7 Days in China — Solo Luxury Multi-City Adventure

Arrive at Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)

Clear customs and immigration with your pre-approved Chinese visa. Download WeChat, Alipay (link a foreign Visa/Mastercard — it works for tourists now), and DiDi (ride-hailing) before you leave the airport Wi-Fi zone.

Maglev Train to Longyang Road, then Metro to Hotel

Take the Shanghai Maglev (¥50, 8 minutes, hits 430km/h) to Longyang Road station, then transfer to Metro Line 2 toward People's Square or Jing'an depending on your hotel. It's the most spectacular airport transfer in the world and sets the tone perfectly.

Check in — The Peninsula Shanghai or Waldorf Astoria

The Peninsula on the Bund is the gold standard for location and heritage luxury; the Waldorf Astoria (also on the Bund) is slightly more intimate. Both have rooms from ¥3,000/night and are walking distance to everything you need today.

Walk The Bund (外滩)

Stroll the 1.5km riverside promenade facing Pudong's skyline — do it now in the afternoon light, then come back after dinner for the neon version. The colonial-era buildings behind you (former HSBC, Customs House) are just as impressive as the futuristic skyline across the river.

French Concession Wander — Tianzifang & Xintiandi

Take a 15-minute DiDi ride to Tianzifang — a maze of narrow laneways (shikumen) filled with independent cafés, boutiques, and street art. Then walk 10 minutes to Xintiandi for a more polished version of the same concept. Great for solo wandering with no agenda.

Sunset drinks at Sir Elly's Bar (Peninsula 13th Floor)

Return to the Peninsula for cocktails at Sir Elly's — the panoramic view of the Bund at dusk is genuinely one of the best urban views in the world. A cocktail runs ¥120–180 but it's worth every yuan.

Yu Garden (豫园) — Early Morning Visit

Get here early (gates open at 8:30am) before the tour groups arrive. This classical Ming Dynasty garden is genuinely beautiful in the morning quiet — zigzag bridges, rockeries, pavilions. Budget 90 minutes. Entry is ¥40.

Yuyuan Bazaar & City God Temple Area

The surrounding bazaar is touristy but the snacks are legitimately good — try the shengjianbao (pan-fried pork buns) from Yang's Fry-Dumplings on Huanghe Road. The City God Temple (Chenghuang Miao) inside is a functioning Taoist temple worth a quick visit.

Shanghai Museum (上海博物馆)

One of China's best museums — free entry, world-class collection of bronzes, ceramics, jade, and calligraphy spanning 5,000 years. The ancient bronzes floor alone is worth an hour. Located on People's Square, easy metro access.

Shanghai Tower Observation Deck (118th Floor)

At 632m, Shanghai Tower is the world's second tallest building. The observation deck on the 118th floor gives a vertiginous bird's-eye view of the entire city. Buy tickets online in advance (¥180) to skip queues. The twisted glass exterior is remarkable up close.

Lujiazui Evening Stroll

Walk the Pudong riverside esplanade as the lights come on across the water — the Oriental Pearl Tower, Jin Mao, World Financial Center and Shanghai Tower all illuminated at once is pure sci-fi. Great solo photo opportunity from the riverbank.

Check out and DiDi to Shanghai Hongqiao Station

Your luggage goes directly to Beijing — the station has left-luggage facilities if needed. Hongqiao is 45 minutes from the Bund by metro or 25 minutes by DiDi. Allow 45 minutes before departure for security screening and platform finding.

G-Train Shanghai to Beijing (Fuxing High-Speed)

The G2/G4 Fuxing trains cover 1,300km in 4.5 hours at up to 350km/h — buy first class (商务座 Business Class is ¥1,748, 一等座 First Class is ¥933) for wide seats, meals served, and the experience of watching eastern China blur past your window.

Arrive Beijing South Station, Metro to Hotel

Metro Line 4 from Beijing South connects directly to the center. Check into your hotel — The Rosewood Beijing (CBD) or Aman at Summer Palace (for ultimate luxury near the lakes) are top choices. The Aman is extraordinary but 40 minutes from the center.

Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City (故宫)

Enter Tiananmen Square on foot — the scale is deliberately overwhelming and politically fascinating as a solo visitor. Then cross into the Forbidden City (Palace Museum). Book tickets online at least 1–2 days ahead (¥60, daily caps apply). Budget 3 hours minimum for the main axis.

Jingshan Park — Forbidden City Rooftop View

Directly north of the Forbidden City, climb Jingshan Hill for the definitive aerial view of the palace's yellow-tiled rooftops stretching to the horizon. Sunset here is magical, especially in spring. Entry is ¥2.

Nanluoguxiang Hutong Evening Walk

Beijing's most accessible hutong (traditional alleyway) neighborhood — full of street food, craft beer bars, and independent shops. As a solo traveler, the vibe here is relaxed and foreigner-friendly. Grab a cold Yanjing beer and wander.

Private Transfer to Mutianyu Great Wall

Book a private driver through your hotel concierge (¥400–600 for the day, worth every yuan solo). Mutianyu is 90 minutes from central Beijing, far less crowded than Badaling, and the section itself is stunning — restored towers, dramatic mountain ridgelines, and a toboggan ride down.

Great Wall at Mutianyu (慕田峪长城)

Take the cable car up (¥120 return) and walk the wall for 2–3 hours — in early spring the hillsides are just greening up and it's still relatively uncrowded. The stretch between towers 14 and 23 is the best preserved and most photogenic. Toboggan back down (¥80) — it's genuinely fun.

Return to Beijing — Temple of Heaven (天坛)

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is one of China's most recognizable icons — a circular blue-roofed temple set in a vast park where elderly Beijingers practice tai chi, play erhu, and do group dancing every morning and afternoon. Genuinely moving as a solo cultural experience.

Houhai Lake Area — Shichahai

The lakes of Shichahai (Qianhai and Houhai) are surrounded by willow trees — in April, they're just budding, making for beautiful afternoon light. Rent a pedal boat (¥60/hr) or just walk the shoreline and watch locals fish. The hutongs immediately west of the lake are original and ungentrified.

Beijing Opera at Liyuan Theatre or Prince Gong's Mansion

Liyuan Theatre inside the Jianguo Hotel offers tourist-friendly Beijing Opera with English subtitles — shows run 7:30–8:45pm, ¥180–380. The performance is stylized and visually spectacular even if you understand nothing. A distinctly Beijing experience.

Early Check-out & Transfer to Beijing Capital Airport (PEK)

Fly Beijing to Xi'an — Air China or Hainan Airlines have multiple morning departures, roughly 2 hours flight time. Alternatively, there's a 5.5-hour high-speed train (G-train) to Xi'an North from Beijing West if you prefer the land journey and a later start.

Arrive Xi'an, Transfer to Hotel Inside the City Walls

Sofitel Xi'an on Renmin Square or the Kempinski Hotel are both excellent — both are within or adjacent to the ancient city walls. Xi'an is physically compact inside the walls, making it easy to walk or cycle. Check in and drop bags.

Xi'an City Walls — Bike Ride

Rent a bicycle (¥45/hour, ¥120/full circuit, bikes available at South Gate) and cycle the entire 13.7km top of the ancient Ming Dynasty city walls. This is one of China's most underrated experiences — 360-degree views over the old city and new skyline simultaneously.

Terracotta Warriors Museum (兵马俑)

About 40 minutes from the city center by taxi (¥100 each way) or tourist bus. This is genuinely one of humanity's greatest archaeological discoveries — Pit 1 is jaw-dropping in scale, Pit 3 is the most intimate, and the restored full-color warrior exhibit is unmissable. Allow 3 hours minimum.

Muslim Quarter (回民街) Evening Food Tour

Xi'an's Muslim Quarter is one of China's best street food strips — the Hui Muslim community has lived here since the Tang Dynasty Silk Road era. It's loud, fragrant, and completely alive at night. This is the highlight of Xi'an for most solo travelers — the energy is infectious.

