After several days in busy Shanghai attendees may have a yen for some quiet time in the countryside. Luckily, they won't have to go too far, as some of these must-sees are only a short car or plane ride away.
Zhouzhuang
Located only 40 minutes by car from Shanghai, this riverside town is where traditional Chinese water and ink painting come to life. Here, guests can sample freshwater fish dishes and enjoy the quiet cobblestone alleys and arched stone bridges.
Suzhou
Only an hour away by car, attendees will find 60 classical gardens to stroll through. Suzhou-style noodle dishes and plenty of silk shopping are on tap here, in addition to small rivers crisscrossing the city and scenic stone bridges.
Hangzhou and Longjing
Tea fans won’t want to miss Longjing Village, a small village in the mountain that grows China’s best brand of green tea. Nearby Hangzhou offers lakeside boutiques, tea houses and cafes. From Shanghai, guests can take get there by train in two hours or by car in three hours.
Beijing
A short flight away (one hour and 40 minutes) is China's treasure-laden capital. Guests can visit the Forbidden City that served as the imperial palace for 24 emperors in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, see the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, the Summer Palace, and the Temple of Heaven. For a drink, they should check out chic riverside bars in Houhai, an old neighborhood a short walk from the Forbidden City.
Qingdao
An hour away by air is Quingado. The city is the birthplace of Tsingtao beer and comes complete with German-style architecture and an annual city-wide beer fest.
Xian
About two hours by air from Shanghai, attendees can see the terra cotta warriors unearthed around the mausoleum of China 's first emperor, the Shaanxi Museum of History, and the Ming-Dynasty Stele Museum, which displays more than 3,000 carved steles (slabs of stone or wood with religious inscriptions).
Chengdu
Nestled amid the mountains is Chengdu, home of approximately 80 percent of the world’s pandas. Guests shouldn’t miss the nearby Qingcheng Mountain, the Nine-Peak Mountain, the Dragon-Fountain Lake, and the Yellow-Dragon Creek. Chengdu is a little more than two hours by air from Shanghai.
