China rewards the curious. From emperors’ halls to edgy art districts, from hand-pulled noodles to riverfront cocktails, this 7-day Beijing and Shanghai itinerary balances icons with local life. You’ll trace 2,000 years in a week—then toast it under the skyscrapers.

Begin in Beijing, the capital since the Ming, home to the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and majestic stretches of the Great Wall. Dive into hutong alleyways, temple courtyards fragrant with incense, and parks where dawn brings tai chi and birdsong. Refuel with Peking duck, dumplings, and bowls of zhajiangmian (Beijing-style noodles).

Then race south by high-speed train to Shanghai, where Art Deco grandeur meets glass-and-steel ambition. Wander the French Concession’s leafy lanes, graze on xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), explore classical Yu Garden, and slow down in a canal-laced water town. Practical notes: most travelers can pay via card-enabled Alipay/WeChat; ATMs are easy in city centers; check current visa rules (many qualify for the 144-hour visa-free transit in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei and Shanghai–Jiangsu–Zhejiang regions).

Beijing

Beijing layers imperial power with lived-in neighborhoods, where courtyard homes, cricket sellers, and hip third-wave cafés share the same alleys. Mornings are for parks and palaces; evenings, for roast duck, craft beer, and teahouses by the lakes.

• Top sights: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple, 798 Art District, hutongs around Shichahai and Wudaoying.
• Meals to seek out: Peking duck, zhajiangmian, jianbing (savory crêpe), cumin lamb skewers, hotpot on Guijie (Ghost Street).
• Stay via hotels or serviced apartments: Luxury: The Peninsula Beijing, The Opposite House. Upscale: New World Beijing Hotel, Novotel Beijing Peace. Budget: 365 Inn Beijing. Or browse: VRBO Beijing | Hotels.com Beijing
• Getting there: compare flights to Beijing (PEK/PKX) on Trip.com Flights and Kiwi.com. Airport trains and taxis take ~30–60 minutes to central districts.

Day 1: Arrive in Beijing, Hutong Wanders & Duck Dinner

Morning: In transit.

Afternoon: Land and check into your hotel. Shake off the flight on a gentle walk along Qianmen Street and the Dashilan alleys—classic storefronts selling candied hawthorn and Beijing yogurt in clay jars. Coffee stop at Metal Hands (near Nanluoguxiang) for a bright Yunnan pour-over.

Evening: Feast on Peking duck at Siji Minfu (crispy skin with sugar dip; book or go early), or go for contemporary takes at Da Dong. Nightcap by the lakes of Shichahai—try a jasmine tea in a courtyard teahouse or a craft pint at Jing-A Taproom (Sanyuanqiao or Xingfucun) to sample Beijing’s beer scene.

Day 2: Beijing’s Big Three—Tiananmen, Forbidden City & Great Wall

Spend a full day with a guide to cover the essentials efficiently.

All-Inclusive Tour: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Great Wall — hotel pickup, entrances, and transfers included. Mutianyu’s wooded ramparts are less crowded and you can opt for a scenic cable car up and a toboggan down.

Dinner back in town on Guijie (Ghost Street): spicy crayfish, cumin lamb, and dry-fried green beans at Hu Da or Xin La Dao. Cool off with sesame soft serve from a neighborhood dessert stall.

Day 3: Temple Mornings, Lama Incense, 798 Art, and Sanlitun Night

Morning: Join locals at the Temple of Heaven Park—watch tai chi and shuttlecock games, then step into the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests’ blue-glazed perfection. Breakfast nearby on jianbing (egg-stuffed crêpe with crisp) from a street griddle or sit for zhajiangmian at Haiwanju. Continue to the Lama Temple (Yonghe Gong) to see the 18m Maitreya Buddha carved from a single sandalwood tree; stroll Wudaoying Hutong’s indie shops and cafés (Voyage Coffee does excellent espresso).

Afternoon: Head to 798 Art District. Explore converted Bauhaus-era factories now housing contemporary galleries, murals, and design stores. Grab a light lunch at a café in 798 (think Yunnan salads and noodles) to keep you moving.

Evening: Dinner at Chuan Ban for authentic, peppercorn-tingly Sichuan classics in a canteen setting. After, bar-hop in Sanlitun—Great Leap Brewing (Xingfucun) for IPAs, then a gin cocktail nearby. If you prefer calm, try a traditional tea ceremony on Nanluoguxiang instead.

Shanghai

Shanghai is China’s forward-leaning mirror: Bund-fronted Art Deco, a river of barges and boats, and a skyline like a sci‑fi paperback. Beneath the gloss, lane houses hide Shanghainese kitchens, jazz, and third-wave cafés.

