13 Days Story of Trade: Tea, Silk, and Porcelain

Arrive in Shanghai, the dynamic face of modern China. Once a modest fishing village, Shanghai has grown into one of the world’s great cities, where futuristic skylines rise alongside elegant colonial-era architecture.

You will be met at the airport by your local guide and transferred to your hotel. Once you have settled, you will explore Shanghai from the Yuyuan Garden, widely considered one of the most lavish and finest Chinese gardens in the region. Here, take some time to taste some of the local snacks, such as Xiaolongbao (Steamed dumplings), in the bazaar near the garden if you wish.

This evening, gather for a welcome dinner, your first opportunity to sample regional cuisine and meet your fellow travellers.

After breakfast, set out for a guided walk along the Bund, Shanghai’s legendary waterfront. Facing the Huangpu River, this grand boulevard showcases an extraordinary collection of neoclassical and Art Deco buildings once occupied by British banks, trading houses and shipping firms. Highlights include the former HSBC Building, the Customs House with its clock tower inspired by Big Ben, and the iconic Sassoon House, now the Fairmont Peace Hotel. Together, they tell the story of Shanghai’s role as China’s primary gateway to the West.

Continue into the leafy avenues of the former French Concession, where elegant villas, shikumen houses and quiet lanes reveal a softer, more residential side of the city. As you stroll past historic apartment blocks and Tudor-style mansions, your guide will explain how foreign communities shaped Shanghai’s urban character. Pause in Fuxing Park to observe locals practising tai chi, dancing or playing chess, a daily ritual that offers insight into everyday life.

After lunch at a local restaurant, visit the Jade Buddha Temple, an active Buddhist monastery known for its exquisite jade Buddha statues and lively atmosphere. Incense smoke, chanting and daily worship create a powerful contrast to the modern city outside.

The evening is free to explore independently or simply relax.

This morning, travel to Zhujiajiao, a traditional water town on the outskirts of Shanghai. Crisscrossed by narrow canals and stone, marble and wood bridges, the town offers a glimpse into a slower-paced way of life that once dominated the Yangtze Delta. Wander along cobbled streets, explore quiet courtyards and visit the Town God Temple.

After lunch in a local restaurant in Zhujiajiao, return to Shanghai. Visit Shanghai’s fascinating Marriage Market, where parents gather to discreetly advertise their children’s profiles in the hope of finding a suitable partner. Expect to see handwritten profiles, photographs, and conversations. It is a uniquely revealing window into modern Chinese family values and social expectations.

Depart Shanghai by road for Suzhou, long celebrated as the birthplace of China’s silk industry and renowned for its exquisite classical gardens. Often called the “Venice of the East”, Suzhou’s canals and refined architecture reflect centuries of wealth and scholarly culture.

Visit the Humble Administrator’s Garden, Suzhou’s most famous garden and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As your guide explains, Chinese gardens are designed as miniature landscapes, carefully composed to evoke mountains, rivers and poetic ideals through rockeries, water features and pavilions.

Continue with a walk along historic Pingjiang Street, where old teahouses, traditional homes and artisan shops preserve the atmosphere of ancient Suzhou.

After lunch, visit a silk workshop to see the entire process from silkworm cocoons to finished textiles, learning how this luxurious fabric once travelled the world and captivated European courts.

Later, explore Panmen Gate, the only remaining water-and-land city gate in China, offering insight into Suzhou’s defensive and commercial past.

Transfer to the train station and board a high-speed train to Hangzhou, often described as “Heaven on Earth”. Once the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty, Hangzhou was a flourishing centre of literature, art, tea culture and craftsmanship.

On arrival, explore Xiaohe Street, a quiet canal-side neighbourhood where restored houses, narrow lanes, stone bridges, and flowing water reveal a more intimate side of the city. This neighbourhood is authentic, poetic and residential, expect to see locals hanging laundry by the water and sipping tea in a doorway.

Nearby, see Gongchen Bridge, the historic southern gateway of the Grand Canal, which was built during the Ming Dynasty.

After lunch, stroll along sections of the Grand Canal itself, the world’s longest and oldest man-made waterway. For centuries, it served as a vital artery for trade, enabling the movement of tea, silk and porcelain across the empire. Visit the Grand Canal Museum to deepen your understanding of this remarkable feat of engineering and its impact on Chinese civilisation.

