Charming Guangzhou & Shenzhen | Guangzhou + Zhujiang New Town + Chen Clan Ancestral Hall + Shenzhen Museum + Ping An Finance Center Highlights 3-Day Tour

Welcome to Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province. It is a hub city of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and a famous trade and cultural center in South China, with a history of more than 2,200 years. Leveraging its advantages as a port city, it has blended local and foreign cultures to form a unique urban character. As the birthplace of Lingnan culture, Guangzhou has nurtured rich cultural symbols such as Cantonese, Cantonese cuisine, and Cantonese opera, demonstrating profound cultural heritage. Today's itinerary begins at Yuexiu Park. [Yuexiu Park] is the largest comprehensive park in downtown Guangzhou and one of Guangzhou's landmark buildings, praised as one of the "Eight Sights of Yangcheng." It preserves a large number of historical and cultural relics: the site of the "Chaohan Terrace" of Zhao Tuo, King of Nanyue; the remains of the wooden water gate of the Nanyue King's Palace; the longest and most complete surviving Ming Dynasty city wall in Guangzhou; Zhenhai Tower (first built in 1380); the Five Immortals Temple, the first tower of Lingnan; the stele of Sun Yat-sen's reading and administrative office; and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Monument (498 granite steps). Moreover, Yuexiu Park is shaded by green trees and has very beautiful scenery. You can enter and tour from the west gate of Yuexiu Park. The 11-meter-high granite group sculpture in the park—the Five Rams Stone Sculpture—is very worth seeing. This is Guangzhou's most iconic urban sculpture and also a symbol of Guangzhou, carrying the city's millennium legend and urban spirit. It is said that during a famine in Guangzhou, five immortals rode rams and gave rice ears, and the main ram holding rice ears in its mouth reenacts the legend of "Five Immortals Bestowing Grain," from which Guangzhou got the names "Yangcheng" and "Suicheng." Near the Five Rams Stone Sculpture, you can see the only remaining section of Guangzhou's ancient Ming Dynasty city wall, first built in the 13th year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1380), with a history of more than 600 years. You can also climb to the top of the hill to visit the five-times-destroyed and five-times-rebuilt Zhenhai Tower (optional: admission 10 yuan per person), now the main hall of the Guangzhou Museum. This is Guangzhou's iconic ancient building and historical and cultural landmark, where you can take in the essence of Guangzhou's 2,200-year history and culture. After reaching the top, you can also enjoy a panoramic view of the magnificent scenery of the Pearl River and Baiyun Mountain. In addition, if you are interested, you can also visit the Sun Yat-sen Memorial complex to gain an in-depth understanding of Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary spirit, Republican-era architectural art, and modern Guangzhou history. After touring Yuexiu Park, head to the [Museum of the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King, King's Tomb Exhibition Area], praised as the "Light of Lingnan Culture." The overall building was constructed on the tomb site excavated in 1983. Here, you can visit the original site of the Tomb of the Nanyue King Wen, the highest-ranking, largest, and best-preserved Han Dynasty painted stone chamber tomb in China's Lingnan region, and learn about ancient Chinese royal tomb culture. More than 1,000 precious cultural relics have been unearthed here, among which China's earliest complete "jade suit sewn with silk threads" and the "Emperor Wen's Seal" gold seal symbolizing royal power are very worth seeing. In addition, if you are interested, you can also go to the Palace Exhibition Area to visit the site of the Nanyue Kingdom Palace Office, known as "the essence of Guangzhou's famous historical and cultural city." After visiting the Tomb of the Nanyue King Wen, head to [Beijing Road], praised as the "First Street of Lingnan" and the "Millennium Commercial Road." This is Guangzhou's oldest urban central axis (unchanged for 2,200 years since the Qin Dynasty) and also one of Guangzhou's most popular commercial pedestrian streets. While strolling through it, you can browse quaint and exquisite local time-honored shops and international brand stores, taste authentic Cantonese snacks (such as rice noodle rolls, claypot rice, wonton noodles, beef chow fun, Cantonese roast meats, char siu buns, etc.), and see long-standing historical and cultural relics: the foundation site of Gongbei Tower from the Song Dynasty, the brick-paved road from the Southern Han period, the wooden water gate of the Nanyue Kingdom (the world's earliest and most complete wooden gate), the Nanyue King's Palace Office (the highest-ranking palace complex in Lingnan during the Qin and Han dynasties), Dafo Temple (a Lingnan-style Buddhist temple), and the City God Temple (Ming Dynasty, the largest City God Temple in Lingnan). Afterward, follow Guangzhou's ancient central axis and stroll to Guangzhou's new central axis, taking you through time and space, from the arcade streets of the millennium commercial capital to modern landmarks in the clouds, fully enjoying the stunning scene of Guangzhou's 2,200-year folding of time and space. First, you will begin exploring [Zhujiang New Town], praised as "Guangzhou's Manhattan." This is Guangzhou's largest CBD and one of the areas with the densest concentration of supertall buildings over 300 meters in the world, gathering many skyscrapers: Guangzhou International Finance Center (IFC, about 440 meters), Chow Tai Fook Finance Centre (about 530 meters, Guangzhou's second tallest building), and the distant Canton Tower (tower body about 600 meters, Guangzhou's landmark building and China's tallest tower). Next, continue to the core landmark of Guangzhou's new central axis—[Huacheng Square]. It gathers 39 landmark buildings, including Guangzhou Library, Guangzhou Opera House, Guangdong Museum, and others, and is known as the "city's living room." You can also gaze at the towering