China rewards the curious: imperial capitals beside futuristic skylines, quiet water towns threaded by canals, and islands where incense smoke curls past stilt houses. This 15-day itinerary links Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong—the country’s classic triad—by efficient high-speed trains and short flights.

Expect headline sights like the Great Wall, Forbidden City, the Bund, and Victoria Peak, then veer into hutong courtyards, lilong lanes, and wet markets. Along the way, you’ll sample roast duck in Beijing, xiaolongbao in Shanghai, and bamboo baskets of dim sum in Hong Kong.

Practical notes: Most travelers need a China visa; some qualify for a 72/144-hour transit exemption in select cities. Mainland China widely uses WeChat Pay and Alipay (foreign cards now work), while Hong Kong’s Octopus card is your transit best friend. Trains are fast, punctual, and comfortable; spring and autumn are ideal for weather.

Beijing

Beijing wears its history boldly: broad imperial avenues, red-walled palaces, and hutongs where life still moves by bicycle. Between world-class museums and steamy noodle shops, you’ll walk in the footsteps of emperors and revolutionaries—then cap the day with a peerless acrobat show.

Days 1–5: Imperial Beijing & Hutong Life

• Forbidden City, Tiananmen & Jingshan Park: Enter the palace where Ming and Qing emperors ruled for centuries. Exit at the north gate and climb Jingshan’s hill for Beijing’s best panorama over golden roofs.
• Mutianyu Great Wall: A greener, less crowded stretch with stone ramparts snaking across ridgelines. Ride the cable car up and the toboggan down for pure fun.
• Temple of Heaven & Morning Taiji: Ming-era ritual halls amid cypress groves; go early to see locals dancing, flying kites, and playing cards.
• Hutong wander: Meander around Gulou and Nanluoguxiang for courtyard homes, indie boutiques, and teahouses. Duck into hidden eateries for zhajiangmian (soybean-paste noodles).
• 798 Art District: A reimagined factory complex with galleries, murals, and design shops—industrial grit meets contemporary China.

Recommended experiences (Viator):

• All-Inclusive Tour: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Great Wall

  

  One efficient day that covers the essential trio with transfers and tickets handled.

• Private Tour to Mutianyu Great Wall Lift Way Up & Toboggan Down

  

  Ideal if you prefer a half-day wall adventure with flexibility and fewer crowds.

• Chaoyang Theatre Beijing Acrobatic Show Tickets

  

  High-flying artistry from China’s most storied acrobatic tradition.

Where to stay (Beijing):

• The Opposite House — design-forward in Sanlitun, with sleek rooms and noted dining.
• The Peninsula Beijing — classic service, suites-only grandeur near Wangfujing.
• New World Beijing Hotel — modern comfort and a strong rooftop bar for skyline views.
• Novotel Beijing Peace — reliable value steps from shopping streets.
• 365 Inn Beijing — budget-friendly base near Qianmen and the old city.
• Browse more stays: Hotels.com Beijing or VRBO Beijing.

Eat & drink like a local:

• Breakfast/coffee: Voyage Coffee (Beixinqiao) roasts stellar single-origin pours; Metal Hands Coffee (Nanluoguxiang) contrasts sleek espresso with hutong alleys; % Arabica (Sanlitun) for Kyoto-style precision.
• Lunch: Xian Lao Man for hand-pinched dumplings and liangpi; Mr. Shi’s Dumplings (GuLou) for creative fillings; Huguosi Snacks Street for old-Beijing bites like mung-bean jelly and saccharine tanghulu.
• Dinner: Siji Minfu for succulent roast duck carved tableside; Da Dong for leaner “art duck” and refined small plates; TRB Hutong for a celebratory tasting menu in a historic courtyard.
• Nightcaps: Jing-A Taproom (CBD or Shichahai) for Chinese craft beers; The Hideaway (near Dongsi) for low-lit cocktails after the acrobat show.

