China Getaway Overview

Blending 21st-century architecture with old-world character, Shanghai is the vibrant pulse of new China.

With nine rivers and alleys joined by old stone bridges, Xitang is a unique water town with narrow, maze-like streets, antique temples and atmospheric waterways.

As the start of the ancient trading route the Silk Road and an imperial centre for 2,000 years, Xi'an has a fascinating history and rich cultural sites to discover.

Walking through the beautifully preserved streets of Pingyao is like stepping back into Imperial China with red lanterns lighting streets, imposing city walls and traditional buildings at every turn.

Beijing has a long and colourful history and this rapidly modernising city is an amazing whirl of ancient sites, modern buildings, bicycles, people, shops and eateries. Snaking over the landscape for 8,851 km, the building of China's Great Wall started in the 5th century BC with the aim of protecting China's northern borders from invading Mongolian hordes. This populous Chinese city can trace its origins back to the 11th century BC. With an energy that exists little place else, Beijing will no doubt leave you breathless.