Panorama of China, Hong Kong, Xi'an

The trip includes

• Air tickets (economy class): With Turkish Airlines
• Accommodation: 4*sup, 5* hotels
• Meals: Half board daily (at hotels and local restaurants to get to know the local cuisine) except for Hong Kong and the last day
• Transfers: As mentioned in the program
• Sightseeing tours and excursions: As mentioned in the program
• Entry fees (e.g. museums).
• Tips.
• Civil liability insurance.
• Representative/Tour escort: Experienced tour leader/tour escort throughout the trip
• Travel folder with useful information.
• Free travel insurance with coverage for Covid-19

Day 1: Athens / Thessaloniki – Hong Kong

Gathering at the airport and flight to Hong Kong with a stopover.

Day 2: Hong Kong

Arrival in Hong Kong, the former British colony that has belonged to China again since 1997, but with a special status, thus maintaining its previous character. With our arrival, we will have the unique opportunity to explore Kowloon. It combines traditional elements of Chinese culture with lively local markets and impressive views of Hong Kong's harbour. The day starts with a visit to the Wong Tai Sin Temple, one of the city's most important temples, known for its prayers and Taoist rituals. Next, we stop at the Jade Market, where traditional jade jewellery and ornaments are presented, and then we take a sightseeing tour of the Ladies Market, an ideal spot for souvenirs, clothes, and local products. We will also see the historic Old Clock Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui, and walk along the coastal Avenue of Stars, with panoramic views of Victoria Harbour and tributes to Hong Kong's cinema. Transfer to the hotel for rest. In the afternoon, we suggest a walk with your tour leader to the bustling city centre, to get a taste of the endless opportunities for bargain shopping on the famous Nathan Road.

Day 3: Hong Kong

Our guided tour begins with a unique ride on the Peak Tram, which is an unforgettable experience to discover the natural beauty of the city and enjoy the panoramic view of the endless skyscrapers. Next, we will see the enchanting Repulse Bay with its temples dedicated to the Chinese sea deities. We continue our guided tour by taking the sampans, local Chinese boats, usually operated by elderly women Tanka and Hoklo, to the picturesque Aberdeen with its hundreds of house-boats waiting to initiate us into the "other", traditional Hong Kong. We finish our guided tour of the city with a visit to the famous Ladies' Market. Return to our hotel and the rest of the day is free. For the evening, we suggest dinner at one of the city's restaurants and then a drink at Felix, the American Bar on the 30th floor of the Peninsula hotel, enjoying the neon lights and the breathtaking skyline of Hong Kong, shopping at the night market of Temple Street.

4th Day: Hong Kong – Canton – Guilin

Departure in the morning by direct train to Canton, built on the banks of the Pearl River. The island of Shamian where the Opium Wars started in the 19th century, the mausoleum of Sun Yat-sen who forced the last emperor to resign and became the first president of China, ending a millennia-old institution, the museum - foundation of the Chan family with its remarkable folk art exhibits, and the Qingping Market complete our extensive sightseeing tour. Next, by bullet train, we head to Guilin. Arrival and transfer to the hotel for an overnight stay.

5th Day: Guilin – Yangshuo – Guilin

After our breakfast we will have an unforgettable cruise in the most picturesque part of the Li River route, which is known as one of the "10 top wonders of the world", according to National Geografic. Clear waters and steep mountains, which remind of dragon teeth stretching up to the sky, capture the eye, while herds of water buffalo graze undisturbed on the river banks. After the end of our cruise we will visit local villages that will reveal to us the daily way of life of their inhabitants and their customs to end up in picturesque YANGSHUO. In the afternoon we will attend a unique performance with dancers and lights on the river!!! Return to our hotel in GUILIN.

6th Day: GUILIN – SHANGHAI

Our day starts with a visit to the «Bamboo Groove» cave, also called "Palace of Nature's Arts", due to its unparalleled beauty. The cave got its name from the special kind of bamboo that surrounds it, from which the locals used to make their flutes. However, the interior of the cave, which is mentioned in written texts of the 7th and 8th centuries, of the Tang dynasty, is what attracts, with its colorful stalactites and stalagmites, works that nature created billions of years ago.
We continue our journey to the confluence of the Taohua and Lijiang rivers, where we are waiting for the unique spectacle of the «Elephant Hill». A play of nature carved an elephant on the rock, which quenches its thirst by dipping its trunk into the cool waters of the rivers. The opening located under the elephant's body is known as the "Water-Moon Cave", because at night the reflection of the moon that appears through the arch, looks like it is under the water but also floating on the surface of the water at the same time. Then we will be transferred to the airport for our flight to SHANGHAI, transfer to our hotel and overnight stay.

