Your personal guide and driver will be waiting for you at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. You will be transferred in a comfortable, nonsmoking private vehicle for a hasslefree journey to your hotel, where your guide will assist you with check-in.

Your first stop today is Yu Garden, a masterpiece of classical Jiangnan garden design. With its meticulously arranged pavilions, halls, and bridges, every turn reveals a new view, allowing you to appreciate the Chinese garden philosophy of “scenery unfolding with each step.”

Next, we trace the evolution of Shanghai’s skyline. Ascend to the pinnacle of the iconic Shanghai Tower for a panoramic view of the city, then stroll along the Bund to admire the architectural treasures that preserve the memory of Shanghai’s “Golden Age.”

The highlight of today lies in a deeper interpretation of Shanghai’s historical fabric and its Art Deco architectural aesthetic. You will hear the stories behind historic buildings, including works by the legendary architect László Hudec, and learn how to “read” the unique hidden details and design language of these structures.

The journey concludes at a café transformed from a centuryold newspaper office. Here, you will savor a cup of special Old Shanghaistyle coffee. This is more than just a break—it is a moment to immerse yourself in the city’s rich coffee culture and engage in a gentle dialogue with its past.

Take the roughly 3hour highspeed train to Huangshan, where rural scenery unfolds like a scroll along the way—the journey itself becomes a flowing visual feast.

After lunch at a local restaurant, head to a workshop to experience the traditional intangible cultural heritage craft of making botanical scent plaques. This ancient accessory blends various herbal fragrances, using medicinal aromas as a bridge, and embodies the Chinese pursuit of health and elegant living.

Under the guidance of a skilled artisan, you will start by grinding herbs into powder, then proceed to mix, knead, press into molds, and shape the paste. After natural airdrying, a scent plaque infused with the vitality of plants and the warmth of handcraftsmanship is born. The entire process is not only a handson experience but also a meditative journey engaging both scent and touch.

Afterwards, your guide will take you to Tunxi Old Street. Known as a “living version of the Along the River During the Qingming Festival painting,” this historic street preserves wellmaintained Huizhoustyle architecture, winding lanes, and centuryold shops. Here you can browse for Huizhoustyle souvenirs and taste local delicacies such as hairy tofu and stinky mandarin fish, savoring the flavors of Huizhou on the tip of your tongue.​​

Today’s journey to Huangshan begins with a cable car ride from Yungu Station, ascending through mistwrapped peaks and immersing you in the mountain’s worldrenowned “Four Wonders”: uniquely shaped pines, fantastically formed rocks, breathtaking seas of clouds, and soothing hot springs.

Led by a local guide who spends over 200 days each year traversing every corner of the mountain, you will gain a deep appreciation for its unique beauty and profound history. With intimate knowledge of every hidden trail and story, your guide’s narration will take you beyond visual awe, helping you truly understand the spirit and soul of Huangshan.

Weather permitting, rise early this morning to witness a magnificent sunrise over the Yellow Mountains. Even when veiled in mist, the peaks emerge faintly through the haze, revealing an ethereal beauty that feels both secluded and mystically enchanting.

After descending by cable car, we’ll visit Bishan Village. This is no ordinary historic village—it’s a creative sanctuary where traditional architecture blends with modern artistic inspiration.

You’ll meet a couple who breathed new life into three abandoned old buildings: a former pigsty, an old oil workshop, and a Mingdynasty mansion, now transformed into warm, welcoming countryside lodgings. An acclaimed bookstore owner has opened a new branch inside a meticulously restored ancestral hall, allowing the fragrance of books and the aura of antiquity to shine together.

Beyond this, you’ll gain an indepth look at the stories and vision behind Bishan’s “Rural Utopia” project. There is far more to discover here than meets the eye.

In the morning, take a roughly 2hour highspeed train to Hangzhou. Your local guide will meet you at the station and then accompany you to a authentic local restaurant for lunch, before beginning your afternoon visit to West Lake.

You’ll board a private handrowed boat to enjoy the city’s most iconic scenery from a unique waterlevel perspective. In the distance, the silhouette of Leifeng Pagoda and the springtinted Su Causeway emerge like misty brushstrokes, with the shimmering lake and faroff hills composing a flowing, poetic scroll.

Next, step into the Former Residence of Hu Xueyan, located in the historic Qinghefang Old Street. This magnificently preserved mansion of a lateQing merchant tycoon speaks silently through its grand architecture and exquisite furnishings of the legendary life of a “RedTop Merchant” and the dramatic tides of his era.

A short walk away is the Living Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine. More than just a classroom for learning TCM history and theory, here you can watch seasoned pharmacists demonstrate the entire process of ancient methods: handrolling pills, slicing herbs, and filling prescriptions according to traditional formulas—touching the warmth of millenniaold medical wisdom in every tool and ingredient.

Weather permitting, rise early this morning to witness a magnificent sunrise over the Yellow Mountains. Even when veiled in mist, the peaks emerge faintly through the haze, revealing an ethereal beauty that feels both secluded and mystically enchanting.

After descending by cable car, we’ll visit Bishan Village. This is no ordinary historic village—it’s a creative sanctuary where traditional architecture blends with modern artistic inspiration.

You’ll meet a couple who breathed new life into three abandoned old buildings: a former pigsty, an old oil workshop, and a Mingdynasty mansion, now transformed into warm, welcoming countryside lodgings. An acclaimed bookstore owner has opened a new branch inside a meticulously restored ancestral hall, allowing the fragrance of books and the aura of antiquity to shine together.

Beyond this, you’ll gain an indepth look at the stories and vision behind Bishan’s “Rural Utopia” project. There is far more to discover here than meets the eye.