Canton Tower in the distance, whose design is unique, with slender lines like a "small waist," very distinctive. In addition, the splendid light show at night is a highlight of Huacheng Square and not to be missed. It is worth mentioning that the Guangzhou International Light Festival held annually at Huacheng Square is very worth seeing, and it is also one of the world's three major light festivals. Finally, you can stroll along Guangzhou's mother river—the Pearl River, especially at night: the night view of Canton Tower, the light and shadow of bridges, and the lights on both banks reflected on the Pearl River surface paint a colorful Lingnan poetic painting. Optional evening activity: From 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., you can take a Pearl River night cruise (about 60 minutes), immerse yourself in Guangzhou's charming night scenery, and capture the most beautiful night views. Along the way, you can not only enjoy Guangzhou's magnificent city skyline but also admire Guangzhou's landmark buildings: Canton Tower, Liede Bridge (LED light show), Haixin Bridge (the world's largest-span pedestrian bridge), and others.

Today, you will follow in the footsteps of the "old Cantonese" and explore Xiguan, Guangzhou's traditional old urban district. This is the most typical representative neighborhood of old Guangzhou's cultural character, giving birth to Lingnan cultural symbols such as Xiguan grand houses, arcade streets, Cantonese opera, Cantonese music, and Guangdong music. It is said that "to experience Lingnan culture in Guangzhou, if you have not been to Xiguan, you have not truly been to Guangzhou." In addition, Xiguan is also a representative of Guangzhou's food culture, with the saying "Food is in Guangzhou, flavor is in Xiguan." First, begin your tour at the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, known as the "Foremost of a Hundred Yue Ancestral Halls." It is the pinnacle of traditional Lingnan architecture and one of the largest, best-preserved, and most exquisitely decorated ancestral hall-style buildings in China, known as the "Pearl of Lingnan Architectural Art." The Chen Clan Ancestral Hall was jointly funded and built by Chen clans from 72 counties in Guangdong and was completed in 1893. Its layout consists of three axes, three courtyards, nine halls, and six courtyards, with a symmetrical central axis and exquisite decoration. It brings together the best of Lingnan's "three carvings, two sculptures, one casting, and one painting" crafts and is known as a "dazzling palace of folk decorative art," making it a great place to appreciate Chinese Lingnan architecture and ancestral hall culture. In addition, the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall also houses the Guangdong Folk Craft Museum, where you can admire traditional Guangdong craft masterpieces such as ivory carving, jade carving, wood carving, Cantonese embroidery, and Guangzhou painted porcelain. Then, go to Lizhi Bay, famous for the line "a bend of green stream water, lychees red on both banks." The scenery here is beautiful. As you stroll through it, ancient banyan trees with hanging aerial roots line both banks of the river, very lovely, complementing the ancient buildings with gray bricks and dark tiles. You can also admire the landmark skyline formed by the Wen Tower (a Ming dynasty hexagonal ancient pagoda), Longjin Bridge (a three-arch stone bridge), and the Xiguan grand houses with wok-ear gable walls, fully enjoying the unique Lingnan water town charm. In addition, the tea restaurants along the way should not be missed. You can find a traditional tea restaurant, order a cup of freshly brewed local tea such as chrysanthemum tea, jasmine tea, Tieguanyin, or Pu'er, and then order several distinctive Cantonese dim sum items such as char siu buns, shrimp dumplings, and egg tarts, fully enjoying authentic Cantonese flavors. After enjoying a Cantonese tea restaurant, you can visit the Lizhi Bay Grand Stage, the most representative Cantonese opera cultural landmark in Guangzhou's Liwan District. If the timing is right, you can also see a live Cantonese opera performance. The nearby Liwan Museum is also worth a visit. It is Guangdong Province's first district-level museum, focusing on collecting and researching Liwan's history, culture, and folk customs. Among its highlights is the Xiguan Folk Museum, converted from a typical Xiguan grand house, where you can immersively experience Lingnan cultural customs such as traditional Cantonese residential architecture, wedding etiquette, and teahouse culture, and also admire distinctive cultural relics such as Manchurian windows and rosewood furniture. Afterward, go to Yongqing Fang, known as "Guangzhou's most beautiful old street." It preserves Guangzhou's longest and most complete arcade building complex, integrating Chinese and Western elements such as gray brick walls, Roman columns, and Manchurian windows, and also adding modern cultural creative elements. As you stroll through it, you can admire exquisite buildings such as arcades, Xiguan grand houses, the Moon Bridge, intangible cultural heritage craft workshops, and art galleries, fully enjoying the Cantonese charm of ancient elegance and new brilliance. You can also taste authentic old Guangzhou flavors such as beef offal soup, wontons, egg tarts, rice noodle rolls, lai fun, and double-skin milk. Finally, go to Shamian Island, known as "Guangzhou's Little Europe." It is a living historical fossil where Lingnan culture and European continental style intertwine. It once hosted consular institutions from more than 10 countries including Britain, France, and the United States. The architecture here brings together Neo-Baroque, Gothic Revival, and veranda-style styles, with some buildings integrating Lingnan elements. As you stroll through it, you can visit former sites such as the British, French, and American consulates, HSBC, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Shamian Christ Church, Shamian Post Office, the British Snow Factory, and the Soviet Consulate Staff Apartments, and catch a glimpse of Guangzhou's century-old history in China.