7th Day: SHANGHAI

After breakfast, the extensive guided tour of the city begins. The feeling of the visitor who sees for the first time the chaotic metropolis is shocking. Shanghai is not an old city. It was built only in the 11th century, without ever playing a role in China's cultural life. For centuries, it remained an insignificant provincial city, known as a commercial zone and port on the Pacific coast, with extremely limited significance. However, from the early 19th century, due to its strategic location, it acquired a prominent position in the field of transit trade with neighboring countries and the small settlement began to develop rapidly. Just a century later, observing Shanghai carefully, we realize how the postmodern cities of the future will be.
In the 6440 sq.km. of its geographical area, a miracle takes place, which we will get to know in depth during today's guided tour. We will have our first acquaintance with the futuristic metropolis, starting from the Museum of Shanghai, where we will learn about the roots of Chinese culture, through exhibits of ceramics, sculpture, painting, calligraphy, and cooking utensils, dating back to 3,000 BC. The picturesque China Town with its labyrinthine streets and the shaded Yu Gardens will reveal to us the forgotten face of the modern metropolis.
The Huangpu River, which separates East from West Shanghai, and on its banks, a plethora of impressive public buildings and monuments rise. The Bund, the avenue-symbol of the city's prosperity, is only 1.5 km long but is adorned with a harmonious set of buildings of exceptional architecture, representing all European trends, such as Baroque, Ancient Greek, Neoclassical, and Renaissance. A pleasant walk along the river, with a view of the impressive Pudong, with its giant skyscrapers, will bring us into contact with the city's extreme postmodern style. Next is the famous Nanjing Road. This is the main commercial artery of Shanghai, 5.5 kilometers long, with more than 600 luxury stores, satisfying the daily consumer frenzy of Chinese and visitors. Here, the prevailing mentality "Chinese, therefore lower quality" will probably be revised. In the afternoon, we will take a dreamy cruise on the Huangpu River, as the daylight fades and the "neon" rays give an otherworldly charm to the city's horizon . Dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 8: Shanghai – Suzhou – Shanghai

After breakfast, we will be transferred by road for a day trip to one of the water towns, Suzhou. The form of the Prime Minister is carved in stone on the dock, to remind visitors who arrive here shocked by the forests of skyscrapers they have seen, that beauty withstands time. The canals, designed by the urban planners of Zixu, are still here and the houses where generations of silk merchants lived, still exist. Times have changed but the style and character of Suzhou remain unchanged. The canals are still in use and in the old town, the clock of time has stopped. The “Lingering” Garden and the rock garden of the “Master of Nets” which dates back to the Ming dynasty and, miraculously, was saved from the destructive frenzy of the Taiping Revolution, are the main points of our guided tour. Leaving behind the impressive Suzhou, we head back to Shanghai. Arrival and we will visit the Jinmao tower, a glass pearl of architecture with bright colors and futuristic design, 468 meters high, which will be the point from where we will enjoy the stunning panorama of the city, dinner and overnight stay.

Day 9: Shanghai – Xi'an

Breakfast and our guided tour starts with a visit to the JadeBuddhaTemple, which hosts two Buddha statues made of jade, which were imported to the city from Burma. We will continue our acquaintance with the futuristic metropolis, starting with the picturesque China Town with its labyrinthine streets and the shady Yuyuan gardens, which will reveal to us the forgotten face of the modern metropolis. The Huangpu River, which divides eastern from western Shanghai, and on its banks, a plethora of impressive public buildings and monuments rise. In the afternoon, we will be transferred to the airport for our flight to Xi'an. Arrival and a first acquaintance with the city. We will end our day with a visit to the Muslim quarter of the city.

