Catay Imperial

The symbolic heart of modern China. Spanning 440,000 m² of polished granite, it is the largest public square in the world and the stage for some of the most decisive moments in the country's contemporary history. Before you stands the Monument to the People's Heroes; beyond it, the solemn Mausoleum of Chairman Mao — past and present sharing the same space.

The largest collection of ancient wooden architecture preserved anywhere on the planet. For nearly 500 years, 24 emperors ruled the largest empire on earth from this walled compound of almost 1,000 buildings. We'll cross the Meridian Gate as ministers and dignitaries once did, walk through the three great halls of the central axis — Taihe, Zhonghe and Baohe — and end our stroll among the ponds and pavilions of the Imperial Garden.

Almost 850 metres of living history: this was once the route Ming emperors took on their way to worship at the Temple of Heaven. Today it follows that same path, transformed into one of Beijing's liveliest and most photogenic commercial streets — the perfect moment to sample Beijing street food on your own.

Widely regarded as the finest expression of Chinese imperial garden design. Inspired by the legendary West Lake in Hangzhou, this “Museum of Imperial Gardens” combines Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake in a landscape where every pavilion, bridge and terrace was deliberately placed to recreate an earthly paradise at the gates of the capital.

Once known as the “Garden of Gardens”, it was the summer retreat where Qing emperors escaped Beijing's heat and ruled the empire amid fountains and European-inspired pavilions. It was razed in 1860 during the Anglo-French invasion; today, the marble ruins of the Great Fountain (Dashuifa) stand as a silent witness to that chapter of Chinese history.

A centuries-old commercial street leads to the largest princely residence ever preserved in China: it belonged first to the all-powerful official Heshen and later to Prince Gong, giving rise to a well-known Beijing saying — “one Prince Gong's Mansion sums up half the history of the Qing dynasty”.

Walking along one of the best-preserved sections of the Ming Great Wall is to come face to face with one of humanity's greatest feats of engineering. Winding across the mountains, its watchtowers recount centuries defending the imperial capital — and the views from the top are, quite simply, unforgettable.

For 500 years, this was where China's emperors paid homage to Heaven and prayed for good harvests for their people. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, with its triple roof of blue tiles, is one of the most recognisable images of the entire country.

Thousands of years of history in a single place: the museum sits alongside the ancient Small Wild Goose Pagoda and Jianfu Temple, amid traditional gardens that restore Xi'an's role as capital of thirteen Chinese dynasties.

The geographic and symbolic heart of historic Xi'an, where the Bell Tower and Drum Tower once set the rhythm of city life: the bell tolled at dawn, the drum sounded at dusk.

The best-preserved Ming-era city wall in all of China: 13.74 km of almost intact fortifications encircling the historic centre like a ring of stone. Walking — or cycling, optionally — along its top offers one of the most evocative panoramas of the ancient imperial capital.

As night falls, this area at the foot of the Great Wild Goose Pagoda is transformed into a journey back to the splendour of the Tang dynasty, with lights, sculptures and performances recreating the era when Xi'an — then Chang'an — was the most cosmopolitan city on earth.

Known as “the most perilous and fascinating mountain under heaven”, Mount Hua is one of China's Five Great Sacred Mountains. We'll ride the cable car up to the North Peak to take in, without any physical effort, some of the country's most spectacular cliffs and landscapes.

A single space bringing together the three great flavours of Shaanxi — north, central and south — alongside live performances of intangible heritage: traditional storytellers, string-puppet theatre and the distinctive Qin Opera.

The “eighth wonder of the world”, as it became known following its discovery in 1974. Buried for over two thousand years, this army of thousands of life-size soldiers, horses and chariots was created to protect China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, for eternity. No two faces are alike.

Xi'an's liveliest food district, a living testament to centuries of coexistence between Hui Muslim culture and Chinese tradition. Roujiamo, liangpi, yangrou paomo... every corner offers a new culinary temptation.

One of the world's leading centres for giant panda research and conservation — China's ultimate symbol. Morning, right after feeding time, is the best part of the day: the pandas are at their most active and playful.

Regarded as one of the great archaeological discoveries of the 20th century, Sanxingdui proved that Chinese civilization was not born solely along the Yellow River, but also in the Yangtze basin. Its bronze masks with protruding eyes and its sacred tree remain without a full explanation — and that, precisely, is part of their fascination.

Three parallel alleys — Kuan, Zhai and Jing — preserve the urban layout of Chengdu's ancient “Lesser City”, a unique example in southern China of the fusion between northern-style hutongs and local traditional architecture.

A sensory introduction to Sichuan's intangible heritage: the ritual of tea served in a lidded cup, and the legendary “face-changing” of the local opera, a stage technique so fast it looks like magic, its secret passed down from master to disciple for generations.

Carved directly into a red sandstone cliff during the Tang dynasty, at 71 metres tall it is the largest stone-carved Buddha statue in the world — so colossal that a local saying goes “the mountain is a Buddha, the Buddha is a mountain”. It took 90 years to complete; according to legend, the monk who drove the project gouged out his own eyes to prove the funds raised would not be misappropriated. A walk down the rock-cut staircase to the Buddha's feet (approx. 2-3h), with the option of a boat ride to view the full figure from the river.

1.5 km of riverside promenade along the Huangpu, where 52 historic Gothic, Romanesque and Baroque buildings face the futuristic skyscrapers of Pudong — among them the Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai Tower. Few places in the world capture the contrast between China's past and future so vividly.

The only Louis Vuitton monumental ship in the world: a sculptural structure that reinterprets the maison's iconic travel trunks in architectural form, set in the heart of Shanghai's shopping district.

One of Shanghai's most traditional corners, where century-old shops and classical architecture meet the bustle of one of the city's liveliest food districts.

Over 400 years of history in a private Jiangnan-style garden, built by a Ming-dynasty official as a gift for his parents. Its name means “garden of happiness and tranquillity” — one stroll among its ponds and ornamental rocks is enough to see why.

Shanghai's most elegant and least-known face: plane-tree-lined streets, old European mansions and charming cafés, in a neighbourhood that embodies the “Haipai” style — the unique fusion of local culture and international influence that defines the city's soul.

One of the tallest buildings in the world offers, from its observation deck, a 360° view over the entire city. At sunset, the spectacle is twofold: the setting sun, and the moment Shanghai lights up with millions of city lights.

Known as the “Venice of the East”, Suzhou is the birthplace of China's classical gardens — nine of them UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Humble Administrator's Garden is the largest and most celebrated of all, a maze of pavilions, ponds and ornamental rocks summing up 500 years of Chinese landscape aesthetics.

A cobbled canal-side street lined with traditional houses of black roofs and white walls, virtually unchanged since the Song dynasty — the most authentic side of Suzhou, with small stone bridges and boats gliding past the facades.