After a relaxing breakfast, we'll spend the morning at the market learning about varieties of local seafood. We'll bring fresh catches to a nearby restaurant, where seasoned chefs will expertly prepare them for us. We’ll then return to the hotel for a short rest. If you’ve got energy, your guide will provide suggestions for exploring on your own. In the late afternoon, we’ll set off for a stroll through Qingdao’s famous Old Town. We'll walk  through European-style villas and streets constructed during the German Colonial Period (1897–1914). Time permitting, we’ll visit the Qingdao Beer Museum and learn about the fascinating history of beer in China. This evening, we’ll have dinner at a famous dumpling restaurant, where we’ll witness the dumpling-makers’ well-honed technique. Dinner, of course, comes with the freshest draft beer from Tsingtao Brewery. If you still have the energy, feel free to venture out and visit Qingdao’s vivid night market for snacks and shopping.

In the morning we’ll have an early breakfast, then take a smooth bullet train to the city of Qufu, where Confucius (Kongzi) was born in 551 B.C. After enjoying a light lunch, we’ll pay a visit to the Kong Family Mansion, a sprawling collection of buildings, and stroll through the Cemetery of Confucius, a forest with more than 100,000 tombs of Confucius's descendants. Tonight at dinner we’ll experience the Banquet of Family Kong—a series of dishes prepared according to the family’s traditional recipes. A local cuisine expert will join us for dinner and provide details on the history of each dish.

Today we’ll leave Shandong Province and drive to the city of Yangzhou, in Jiangsu Province. Two hours into our journey, we’ll stop for lunch at lotus-covered Hongze Lake, a large freshwater lake renowned for its crabs, crawfish, and unique flora. We’ll also have the chance to taste some of the available seasonal fresh foods from the lake. After lunch, we'll join some of the local boatmen for a ride across the breathtaking lake. After another two hours on the road, we’ll arrive in Yangzhou, known for its glorious gardens and cosmopolitan past. We’ll take some well-earned rest at the hotel before a Huaiyang-style dinner to remember. Yangzhou is known for its light and sweet Huaiyang cuisine, one of the great traditional culinary styles of China. Since many Huaiyang dishes depend on deft knife work, we may even get the chance to see these impressive techniques up close. 

This morning we’ll visit one of Yangzhou’s most famous sights: the Buddhist Daming Temple, dating to the fifth century. In addition to viewing the reliquaries, we’ll gaze over the city from the top of the temple. We’ll enjoy a tasty lunch at the temple restaurant, where the cooks practice the art of traditional Buddhist cuisine in which meat is cleverly imitated with vegetarian ingredients. While enjoying these dishes, we’ll learn how monks developed their vegetarian cooking skills. In the afternoon, we’ll take an excursion to the nearby city of Zhenjiang, famous countrywide for its briny black vinegar. We’ll visit a vinegar manufacturer and learn about their traditional brewing methods. We’ll have dinner in Zhenjiang, featuring—of course—the local delicacy of steamed buns stuffed with crabmeat, served with Zhenjiang vinegar.

Today we’ll drive to Suzhou, less than three hours away. The city has long been famed for its beauty, which inspired a Chinese saying: "In the sky, there’s Paradise, and on Earth there’s Suzhou and Hangzhou." Not only is Suzhou the center of Chinese traditional gardening, it’s also famed for its southern Su cuisine, which is filled with seafood and sweet, aromatic flavors. We’ll have a low-key lunch at a popular noodle restaurant, where we’ll learn about the city’s rich noodle tradition, before heading over to the Humble Administrator’s Garden (Zhuozheng yuan). Anything but humble, it’s one of the “Four Famous Chinese Gardens,” the epitomes of traditional Chinese garden aesthetics. Dinner this evening will be at the oldest Su restaurant in the city, where a local connoisseur will join us for conversation about the cuisine’s history and preparation. 

After a relaxing morning we’ll depart on the short drive to the canal-lined town of Wuzhen, where we’ll embark on a leisurely afternoon of wandering the village and admiring its vintage houses and elegant canals. Handicraft workshops abound, as do sellers of local snacks. Dinner will be at a picturesque gourmet restaurant, followed by a nighttime boat ride to admire the glittering lights of the town from the water.

After breakfast, we’ll drive about two hours Shanghai and jump right into the bustle of a metropolis that’s been called the "Never-night City." After lunch and some free time, we’ll explore the older sections of the city such as the French Concession, where we'll absorb Shanghai’s vivid history. In the same spirit of old Shanghai, we’ll enjoy a special “Western” dinner. While Western cuisine in China can consist of anything from Italian fare to hamburgers, this dinner will take place in one of the oldest Western restaurants in the city. Founded in 1897, this restaurant has initiated Shanghailanders into the world of Western food for generations. As night falls, we’ll visit the famed skyscrapers of Lujiazui today—ascending to the 118th floor of Shanghai Tower, the second tallest building in the world, for sweeping views of the cityscape below. Those who feel up to it can venture out for a drink or two in one of the most exciting cities on Earth.

This morning we’ll visit the renowned Shanghai Museum to deepen our understanding of Chinese history and culture. The afternoon will be spent in the Old City God Temple area. You’ll have the opportunity to visit one of the most important Taoist architecture in the city, or wander around in the very popular food street, trying all different local snacks and picking up some Chinese handicrafts, and wonderful gifts for yourself and others at home Though we’ll be munching on things all day, dinner is not to be missed. Not only will we enjoy local Shanghai cuisine, but we’ll have a beautiful view of the Huangpu River. We’ll end the day with a walk along the Huangpu River, beneath Shanghai’s ultra-modern skyline.

A morning bullet train will whisk us off to our next destination: Guangzhou. While Guangzhou is nearly 1,000 miles away, the journey takes just under seven hours. Upon arrival, we’ll enjoy dinner at a popular restaurant, making our first impression of this acquainted yet unfamiliar cuisine.

We’ll start the day with morning tea, which consists not just of tea, but also of numerous delicious dim sum specialties. 

A local expert will show us how to enjoy this morning ritual and give us an introduction to the city and its the many cuisines that live here—including its famed Cantonese cuisine, long one of the most globally beloved Chinese culinary styles. In the afternoon we'll head to the market with a local chef for a hands-on tour, picking up ingredients as we go. After lunch, we’ll have a demonstration and cooking lesson from our chef, who will walk us through several dishes. Pay attention; we’ll be cooking our final dinner ourselves!