Big Wild Goose Pagoda (大雁塔)

One of Xi'an's most iconic Buddhist structures, built in 652 AD to house scriptures brought from India by monk Xuanzang. The surrounding plaza is vast and photogenic in morning light. Entry to the pagoda interior is ¥30, grounds are free.

Shaanxi History Museum (陕西历史博物馆)

One of China's finest provincial museums — free entry (book timed tickets online the day before; they go fast). The Tang Dynasty gold and silver artifacts and the Han Dynasty murals are world-class. Allow 2 hours.

Check out & Transfer to Xi'an Xianyang Airport (XIY)

Fly Xi'an to Chengdu (1 hour, ¥300–500) if adding a panda day, OR fly direct Xi'an to Hong Kong (3 hours, ¥800–1,500) if keeping the original 7-day frame. If budget allows, add Chengdu as an overnight and shift Hong Kong to Day 7 arrival.

Arrive Hong Kong — Check into Hotel

Hong Kong does NOT require a visa for Australian passport holders — you get 90 days on arrival. This is also your mainland China visa exit point. The Airport Express from HKIA to Central takes 24 minutes (HK$115). Check into The Peninsula Hong Kong, Four Seasons, or Mandarin Oriental — all iconic.

Victoria Peak (太平山頂) at Sunset

Take the Peak Tram from Central (HK$88 return) to the summit for the defining Hong Kong panorama — the harbour, Kowloon, and the forest of skyscrapers. Go at dusk to catch the city light up. The tram itself, running at 45 degrees, is a thrill.

Symphony of Lights & Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront

The nightly 8pm laser and light show across the harbour is best viewed from the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade on the Kowloon side. Walk the Avenue of Stars afterward. The contrast between Hong Kong and mainland China — the languages, the freedom of press newsstands, the international energy — hits immediately.

Dim Sum Breakfast — the Essential Hong Kong Ritual

Tim Ho Wan (cheapest Michelin star in the world, HK$150–200/person) in Sham Shui Po or Mong Kok, OR Lung King Heen (Four Seasons, HK$500–800) for pure luxury. Both represent the finest end of their price bracket for dim sum. Reserve Lung King Heen; queue for Tim Ho Wan at opening time (8am) as a solo diner.

Hollywood Road & Man Mo Temple

Hollywood Road in Sheung Wan is lined with antique dealers, art galleries, and the intriguing Man Mo Temple (1847), thick with incense coil smoke and genuinely atmospheric. Browse but don't feel pressure to buy — the antiques market here is for serious collectors.

Mid-Levels Escalator & Soho

The world's longest outdoor covered escalator system (800m, runs uphill 10:20am–midnight) connects Central to the Mid-Levels through Soho's restaurant and bar strip. Ride it up, wander off at any level — the street life is quintessentially Hong Kong.

Star Ferry — Cross the Harbour

The Star Ferry from Central Pier to Tsim Sha Tsui is HK$3.40 and has been running since 1888. On a clear spring day the view of the skyline from the lower deck is breathtaking. One of travel's great bargains. Take it both ways.

Temple Street Night Market (Afternoon Browse)

Temple Street in Yau Ma Tei is more interesting during the late afternoon setup than the peak tourist evening — you can watch vendors arrange their stalls, grab a fresh coconut, and browse jade, electronics, and street food without the crowds. The fortune tellers set up at the southern end.

Shenzhen Day Trip Decision Point

If you want to cross into Shenzhen from Hong Kong: you can enter via Lo Wu or Futian checkpoint on your existing Chinese visa (if you have a multiple-entry visa) OR use the 144-hour visa-free transit policy if applicable. CRITICAL NOTE: A single-entry Chinese visa used for your mainland trip is already consumed — a Shenzhen day trip requires a separate visa or a multi-entry visa. Do NOT cross without confirming your visa type first with your hotel concierge.

Final Dinner with Harbour View

Caprice at Four Seasons (French fine dining, harbour view, HK$1,200–1,800pp) or Aqua in Tsim Sha Tsui (Italian/Japanese fusion, direct Harbour view, HK$600–900pp) are both spectacular final-night choices. Book well in advance.