Day 10: Xi'an

Today we will admire the unique, so perfectly preserved to this day Walls, which protected Xi'an for centuries and became a landmark of a city that had a tradition as a fortress, with strong defensive systems. Made to show their usefulness during wars, they strongly evoke the image of solidity and give a sense of security with a compact structure, having only four gates, which closed with complexly constructed doors, since these were the only access, through which "strangers" could enter the city. Next, we will be enchanted by the grand BellTower, which marked the center of the ancient capital, and of course by its "sister building" DrumTower, both known as the "Morning Bell" and the "Evening Drum". In ancient times and mainly during the Wan dynasty, they used the second one mainly to measure the passage of time, but also to signal emergency situations. This is followed by the Mausoleum of the Emperor and the museum with the internationally famous statues «Terracotta Warriors», which were discovered in 1974 by Chinese farmers when they tried to open a well. The terracotta army consists of about 8,000 spectacular statues of soldiers made of terracotta. In 2016, Chinese archaeologists announced that it is likely that the Chinese collaborated with Greek sculptors to build the soldiers and were inspired by the Greek technique or that they were designed directly by Greek sculptors. After this highly interesting historical retrospective, we will see the impressive «BigGoosePagoda», a sacred place for Buddhists, which hosts over 370,000 sacred relics in its bosom. We will end our day with dinner at the famous Sunshine Palace/Tang Palace, which the city is proud of. This legendary venue offers visitors a unique opportunity to enjoy exotic Chinese entertainment, which stems from tradition, combining dance, colorful costumes, and impressive flavors.

11th Day: Xi'an – Beijing

Our transfer from Xi'an to Beijing, the next stop on our trip, will be by the ultra-modern bullet train. Our first acquaintance with the metropolis is the famous Summer Palace, a complex of palaces, gardens, inner courtyards and halls that reflect the history of dynasties that played an important role in shaping the great empire. The serene lake Kumming facilitates the narcissistic reflection of the palace in whose shade the visitor can still "hear" whispers and cries from the turbulent era of the Boxer Revolution.

12th Day: Beijing

After a rich breakfast, we will start a comprehensive guided tour of China's top attraction, the Great Wall. This is the absolute panhuman masterpiece, 8,800 km long, which began to be implemented in the 3rd century BC. Its construction was adapted to the availability of materials in each area it crossed, but its conception and fortification architecture rank it among the top defensive works of mankind. The wall, wide enough to provide comfort for the galloping of seven mounted soldiers, is complemented by conical towers and observatories. Each tower has stairs and entrances, specially designed to cause confusion among attackers. We will approach it at the Jinshanling pass and have the opportunity to walk on it, photograph the battlements and defensive towers, and imagine powerful armies crossing it with determination and self-denial. Enchanted by the aesthetic harmony of the magnificent structure, we will continue to the sacred area of Changling, where the majority of the imperial tombs of the famous Ming dynasty are located, which laid the foundations of China's cultural and spiritual reform. Full of unprecedented images and oriental sounds, we will close our day with a traditional "Peking Duck" dinner at a specialized local restaurant. It's not just love that goes through the stomach, you see. If one wants to deeply penetrate a people's culture, they should first try their cuisine.

13th Day: Beijing – Athens / Thessaloniki

Beijing is a city with endless attractions. Certainly, one cannot say they have seen everything. However, there are some monuments that mark the country's history and stand out like diamonds in the crown of its cultural heritage. One such "diamond" is the Temple of Heaven that we will visit this morning. Built in the 15th century AD, almost a contemporary work with the Forbidden City, it was the place of worship for the emperors who came here once a year in the southeast of the city for the annual Good Harvest prayer. The complex consists of the central circular Building with a triple conical roof. Internally, the geometric decoration creates a "dizziness" that is intensified even more by the momentum of the vibrant red that dominates the space. Next, we will visit the Central Square of the capital, Tiananmen, right in front of the entrance to the Forbidden City. The historic gigantic square has been the heart of the vast country for centuries. Landmark buildings such as the National Museum, the building of the Communist Party Secretariat, the Mao Zedong Mausoleum, and of course the balcony from which the leading leader of the 20th century proclaimed the establishment of the People's Republic of China on 01/10/1949 are located around it. Next, we have the city's landmark monument, the Forbidden City of Beijing. The famous Imperial Palaces are today a huge museum that testifies in the most eloquent way to the glory and grandeur of the previous centuries of the Chinese Empire. Our day will end with the "other" Beijing, the one that continues to move with traditional rhythms, away from the glamour of the modern metropolis. Our walk with traditional bicycles in Hutong, the traditional neighborhoods of Beijing, will complete our picture of the city. After our rich guided tour, we will have free time for shopping opportunities in the city's department stores and last-minute shopping, before our transfer to the airport. A gift from Cosmorama, dinner before our departure. Flooded with exotic images, melodious sounds, and scents of the East, and perhaps much wiser, we will board the return flight, via an intermediate stop, early in the morning of the next day.

14th Day: Athens / Thessaloniki

Our trip has come to an end. “Ni hao” then…Arrival in Athens/Thessaloniki.

Departures

28/07 , 04/08 , 11/08 , 24/10 , 14/11