Getting in and around:

• Fly into PEK or PKX; compare fares on Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com. Airport Express/subway to the center in ~30–50 minutes.
• Taxis are metered and inexpensive; for payments, foreign cards now work in Alipay/WeChat Pay—set them up before arrival.

Shanghai

Shanghai is China’s headlong rush into the future—glass needles in Pudong, Art Deco gems along the Bund, and lilong lanes lined with plane trees and cafes. It’s also deliciously edible: soup dumplings that burst, pan-fried buns with lacey crusts, and tea houses tucked behind shikumen doors.

Days 6–10: Skyscrapers, Water Towns, and Art Deco Lanes

• Morning transfer (Day 6): Take a high-speed train from Beijing South to Shanghai Hongqiao, ~4.5–6 hours. 2nd class ~¥550–600 (about $80–$90). Book on Trip.com trains. Flights are ~2 hours if you prefer.
• The Bund & Pudong: Stroll the Bund’s 1920s façades, then ferry across to stand beneath Shanghai Tower and the crystalline Oriental Pearl.
• French Concession: Leafy lanes, indie boutiques, and pocket parks. Peek into restored shikumen at Xintiandi and café-hop along Yongkang Road.
• Zhujiajiao Water Town: Stone bridges and narrow canals make a photogenic day trip; try boat rides and sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves.
• M50 Art Complex: Contemporary art in a riverside mill—studios, galleries, and pop-up exhibitions with edge.

Recommended experiences (Viator):

• Private Shanghai Full Day City Tour with Old and New Highlights

  

  Cover the Bund, Old Town, Jade Buddha Temple, and soaring viewpoints with a local expert.

• Zhujiajiao Water Town and Shanghai City Private Day Tour

  

  Blend canals and classic gardens with urban must-sees in one curated day.

• Shanghai: Southern Great Wall Day Trip by Bullet Train

  

  A fascinating, less-visited “Great Wall” fortification in Zhejiang—history without Beijing’s crowds.

Where to stay (Shanghai):

• The Peninsula Shanghai — old-world elegance right on the Bund.
• The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong — sky-high rooms and a legendary rooftop bar overlooking the river.
• Kerry Hotel Pudong or Kerry Hotel Pudong, Shanghai — family-friendly facilities and direct mall access.
• Campanile Shanghai Bund Hotel — smart value within walking distance of the Bund.
• Shanghai Fish Inn Bund — boutique budget with character near the river.
• Shanghai Blue Mountain Bund Youth Hostel — backpacker favorite close to metro lines.
• More options: Hotels.com Shanghai or VRBO Shanghai.

Eat & drink like a local:

• Breakfast/coffee: Manner Coffee kiosks for pitch-perfect espresso; Seesaw Coffee (Jing’an) for single origins; Pain Chaud for flaky croissants on the go.
• Lunch: Jia Jia Tang Bao for delicate xiaolongbao; Xiao Yang Sheng Jian for crackly-bottom pan-fried buns; Fu Chun Xiao Long for Suzhou-style classics.
• Dinner: Lost Heaven (Bund) serves fragrant Yunnan flavors; Old Jesse is a beloved address for red-braised pork and scallion oil noodles; Char Bar & Grill (Hotel Indigo) for steak and sunset Bund views.
• After dark: Speak Low (multi-level speakeasy magic) and Union Trading Company (inventive, unpretentious cocktails) headline the city’s award-winning bar scene.

Hop to Hong Kong (Day 11 morning):

• Flight from Shanghai Hongqiao/Pudong to HKG in ~2.5 hours, often $120–$250 one-way. Compare on Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com.
• High-speed rail takes ~8.5–9 hours from Shanghai Hongqiao to Hong Kong West Kowloon; 2nd class commonly ¥800–1,000. Check schedules on Trip.com trains.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is vertical energy and Cantonese soul: incense-wreathed temples, cha chaan teng diners, and a skyline that glitters over Victoria Harbour. Ferries and trams stitch it together, while islands promise hiking, pink sunsets, and seafood pulled from village nets.

