-min climb for the famous view at sunset.
Bikes through rice paddies and villages, a slow bamboo raft on the Yulong, and Moon Hill.
Flat country lanes between peaks; hop on a raft for an hour.
A natural arch on a hilltop; 20-min climb.
Zhang Yimou's light show on the river.
A cooking class in a farmhouse, rock climbing, or a massage and a book on the terrace.
Market visit, then beer fish and stuffed dishes.
Yangshuo is China's climbing capital; beginners welcome.
Fly from Guilin or take the bullet train, and see the Bund lit up at night.
Colonial facades facing the lit-up towers of Pudong.
The Yu Garden and old town, lunch in the French Concession, and the 118th-floor view from the Shanghai Tower.
A Ming-dynasty garden and xiaolongbao at Nanxiang.
Plane trees, art deco villas and cafés on Wukang Road.
One of the world's highest observation decks.
30 minutes by bullet train to the classical gardens of Suzhou (UNESCO) and the Pingjiang canal street.
The most famous classical Chinese garden.
A canal lane with teahouses and pingtan music.
The poetic West Lake, the Lingyin temple, and Longjing tea plantations.
Causeways, pagodas and lotus ponds.
Green tea tasting among the terraces.
The Maglev at 300 km/h to Pudong airport, and a direct flight to Geneva (China Eastern).
8 minutes, 30 km, up to 300 km/h.
Five regions by bullet train and plane.
🧭 Explorer 5 bases · 4 moves
Direct flight from Geneva (Air China), the airport express into town, and a walk around the hutongs near the Drum and Bell Towers.
Lanes of grey courtyard houses and lakeside bars.
Siji Minfu or Da Dong (book ahead).
Tiananmen Square, 9,000 rooms of the Forbidden City (tickets released 7 days ahead), and the view from Jingshan Park.
The imperial palace; book on the official WeChat mini-program with your passport.
The hill behind the palace for the golden roofs at sunset.
Skewers and jianbing.
Hike the restored towers of Mutianyu (cable car up, toboggan down), or the wilder Jinshanling section.
Less crowded than Badaling, with watchtowers along forested ridges.
A wilder, partly unrestored 10-km ridge walk.
Morning tai chi at the Temple of Heaven, the lakeside Summer Palace, and the 798 art district.
Locals dancing, singing and playing cards in the park at 7 am.
Imperial gardens and the Long Corridor on Kunming Lake.
Galleries in old factories.
4.5 h at 300 km/h across the North China Plain, then the Muslim quarter for dinner.
Roujiamo, biangbiang noodles and lamb skewers.
Lit up after dark.
The 8,000 clay warriors of the first emperor, then cycle the 14-km Ming city wall at sunset.
Three pits of life-size soldiers, each face different; take a guide.
The complete Ming wall, best at sunset.
Through the Qinling mountains to Sichuan, and hotpot for dinner.
Numbing peppercorns and chilli; ask for a split 'yuanyang' pot.
Restored Qing lanes with teahouses.
The Panda Base at opening time (pandas are active in the morning), then tea and ear-cleaning in People's Park, and Sichuan opera.
Adults, cubs and red pandas in bamboo forest; go at 7:30.
Tea, mahjong and professional ear-cleaners.
Shufeng Yayun teahouse show.
A flight to Guilin, then a car or shuttle Guilin airport → Yangshuo (1h15, CHF 30–45 per car).
From your riverside guesthouse terrace.
A bamboo raft between Yangdi and Xingping, the most beautiful stretch of the Li River, and a hike to a viewpoint above Xingping.
The 20-yuan-note view, peaks reflected in the river.
A steep 30-min climb for the famous view at sunset.
Bikes through rice paddies and villages, a slow bamboo raft on the Yulong, and Moon Hill.
Flat country lanes between peaks; hop on a raft for an hour.
A natural arch on a hilltop; 20-min climb.
Zhang Yimou's light show on the river.
Fly from Guilin or take the bullet train, and see the Bund lit up at night.
Colonial facades facing the lit-up towers of Pudong.
The Yu Garden and old town, lunch in the French Concession, and the 118th-floor view from the Shanghai Tower.
A Ming-dynasty garden and xiaolongbao at Nanxiang.
Plane trees, art deco villas and cafés on Wukang Road.
One of the world's highest observation decks.
The Maglev at 300 km/h to Pudong airport, and a direct flight to Geneva (China Eastern).
8 minutes, 30 km, up to 300 km/h.
Five nights in Beijing, four among the peaks, four in Shanghai.
🌴 Relaxed 3 bases · 2 moves
Direct flight from Geneva (Air China), the airport express into town, and a walk around the hutongs near the Drum and Bell Towers.
