Asia
China
Exploring the kingdom under heaven, its history, and its thrilling future.
I combine China's great icons — imperial Beijing, the Terracotta Army, a cruise through the Yangtze's Three Gorges, Shanghai's skyscrapers — with layers of unusual access: classes with local families, a private visit to a Shaolin temple, and dinners in kitchens that never make it into the guidebooks.
China brings together, in a single trip, some of the most recognizable routes in Asia: Beijing, with the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, and the hutongs of the old town; Xi'an, capital of twelve dynasties and home to the Terracotta Army; a multi-day cruise through the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, the largest hydraulic engineering project in the world; the karst scenery of Guilin and Yangshuo, with its rice terraces and the Li River; and Shanghai, the country's most international metropolis, with the contrast between the Bund and the skyscrapers of Pudong. Longer itineraries add lesser-seen layers: Zhangjiajie, with the stone pillars that inspired the landscapes of Avatar; the walled city of Pingyao; Hong Kong and Macao; or the Shaolin Temple, birthplace of kung fu, near Luoyang. But the real differentiator for a traveler who already knows China's big names lies in the trip's second layer: a calligraphy class in a family home in Xi'an, a ten-course dinner in the open kitchen of a reservation-only restaurant, a nighttime tuktuk food tour through alleys that appear in no guidebook, or a sunrise Tai Chi class alongside Shanghai locals in Renmin Park. There's no single itinerary: from an essential two-week route to an exhaustive one of more than three, each journey can be woven together by combining the great icons with these more intimate, closer-access experiences.
Datos del viaje
Experiences
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Tuktuk food tour through Xi'an's Muslim Quarter
A nighttime tuktuk tour through the alleys of Xi'an's Muslim Quarter, tasting four dishes you won't find on the usual tourist routes.
View experience: Tuktuk food tour through Xi'an's Muslim Quarter
As night falls, a private tuktuk winds through the hidden streets and alleys of Xi'an's Muslim Quarter that only the city's own residents know. Along the way, four distinctive dishes are sampled — from family-run stalls open for generations to recipes handed down through the years — an immersion into the city's most genuine, least-known cuisine, far from the tourist-restaurant circuit.
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Cooking class on a farm near Yangshuo
A hands-on cooking class at a farm outside Yangshuo, among the karst mountains, starting with shopping for ingredients at the local market.
View experience: Cooking class on a farm near Yangshuo
The experience starts with a visit to a local Yangshuo market to learn the essential ingredients of Guilin-region cooking. Then, in the courtyard of a farm surrounded by karst scenery, guests learn to prepare signature dishes such as beer fish, eggplant with soy and oyster sauce, or duck with pickled ginger and chiles — enjoyed afterward, freshly made, in that same courtyard.
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Calligraphy class at the Gao Family residence
A Chinese calligraphy class with brush and ink at the historic Gao Family residence, in the heart of Xi'an.
View experience: Calligraphy class at the Gao Family residence
At the historic Gao Family residence, guided by local masters, guests learn the ancestral techniques of Chinese calligraphy — the stroke, the ink, the brush — in the setting of a traditional courtyard with centuries of history. A hands-on, personal way to approach an ancient Chinese art, very different from viewing it behind a museum case.
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Private visit to the Shaolin Temple and a kung fu demonstration
A private visit to the Shaolin Temple, birthplace of Chinese kung fu, with a live martial arts demonstration by its own monks.
View experience: Private visit to the Shaolin Temple and a kung fu demonstration
The Shaolin Temple is the historic center of Chinese kung fu study. The private visit includes a martial arts performance by its monks — discipline, precision, and centuries of tradition condensed into a live demonstration — before continuing to the nearby White Horse Temple, China's first Buddhist temple.
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Stroll through Tianzifang
A walk through Tianzifang, the maze of alleys in Shanghai's former French Concession, now reinvented as galleries, craft workshops, and cafés.
View experience: Stroll through Tianzifang
Tianzifang is a former residential quarter of Shanghai's French Concession that has kept its narrow-alley layout and shikumen houses, today home to a cluster of small craft shops, art galleries, cafés, and independent restaurants. A human-scale counterpoint to the skyscrapers of Pudong, ideal for wandering without a fixed plan.
