Destinations

Four cities a first trip can be built around, each a short high-speed train or flight from the next.

The roofs of the Forbidden City seen from Jingshan hill at sunrise, under a pink and blue sky

Beijing

China's capital: imperial palaces, temple parks and old lanes a subway ride apart, with the Great Wall as a day trip.

The Lujiazui towers and the Oriental Pearl Tower across the Huangpu River, seen from the Bund

Shanghai

A river city of old stone banks, Ming-era gardens and tree-lined lanes, with an easy metro and Suzhou and Hangzhou close by.

The Bell Tower lit up at dusk in the middle of a traffic circle, with light trails from cars around it

Xi'an

A walled former capital with flat, easy streets, the Terracotta Army an hour away, and some of China's best noodles.

Anshun Bridge lit up at night over the Jin River in Chengdu, with tower blocks behind

Chengdu

A flat, green, unhurried city where mornings go to the pandas and afternoons go to tea, with some of China's best food.