Lanes of grey courtyard houses and lakeside bars.
Siji Minfu or Da Dong (book ahead).
Tiananmen Square, 9,000 rooms of the Forbidden City (tickets released 7 days ahead), and the view from Jingshan Park.
The imperial palace; book on the official WeChat mini-program with your passport.
The hill behind the palace for the golden roofs at sunset.
Skewers and jianbing.
Hike the restored towers of Mutianyu (cable car up, toboggan down), or the wilder Jinshanling section.
Less crowded than Badaling, with watchtowers along forested ridges.
A wilder, partly unrestored 10-km ridge walk.
Morning tai chi at the Temple of Heaven, the lakeside Summer Palace, and the 798 art district.
Locals dancing, singing and playing cards in the park at 7 am.
Imperial gardens and the Long Corridor on Kunming Lake.
Galleries in old factories.
The Lama Temple, a cooking class, and a foot massage.
A working Tibetan Buddhist temple with an 18-m Buddha.
Dumplings and noodles in a hutong.
A flight south to Guilin, then a car or shuttle Guilin airport → Yangshuo (1h15, CHF 30–45 per car).
From your riverside guesthouse terrace.
A bamboo raft between Yangdi and Xingping, the most beautiful stretch of the Li River, and a hike to a viewpoint above Xingping.
The 20-yuan-note view, peaks reflected in the river.
A steep 30-min climb for the famous view at sunset.
Bikes through rice paddies and villages, a slow bamboo raft on the Yulong, and Moon Hill.
Flat country lanes between peaks; hop on a raft for an hour.
A natural arch on a hilltop; 20-min climb.
Zhang Yimou's light show on the river.
A cooking class in a farmhouse, rock climbing, or a massage and a book on the terrace.
Market visit, then beer fish and stuffed dishes.
Yangshuo is China's climbing capital; beginners welcome.
Fly from Guilin or take the bullet train, and see the Bund lit up at night.
Colonial facades facing the lit-up towers of Pudong.
The Yu Garden and old town, lunch in the French Concession, and the 118th-floor view from the Shanghai Tower.
A Ming-dynasty garden and xiaolongbao at Nanxiang.
Plane trees, art deco villas and cafés on Wukang Road.
One of the world's highest observation decks.
30 minutes by bullet train to the classical gardens of Suzhou (UNESCO) and the Pingjiang canal street.
The most famous classical Chinese garden.
A canal lane with teahouses and pingtan music.
The poetic West Lake, the Lingyin temple, and Longjing tea plantations.
Causeways, pagodas and lotus ponds.
Green tea tasting among the terraces.
The Maglev at 300 km/h to Pudong airport, and a direct flight to Geneva (China Eastern).
8 minutes, 30 km, up to 300 km/h.
Skip a region, add beach days, change the pace… Suggest changes and a new version of this trip will be created.
Getting around
Bullet trains between Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu and Shanghai; a flight (or long train) to Guilin; metros and DiDi in the cities. Everything is paid by phone with Alipay or WeChat Pay.
Fast, frequent, punctual and cheap; the backbone of the trip.
Huge, cheap networks with English signs in every big city.
Useful for long hops (Chengdu or Xi'an to Guilin); frequent delays.
DiDi inside Alipay: cheap and easy, with an in-app translator.
Shared bikes everywhere, and wonderful cycling in Yangshuo.
Where to stay & budget
Per person per day, excluding international flights, sharing a room. Trains and food are cheap; the main costs are hotels in Beijing and Shanghai and domestic flights.
The imperial capital: the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, hutong alleys, Peking duck, and the Great Wall a short drive away.
Where: Dongcheng (near the hutongs and the Forbidden City).
The start of the Silk Road and capital of 13 dynasties: the Terracotta Army, a complete Ming city wall to cycle on, and the Muslim quarter's street food.
Where: Inside the city walls, near the Bell Tower.
Sichuan's laid-back capital: giant pandas, fiery hotpot and mapo tofu, teahouses in the parks and Sichuan opera face-changing.
Where: Near Chunxi Road / Taikoo Li or Kuanzhai Alley.
The karst landscape from the 20-yuan note: hundreds of limestone peaks above the Li and Yulong rivers, rice paddies, bamboo rafts and bike paths.
Where: In the countryside along the Yulong River rather than busy West Street.
China's glittering future city: the colonial Bund facing Pudong's skyscrapers, plane-tree-lined streets of the French Concession, classical gardens and water towns nearby.
Where: Near People's Square / the Bund, or the former French Concession.
Practical
Information last checked: September 2026. Visa rules, prices and timetables change, so always check before booking.
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