Visiting:Beijing/Xian/Chengdu/Guangzhou & Shanghai Tour

Brief Introduction:

Chinese culinary arts are famous all over the world. Chinese dishes appeal to the senses through color, shape, aroma and taste. Chinese cuisine's entree normally strives for three to five colors, made up of the main ingredients with more secondary ingredients of contrasting colors and textures; these are prepared and cooked to enhance their own qualities, with the use of appropriate condiments and garnishing, enabling chef to present a delicious platter of fragrant delicious art.

Our culinary tours will offer you an impressive vacation like no others, Tang Dynasty Travel will provide you with the opportunities to learn Chinese culinary arts and yet at the same time not to miss those beautiful and must-see places of China.

In this tour, we will arrange you to learn different culinary styles in different places with typical local styles: such as Royal Cuisine in Beijing, Cuisine in Xian, Sichuan Cuisine, Cantonese Cuisine and Shanghai Cuisine. All the cooking classes will be arranged in the local restaurants, the local families or the local schools, where you can meet the people and the cooks, exchange ideas with them, and learn Chinese culinary arts in a delightful atmosphere.

Day 1 Beijing

Arrive at Chinese capital city of Beijing, our local guide will meet and escort you to your hotel.

Day 2 Beijing

Beijing has long been China's political and cultural center. In the morning, we will bring you to explore some of Beijing's greatest sights: first to the massive Tiananmen Square, where Chairman Mao declared the founding of People's Republic of China before 3 million onlookers in 1949. Next, stroll through the magnificent Forbidden City- the grandest integral imperial palace with a history of around 600 years. In the afternoon, we will arrange you to learn Royal Cuisine (Gongting Cai) in a local tourism school (about 3 hours).

Culinary focus: Royal Cuisine (Gongting Cai)

- Royal Cuisine: is composed of the recipes and dishes of the imperial kitchens, dating from the time of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Originating from the regional cooking of the Manchu and Han people, the cuisine pays as much attention to the quality of its ingredients as to its design. Dishes that have survived retain much of the culinary art of the royal kitchens and the best known are Tanjia and Honglou dishes, both lightly-flavoured and exquisite.

Day 3 Beijing

Today you will continue to learn Royal Cuisine in the school in the morning for about 3 hours. In the afternoon we will bring you to the Empress Dowager's bejeweled Summer Palace.

Culinary focus: Royal Cuisine (Gongting Cai)

Day 4 Beijing

A full-day excursion will take you to the majestic Great Wall, which was built over 2,000 years ago and stretching about 4000 miles, you will have enough time to linger at this world wonder and contemplate how ancient Chinese people built the wall entirely by hand. Also visit the Sacred Road before returning to the city.

Day 5 Beijing / Xian

Free in the day until our local guide escorts you to the airport for your onward flight to your next destination--Xian. Upon your arrival, our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. In the afternoon, you will have about 3 hours' class to learn how to make dumplings at a local family. (Remark: If it is a 5pax above group, we will arrange the clients to learn at a local famous restaurant.)

Culinary focus: Xi'an cuisine

- Xi'an cuisine: has a good, hearty style that should never let you leave the table hungry. Noodles and dumplings are the staples of the local food and these are almost always filling and warming.

Day 6 Xian

Explore the glories of this ancient city including the incredible 6,000 life-size Terracotta Warriors and Horses arranged in battle formation to protect the mausoleum of the first emperor in Chinese history—Emperor QinShihuang since 2,200 years ago. Also enjoy strolling along the Ancient City Walls considered as the largest and best-preserved ancient fortress in the world.

Day 7 Xian / Chengdu

Free on your own until our guide meets and helps you transfer to the airport for your flight to Chengdu. Upon arrival at Chengdu, you will be met and transferred to the hotel for a rest before a delicious dinner of Sichuan food at a local restaurant.

- Chengdu: centrally located in the western Sichuan Plain, with a history of over 2300 years, the capital of Sichuan Province, Chengdu　is renowned for its fertile land and agricultural wealth which have earned the city the nickname “Storehouse of Heaven".

Day 8 Chengdu

In the morning, you will learn how to make some typical Sichuan dishes in a local school (about 3 hours). Enjoy a free afternoon to explore this lovely city all by yourself.

Culinary focus: Sichuan Cuisine

- Sichuan Cuisine, known more commonly in the West as Szechuan Cuisine, is one of the most famous Chinese cuisines in the world. Characterized by its spicy and pungent flavors, Sichuan cuisine, with a myriad of tastes, emphasizes the use of chili. Pepper and prickly ash are always in accompaniment, producing the typical exciting tastes. Garlic, ginger and fermented soybean are also used in the cooking process. Wild vegetables and meats are often chosen as ingredients, while frying, frying without oil, pickling and braising are used as basic cooking techniques.

Day 9 Chengdu

Today you will first visit the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base where you will see 12 very cute pandas and get to know more about this precious species in its museum. In the afternoon, continue your study of Sichuan food for about 3 hours in the local school.

Culinary focus: Sichuan Cuisine

Day 10 Chengdu / Guangzhou

Free in the day until our local guide escorts you to the airport for your onward flight to your next destination--Guangzhou.

Day 11 Guangzhou

Today you will learn some typical Guangdong food in a local tourism school in the morning for about 3 hours. The rest of the day is free on your own arrangement.

Culinary focus: Guangdong Cuisine

- Guangdong Cuisine: consists of more than 2,000 kinds of dishes representing all strong points of various cuisine styles in China, prepared with high-quality materials and varied ingredients, Guangzhou Cuisine is composed of light, delicious, refreshing and nutritious dishes with sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, salty and delicious tastes. Many dishes are good to the people‘s health.

Day 12 Guangzhou / Shanghai

Today it will be another 3 hours for you to learn Guangdong food before your flight to Shanghai. Upon your arrival at Shanghai, China's most cosmopolitan city, our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel.

Day 13 Shanghai

Shanghai is China's financial capital. Your thrilling day in Shanghai will be started with three-hour class in Han Dragon Centre where you will learn how to make some famous dim sum. Later In the afternoon we will bring you to the waterfront Bund and the crowded Nanjing Road, the beautiful Yu Garden and the bustling Yuyuan Market.

Culinary focus: Shanghai Cuisine

- Shanghai Cuisine: known as Hu Cai among the Chinese, is the youngest of the ten major cuisines in China with a history of more than 400 years. Traditionally it was called Benbang cuisine, originated in Ming and Qing years. Good at pickling in wine and cooking methods like baking, stewing, teaming, deep-frying, they usually look red and shiny. In the later part of 19th century after Shanghai became a major domestic and international trading port, Benbang dishes underwent some substantial changes by adopting certain merits of other cuisines and thus formed a complex flavor structure, cooking style and technique norms. Shanghai Cuisine stresses using condiments and keeping the original flavors of the materials and has features of being fresh, smooth and crispy.

Day 14 Shanghai

After breakfast, you will study of Shanghai Cuisine in Han Dragon Centre for 3 hours in the afternoon.

Culinary focus: Shanghai Cuisine

Day 15 Shanghai / Exit

Free in the day until our local guide escorts you to the airport for your flight back to your sweet home.