Days 11–15: Peaks, Temples, Markets & Islands

• Arrival: From HKG, the Airport Express reaches Central in ~24 minutes. You’ll use tap-and-go Octopus card on MTR, trams, and ferries.
• Victoria Peak & Central: Ride the historic Peak Tram for cinematic harbor views, then wander mid-levels escalators, SoHo’s galleries, and century-old Man Mo Temple.
• Kowloon neon & markets: Temple Street Night Market for knickknacks and fortune tellers; Mong Kok’s Ladies’ Market and Sneakers Street for people-watching and bargains.
• Lantau Island day: Glide over the mountains in the Ngong Ping 360 cable car to meet the Tian Tan Buddha, then boat around Tai O’s stilt houses.
• Harbor life: Take a Star Ferry crossing at golden hour—cheap, breezy, and impossibly photogenic.

Recommended experiences (Viator):

• Top-Rated Hong Kong Tour: Peak Tram, Dim Sum & Cultural Sights

  

  Priority tram boarding, temples, and a guided dim sum tasting—Hong Kong in a delicious nutshell.

• Lantau Island Day Trip: Giant Buddha & Cable Car with Pickup

  

  See Po Lin Monastery and Tai O village with seamless transfers and the scenic cable car.

• Hong Kong Street Food Tour with Locals - Dim Sum, Wonton & more

  

  Cha chaan teng culture decoded: from silky milk tea to prawn wontons and pineapple buns.

• Big Bus Hong Kong Open Top Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Tour

  

  Cover Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and Stanley with breeze-in-your-hair views.

Where to stay (Hong Kong):

• The Upper House — minimalist sanctuary above Pacific Place with superb service.
• The Peninsula Hong Kong — Rolls-Royce fleet, afternoon tea, and harbor views since 1928.
• Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel — resort-style stay for families near the park.
• YHA Mei Ho House Youth Hostel — heritage public-housing-turned-hostel with a small museum.
• Hop Inn or Hop Inn on Carnarvon — colorful, artful budget picks in Tsim Sha Tsui.
• Explore more stays: Hotels.com Hong Kong or VRBO Hong Kong.

Eat & drink like a local:

• Breakfast/coffee: Australian Dairy Company for lightning-fast scrambled eggs and toast; Kam Wah Café (Mong Kok) for iconic pineapple buns; NOC Coffee Co. or The Coffee Academics for specialty brews; % Arabica (Star Ferry) for views with your espresso.
• Lunch: Mak’s Noodle (wonton noodles with springy bite); Yat Lok (Michelin-starred roast goose with lacquered skin); Sister Wah (Tin Hau) for brisket noodles in rich broth.
• Dinner: Tim Ho Wan for wallet-friendly dim sum; Ho Lee Fook (SoHo) for playful modern Cantonese; Under Bridge Spicy Crab (Causeway Bay) for a peppery seafood feast.
• Drinks: Quinary for multisensory cocktails; The Old Man (speakeasy homage to Hemingway); a dusk harbor cruise pairs perfectly with the nightly Symphony of Lights.

Suggested pacing by blocks

• Days 1–5 (Beijing): Forbidden City and Jingshan; Mutianyu Great Wall; Temple of Heaven and hutongs; Summer Palace or 798 Art District; Chaoyang acrobat show by night.
• Days 6–10 (Shanghai): Train in the morning; Bund + Pudong viewpoints; French Concession strolling; M50 art; day trip to Zhujiajiao; optional Southern “Great Wall” excursion.
• Days 11–15 (Hong Kong): Peak Tram and Central; Kowloon markets; Lantau cable car, Big Buddha, and Tai O; optional hop-on hop-off bus; finale with dim sum feast and Star Ferry at sunset.

Getting home:

• Fly out of HKG; compare fares on Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com.

Fifteen days in China delivers a perfect arc: Beijing’s imperial gravitas, Shanghai’s cosmopolitan verve, and Hong Kong’s harbor-lit buzz. You’ll return with a camera full of skylines and courtyards—and a palate trained on duck, dumplings, and dim sum.