Days 1 to 4 — Beijing, the imperial capital
Start with the historic heart: Tiananmen Square and the vast Forbidden City, the former palace of the emperors (allow half a day). Next morning, head to the Temple of Heaven, then wander the hutongs, the traditional alleyways, at the end of the day. Keep a full day for the Great Wall: the Mutianyu section is the most scenic and least crowded, with a cable car up and a toboggan down — book your Great Wall day trip in advance. You'll still have the Summer Palace and its lake to unwind before heading to Xi'an.
Days 5 and 6 — Xi'an and the Terracotta Army
Reach Xi'an by high-speed train (about 4h30 from Beijing). The highlight of the trip: the Terracotta Army, thousands of life-size warriors buried more than 2,000 years ago — tickets and guided tours for the Terracotta Army. Back in town, cycle the Ming-era city walls, taste the skewers and dumplings of the Muslim Quarter, and climb the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda.
Days 7 and 8 — Shanghai, the megacity
One last fast train (about 6h, or a short flight) takes you to Shanghai. Walk the Bund at sunset for the view of the Pudong skyscrapers, stroll through Yu Garden and the old town, then the leafy former French Concession. Go up the Shanghai Tower for the view, and if you have an extra day, treat yourself to the Zhujiajiao water town or a day trip to Suzhou by bullet train — activity and tour ideas across China.
The logic: three cities, one train line
The key to a successful first trip to China is to not spread yourself thin: three strong cities linked by the Beijing–Xi'an–Shanghai high-speed line. Book your train tickets on the official 12306 app (cheaper than resellers) and arrive a little early — the stations are huge. Start by exporting your Google Maps favorites or pasting your list of places.
With MyFavsMap, you see all your China spots on a map, filter by city and category (landmarks, street food, viewpoints…) and build your itinerary day by day.
Open MyFavsMap →Practical tips
- Visa: many European nationalities, including French passports, enter visa-free for up to 30 days (extended through 31 December 2026). A valid passport and a return ticket are enough.
- Payment: link your Visa/Mastercard to Alipay or WeChat Pay before you go — mobile payment rules, physical cards rarely work.
- Trains: book on the 12306 app and arrive early (airport-style security).
- Internet: Google, WhatsApp and Instagram are blocked; set up a VPN before departure and/or an eSIM routed outside China.
- Best time: spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October), milder and less humid.
Staying connected on the ground
In China, connectivity is the real headache: many Western services are blocked. An eSIM with international routing avoids those blocks and pricey roaming, keeping your map and itineraries available offline. With Holafly, the code MYFAVSMAP gets you 5% off.