This morning, you will take a high-speed train from Guangzhou (about 1.5~2 hours) to Shenzhen. Adjacent to Hong Kong, Shenzhen is China's first special economic zone and one of its most dynamic megacities. It is also one of the world's famous modern international metropolises and a UNESCO-certified "City of Design." After arriving in Shenzhen, head to the Shenzhen Museum, known as "China's most modern museum," to gain an in-depth understanding of Shenzhen's history, culture, and development process. Strolling through the museum, you can visit the History and Folk Culture Hall to comprehensively understand Shenzhen's ancient and modern history, folk culture, and the course of reform and opening up. Highlights include historical sites such as Nantou Ancient City and Dapeng Fortress, as well as dynamic wax figures recreating Cantonese/Hakka life scenes, which are worth careful appreciation. If you are interested, you can also visit the Shenzhen Reform and Opening Up Exhibition Hall to immersively witness the tremendous transformation of Shenzhen from an inconspicuous small fishing village into today's prosperous international metropolis. Then, take a leisurely stroll in downtown Shenzhen, admire the towering skyscrapers, and enjoy the charming appearance of "China's Silicon Valley." Among them, Ping An International Finance Center (about 599 meters high, Shenzhen's tallest building, China's second tallest building, and the world's fourth tallest building), KK100 (about 442 meters high, once Shenzhen's tallest building and now Shenzhen's second tallest building), and Diwang Mansion (about 384 meters high, the first supertall building in mainland China and the tallest building in Asia when completed) are three famous landmark buildings in Shenzhen and milestones of urban development at different stages. They are stunning whether viewed up close or from afar. If you are interested, you can go up to Shenzhen Ping An International Finance Center and take one of China's fastest sightseeing elevators to the observation deck on the 116th floor, where you can overlook the panorama of Shenzhen in 360°, and on clear days have the chance to gaze at the amazing scenery of Hong Kong in the distance. In the afternoon, head to Splendid China Folk Village, where "one step enters history, one day tours China." This is China's first and once the world's largest miniature landscape theme park, and also a famous local landmark, allowing you to easily explore China's 5,000 years of history and culture as well as unique ethnic customs in a short time. Strolling through it, you can immersively check in at 82 famous attractions in 1:15 scale, such as the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Army, and Potala Palace; more than 50,000 ceramic figurines assembled into scenes of ancient Chinese market life; 27 original ecological village and stockade buildings from China and the cultural customs of 56 ethnic groups, such as Dai bamboo houses, Mongolian yurts, Tibetan watchtowers, Miao stilted buildings, the Wa "Hair Swinging Dance," and the Hani "Terrace Fields Joyful Song." Amid melodious songs and graceful dances, appreciate the diverse charm of the Chinese nation. After experiencing the charming culture, head to Shenzhen Bay Park, praised as the "Window to the Blue Sea." This is a landmark seaside leisure resort in Shenzhen and an ecological corridor connecting Shenzhen and Hong Kong. You can leisurely stroll along it, enjoy the magnificent ocean scenery and the continuous coastline, or find a quiet corner to rest. Not only can you relax your body and mind, but you can also gaze at Hong Kong's magnificent skyline in the distance and enjoy the amazing urban scenery of Shenzhen and Hong Kong. If the weather permits, you can also capture the beautiful sunrise or sunset. After the visit, this wonderful and unforgettable 3-day Guangzhou-Shenzhen tour will come to an end. After you finish packing, our driver will take you to the airport/train station for your next destination.