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Sunrise Tai Chi in Renmin Park
A sunrise Tai Chi class in Shanghai's Renmin Park, among locals practicing this ancient martial art.
View experience: Sunrise Tai Chi in Renmin Park
The day in Shanghai begins with a Tai Chi class in Renmin Park, surrounded by the calm of the gardens and the city's own residents who practice this ancient martial art there every morning. An unhurried, local way to start the day, before the city unfolds its pace of skyscrapers and avenues.
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Tasting dinner at Black Sesame Kitchen
A ten-course dinner with wine pairing in the open kitchen of Black Sesame Kitchen, a reservation-only restaurant in a private Shanghai courtyard.
View experience: Tasting dinner at Black Sesame Kitchen
Black Sesame Kitchen is a reservation-only dining experience: a fixed ten-course menu with two wine pairings, served in an open kitchen where you can watch each dish being prepared up close. Dinner is enjoyed in a private courtyard, among friends and family, in a setting very different from a typical tourist restaurant.
Itinerary ideas
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17 days
Romantic China
Beijing, Xi'an, a Yangtze Three Gorges cruise, Guilin, Yangshuo, and Shanghai
View itinerary idea: Romantic China
Beijing, with the Forbidden City, the Great Wall at Mutianyu, and the old-town hutongs; a flight to Xi'an for the Terracotta Army; a transfer to Chongqing to board a three-day cruise through the Yangtze's Three Gorges; Guilin, with the Longsheng rice terraces and a Li River cruise to Yangshuo; and a close in Shanghai, with a day trip to Suzhou, the "Venice of the East."
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23 days
Magnificent China
Beijing, Datong, Pingyao, Xi'an, Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang, Hong Kong, Macao, Guilin, Yangshuo, and Shanghai
View itinerary idea: Magnificent China
The longest, most complete route: Beijing and the Great Wall; Datong, with the Yungang Buddhist grottoes; Pingyao, China's best-preserved walled city; Xi'an and the Terracotta Army; Zhangjiajie National Park, the inspiration for the landscapes of Avatar; the old town of Fenghuang; Hong Kong with a day trip to Macao; Guilin and Yangshuo; and a close in Shanghai.
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15 days
China, Privately
Beijing, Luoyang, Xi'an, a Three Gorges cruise, and Shanghai, entirely private (the leg before Japan)
View itinerary idea: China, Privately
The Chinese leg of a China-Japan multi-destination trip, entirely on private visits: Beijing; Luoyang, with the Shaolin Temple and the White Horse Temple; Xi'an and the Terracotta Army; a transfer to Chongqing for a three-day cruise through the Yangtze's Three Gorges; and a close in Shanghai before continuing on to Japan.
Traveller testimonials
William put together our honeymoon trip. CHINA. It's a fairly complicated destination to do on your own. Everything went perfectly — the transfers, the choice of hotels, the restaurants and the guides... He got us Spanish-speaking guides in every city we visited, and there were quite a few. And working with him is wonderful — he knows how to understand what you need, and his suggestions are spot on. Next up... southern India...?
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to travel to China?
In spring (March to May) and autumn (September and October), when temperatures are milder. Summer is hot and humid and winters are cold in the north, in Beijing or Xi'an. China is so large that the ideal moment depends on the route, so I adjust it with you when designing the trip.
How many days do I need for a trip to China?
Between 15 and 23 days, depending on how many regions you want to cover. The country is huge and internal transfers weigh on the schedule; with less time I'd rather choose one or two areas than pile up cities. The flight from Spain takes 11 to 13 hours, with one connection via the Middle East or Europe depending on airline and season.
Do I need a visa to travel to China from Spain?
With an ordinary Spanish passport you don't need a visa for stays of up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits or transit. According to Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this arrangement is extended until 31 December 2026. As of November 2026 that is the case, but check the official source before booking, as it may change.
What should I know about health and safety before going to China?
China is generally safe for travellers, although Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises caution in Xinjiang, where police checks are frequent, and notes that earthquakes are common, especially in Sichuan. No vaccines are compulsory; tetanus, polio, rabies and dengue (in the coastal south) are recommended. Check with your international vaccination centre.