Begin the day with a scenic cruise on West Lake, the spiritual and cultural heart of Hangzhou. Shaped by emperors, monks and poets, its misty waters, pagodas and causeways have inspired centuries of art and literature.

Visit Guo Villa, a tranquil garden retreat tucked away from the main tourist paths, explore its serene gardens, traditional architecture and quiet courtyards.

After lunch, travel into the surrounding hills to Meijiawu Tea Plantation. Here, learn about the cultivation and harvesting of Longjing tea, a Hangzhou speciality praised for its delicate taste and fragrance… enjoy a tasting in a local village setting, gaining insight into one of China’s most treasured cultural traditions.

Travel by high-speed train to Jingdezhen, known for over a millennium as the “Porcelain Capital of the World”. From the Song Dynasty through to the Qing, the finest ceramics fired here were shipped along the Maritime Silk Road to emperors, collectors and European royalty.

Lunch will be at a local restaurant with Jiangxi cuisine, which is widely popular for its uniqueness. After lunch, visit the Ancient Kiln Folk Customs Museum, where traditional dragon kilns, working studios and demonstrations reveal the painstaking craftsmanship behind Jingdezhen porcelain. Later, explore Taoxichuan Art Avenue if you wish, a revitalised industrial area now home to contemporary ceramic artists, galleries and cafés.

This morning, explore the Jingdezhen Ceramics Museum, home to more than 50,000 artefacts spanning five dynasties. From imperial wares to expressive sculptural pieces, the museum showcases the evolution of ceramic art and technique across centuries.

After lunch, board a high-speed train to Guangzhou, historically China’s most important maritime trading port and the starting point for tea, silk and porcelain bound for Europe. Transfer to your hotel on arrival.

For many centuries, Guangzhou was the heartbeat of China’s maritime trade. Today, the city dazzles with glittering towers, buzzing markets, and the irresistible flavours of Cantonese cuisine.

Begin with a visit to Huangpu Old Port, once the only port open to foreign traders during the Qing Dynasty. British merchants of the East India Company were active here, and the port’s museum brings to life the era when Guangzhou stood at the centre of global maritime trade.

Continue to the Chen Family Temple, a masterpiece of Lingnan architecture adorned with elaborate carvings and decorative arts. After lunch, admire the striking exterior of the Guangzhou Opera House before wandering through the waterways and gardens of Lychee Bay, a peaceful water town with arched bridges, lingnan gardens and folk performances.

Explore Enning Road in Yongqingfang, a historic residential area blending Chinese and Western architectural styles, and discover the former residence of Bruce Lee’s parents. Conclude the day on Shamian Island, the former British and French concession, where colonial buildings and shaded avenues recall Guangzhou’s international past.

Travel to Foshan to visit the Ancestral Temple, a beautifully preserved complex celebrating local clan heritage. Admire the intricate wood carvings, tiled roofs and serene courtyards where rituals and festivals have been held for centuries. Nearby, witness traditional lion dances and Wing Chun martial arts performances that reflect the city’s cultural legacy. Explore Nanfeng Ancient Kiln, one of the oldest continuously operating kilns in China, showcasing Foshan’s rich cultural heritage.

Enjoy lunch at a family-run restaurant before continuing to Shunde. Visit Qinghui Garden, a refined Lingnan-style garden adapted to southern China’s climate, you will see open courtyards, lush greenery, and water features! End your day with a stroll along Shunde’s pedestrian street, sampling local snacks including the famous double-layered milk pudding, simple in appearance but rich in flavour.

Travel by high-speed train to Hong Kong, a city defined by its deep natural harbour and centuries of maritime exchange. Enjoy a traditional dim sum lunch before a half-day tour of Hong Kong Island, including Victoria Peak, Repulse Bay and Aberdeen fishing village.

The tour reveals how Hong Kong evolved into one of the world’s great trading cities, shaped by global commerce and cultural exchange.

Take a ferry to Macau, where Chinese and Portuguese cultures blend seamlessly. Visit Senado Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site framed by colonial-era buildings, and explore the dramatic ruins of St Paul’s.

Continue to A-Ma Temple, dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu, and visit the Macau Maritime Museum to explore the city’s seafaring heritage and its role in global trade between Europe and Asia. Return to Hong Kong by ferry in the evening.

After breakfast, transfer for your onward journey, concluding a richly layered exploration of China’s history, craftsmanship and global connections.