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Sunday, March 30
Upon arriving in Beijing, you will be greeted
at the airport by  uniformed staff and
escorted to the Shangri-La Hotel, one of the
most elegant hotels in the city, where you
can relax and recover from your journey. Set amidst charming
landscaped gardens, the award-winning Shangri-La Hotel Beijing is
located near the financial district, Technology Park (the Silicon
Valley of Beijing), and the historical Summer Palace, providing an
excellent base for our tour. You’ll enjoy a delicious buffet dinner and
an evening spent at your leisure today.
Monday, March 31
The Forbidden City
 Following a buffet breakfast at the hotel, we
will board our motor coaches and journey
to the Forbidden City, the world of The Last Emperor. Between the 15th and early 20th
centuries, this magnificent complex,
containing 210 acres of pavilions, gardens, and courtyards, was home
to 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Considered one of
the greatest feats in human history, the city’s construction is presently
one of the largest and best-preserved palace complexes in the world.
There are more than one million rare and valuable objects in the
museum, many of which are on display for you to view.
Tiananmen Square
Originally designed
and built in 1651,
Tiananmen Square
was enlarged to
approximately 100
acres and cemented
over in 1958. The
square derives its name from the imposing stone Gate of Heavenly
Peace, which once served as the main gate of the former Imperial
Palace. Designed for massive gatherings, the plaza can accommodate
more than one million people. Aside from military parades,
Tiananmen Square has become a rallying point for student
demonstrations, most notably the pro-democracy rally in 1989.
It was in this square that Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of
the People’s Republic of China in 1949. His body is entombed in the
nearby Mao Zedong Memorial Hall.
Temple of Heaven
 After a savory lunch, we will journey to the serene and expansive
Temple of Heaven. This masterpiece of 15th-century architecture was
constructed according to the most advanced
principles of mechanics and geometry available at the
time. The complex includes two circular ceremonial
buildings with blue-tiled roofs, which were the
shrines where China’s emperors worshipped.
After the Communist Revolution in 1949,
the Temple of Heaven became a public
park. You’ll have an opportunity to
stroll through its grounds on your own
before returning to the hotel. |
Great Hall of the People
 Tonight we are invited to a
spectacular dinner and performance
at the Great Hall of the People. This
impressive structure is where China’s
legislature, the National People’s
Congress, assembles for deliberations
on state affairs. The building houses
the offices of the Standing Committee
and lavish facilities for official entertaining, including the enormous
banquet hall where President Richard Nixon dined during his
historic visit to China in 1972.
Sunday, April 1
The Great Wall
After an early breakfast at the hotel, we
board our motor coaches for a scenic,
47-mile journey through the countryside
to one of mankind’s mightiest creations,
the Great Wall. Built in the 3rd century
B.C. to protect China’s northern border
from marauding nomads and “barbarians,”
the wall stretches about 4,500 miles east to
west. Today, it remains a poignant
reminder of the monumental endeavors of
nearly one million workers.
Ming Tombs
 After lunch, we will visit the tranquil valley of the Ming tombs,
where 13 of the 16 emperors of the Ming dynasty have been laid to
rest. Each tomb is located at the foot of separate hills, linked by a
road called the Shen Lu, meaning the Spirit Way, and commonly
referred to as the Sacred Way or Sacred Alley. The four-and-a-half-mile
road, once forbidden to all but the emperor’s funeral cortege, leads
to Changling, the grand tomb built
for Emperor Yongle in 1427.
A huge stone tortoise marks the
entrance to the famed Avenue of the
Animals. Here, lines of statues
depicting lions, camels, elephants,
and mythical beasts stretch the length
of the valley. Pause along the Spirit
Way to stroll among and marvel at
these legendary stone guardians.
A complimentary dinner at your choice of one of the Shangri-La’s
superb restaurants will be available upon your return to Beijing
this evening.
Monday, April 2
Summer Palace
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before traveling to the Summer Palace. Commissioned by Emperor Qianlong
in 1750 to honor his mother’s birthday,
the garden was originally known as the
Garden of Clear Ripples, and served as
a testimony to China’s scientific and
technological achievements. Later, in
1860, the gardens were destroyed by
Anglo-French forces, and then
reconstructed and renamed the
Summer Palace in 1888.
After lunch, bid Beijing a fond farewell as
we journey to the port of Tianjin to
board the Crystal Symphony and
start our Asian cruise adventure.
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