• Top sights: The Bund, Yu Garden & Bazaar, French Concession, Shanghai Tower Observatory, Jade Buddha Temple, Shanghai Museum, nearby Zhujiajiao Water Town.
• What to eat: xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), shengjianbao (pan-fried buns), red-braised pork, scallion oil noodles, hairy crab (in season).
• Stay via: Luxury: The Peninsula Shanghai, The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong. Upscale: Kerry Hotel Pudong, Radisson Blu Hotel Shanghai New World. Boutique/Budget: Campanile Shanghai Bund Hotel, Shanghai Fish Inn Bund, Shanghai Blue Mountain Bund Youth Hostel. Or browse: VRBO Shanghai | Hotels.com Shanghai
• Beijing–Shanghai transport: Morning G-trains take ~4.5–6 hours (Beijing South–Shanghai Hongqiao) and cost roughly $80–$140 second class—book on Trip.com Trains. Flights are ~2h15m plus airport transfers—compare on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com.

Day 4: Train to Shanghai, The Bund & Old Town Bites

Morning: Depart Beijing on a high-speed G-train; pick up a station breakfast (baozi and soy milk) for the ride. Arrive at Hongqiao and metro/taxi to your hotel.

Afternoon: Walk the Bund’s historic promenade for classic skyline views of the Oriental Pearl, Shanghai Tower, and Jin Mao. Duck into the free lobby of the Fairmont Peace Hotel to admire Art Deco grandeur. Explore Yu Garden’s classic pavilions and koi ponds; snack on xiaolongbao at the adjacent bazaar (Nanxiang or a quick hop to Jia Jia Tang Bao).

Evening: Sunset over the river—grab a terrace seat at POP or Bar Rouge for a picture-perfect golden hour. Dinner options: Old Jesse (small, soulful Shanghainese; book), Jianguo 328 (home-style hits like red-braised pork), or Lost Heaven (Yunnan flavors). Night stroll or a short Huangpu river cruise to see the skyline sparkle.

Day 5: Old & New Shanghai in a Day (Guided Option)

Cover colonial Bund, sleek Lujiazui, and the French Concession with a local guide for context and efficiency.

Private Shanghai Full Day City Tour with Old and New Highlights — from the Bund’s riverfront to Pudong’s observatories and leafy lanes of the former French Concession, tailored to your interests.

Dinner back in the French Concession: try shengjianbao (pan-fried soup buns) at Yang’s Fry-Dumplings for a casual bite, or book a table at a neighborhood bistro tucked among plane trees. Cap the night with cocktails at Speak Low—an award-winning, multi-room speakeasy adventure.

Day 6: Zhujiajiao Water Town + French Concession Flâneuse

Shanghai Private Tour: Zhujiajiao Water Town and Boat Ride — glide past stone bridges and whitewashed houses, visit century-old shops, and taste canal-side snacks; a perfect half-day escape close to the city.

Afternoon: Return to the French Concession. Browse indie boutiques along Anfu and Wukang Roads; pop into the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Center for striking mid-20th-century design history. Coffee at Seesaw or Sumerian—both roast excellent beans.

Evening: Dinner progressive-style: scallion oil noodles and smoked fish at a classic canteen, then modern Chinese small plates at a contemporary spot nearby. Nighttime Bund encore from a different angle, or live jazz in a heritage venue.

Day 7: Shanghai Markets & Brunch, Departure

Morning: Souvenir sweep: Tianzifang’s arts-and-crafts lanes or Xintiandi’s polished shikumen blocks for design-forward shops. Brunch at Egg (creative plates, excellent coffee) or a local wonton shop for a comforting bowl.

Afternoon: Transfer to the airport or railway station. For onward flights, compare fares on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com. If you’re extending in China, book bullet trains easily via Trip.com Trains.

Practical Eating & Coffee Map (by day)

• Beijing Day 1: Metal Hands (coffee), Siji Minfu or Da Dong (duck), lakeside teahouses (Shichahai).
• Beijing Day 2: Wall-day picnic snacks; Guijie for Sichuan late dinner (Hu Da, Xin La Dao).
• Beijing Day 3: Jianbing or Haiwanju (noodles), café lunch in 798, Chuan Ban dinner, Great Leap or Jing-A beers.
• Shanghai Day 4: Nanxiang/Jia Jia Tang Bao (dumplings), Old Jesse/Jianguo 328/Lost Heaven, Bund terrace drinks.
• Shanghai Day 5: Yang’s Fry-Dumplings, French Concession bistro, cocktails at Speak Low.
• Shanghai Day 6: Canal snacks in Zhujiajiao, Seesaw/Sumerian coffee, modern Chinese small plates for dinner.
• Shanghai Day 7: Egg brunch or wonton shop, last-minute market nibbles.

How to Book and Get Around

• Flights: Use Trip.com and Kiwi.com for international and domestic routes.
• Trains: Reserve high-speed seats on Trip.com Trains. Beijing–Shanghai is comfortable and scenic, with frequent departures.
• Payments: Add your Visa/Mastercard to Alipay or WeChat Pay (foreign cards now supported) for taxis and small shops; keep some RMB for markets.
• SIM & Internet: Airport kiosks sell data SIMs; hotel Wi‑Fi is widespread.

In one week you’ll stride along imperial courtyards, stand atop the Great Wall, taste China’s regional flavors, and sweep into a skyline fit for the future. Beijing and Shanghai make a powerful pairing—history and innovation in crisp relief, connected by a smooth high-speed ride.