Depart from Shanghai and travel to Yangzhou. Check into your hotel and enjoy an optional evening boat ride along the Grand Canal. Stroll along Yangzhou's ancient canal, once the terminus of the Grand Canal that linked Beijing to Hangzhou. The Slender West Lake meanders through classical gardens where willows dip into waters dotted with painted boats and white stone bridges.

Start with a scenic view of the Yangtze River, then visit the historic Daming Temple for a peaceful meditation experience in a 1,500-year-old Buddhist sanctuary. Visit the sacred Buddhist sites where temples have welcomed pilgrims for over a millennium. The air fills with chanting, bell tolling, and the fragrance of sandalwood incense as monks in saffron robes perform ancient rituals unchanged across centuries.

Spend the whole afternoon exploring the most famous lake garden in China. Admire the clever landscape layout where scenery is beyond scenery and gardens are within gardens. Cruise the Slender West Lake, a masterpiece of garden design where every bend reveals a new vista. The Five Pavilion Bridge, White Pagoda, and 24 Bridges each offer views that have inspired Chinese poets since the Tang dynasty.

Explore the 2,000-year-old Grand Canal, a marvel of ancient Chinese engineering and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stroll along Yangzhou's ancient canal, once the terminus of the Grand Canal that linked Beijing to Hangzhou. The Slender West Lake meanders through classical gardens where willows dip into waters dotted with painted boats and white stone bridges.

Wander down famous Dongguan Street for local snacks and souvenirs, then return to Shanghai. Stroll along Yangzhou's ancient canal, once the terminus of the Grand Canal that linked Beijing to Hangzhou. The Slender West Lake meanders through classical gardens where willows dip into waters dotted with painted boats and white stone bridges.