centrally located hotels Grand Tour & the River Cruise

Sat 12 Oct. Meet the tour leader at Malta International Airport at Hot Springs’ the site of a famous imperial bathing pool and Visiting: Beijing, Great Wall, Xi’an, , 12:30 to check in for our flight by Emirates Airlines EK 0110 departs various palace complexes over its 3,000 year history. In the Evening Zhouzhuang, ,Yangshuo, Shangai….. at 15:30 and arrive Dubai 01:00 Dumpling Dinner followed by Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show.

Price per person Sun 13 Oct. 03:55 we fly by EK306 to Beijing - Arrive in Beijing at Fri 18 Oct. Xi’an : Breakfast. Visit the Great Mosque in Xian which 15:35 (Local Time) transfer to our 4 Star ‘Capital Hotel ’ Located in is one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved Islamic mosques in (Half Board, All Excursions, Entrance Fees the historic Dong Jiaomin Xiang district. Dinner and overnight. China and its location is northwest of the Drum Tower on Huajue & Tax included) Lane. It is really worth to see the Great Mosque, not only for its Normal Discounted Mon 14 Oct. Beijing : After Breakfast Full day to explore the centuries-old history but also for its particular design of mixed Triple room €3,150 €3,050 city of Beijing. First we start visiting Tian’ Anmen Square with architecture - traditional Muslim and Chinese styles. Continue our Double room €3,150 €3,050 its plenitude of monuments testifying to the communist, and more visit to the Ancient City Wall which is the best preserved Wall in Single room €3,800 €3,700 specifically, Mao’s influence on China’s modern history, and then China. After proceed to visit the Wild Goose Pagoda which is a very driving to the Forbidden City, the largest and best-preserved well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists. Back Price includes: palatial complex still existing, also known as the Palace Museum. to the hotel and free time. Then proceed to the Temple of Heaven, the place where the • Flights with Emirates Airlines Emperors prayed for peace and harvest. In the evening dinner, • Malta - Beijing – Shanghai - Malta followed by an Acrobatic show in a local theatre • Internal Flights: • Beijing > Xian > Guilin >Chongqing Shanghai Tue 15 Oct. Beijing : Today we drive to Mutianyu Great Wall of • 4 Star Hotels as per program China which is known for its beautiful surroundings - dense woods • 3 night Yangtze River cruise and rich pastures changing colors with the seasons of a year. Return • Daily Buffet Breakfast by cable car and proceed to visit the sacred road, Jade Carving and • Meals as per program serve in Chinese restaurants. the Olympic Stadium for a photo shot. Dinner and overnight • Tang Dynasty Music & Dancing Show • Acrobatic Show Wed 16 Oct. Beijing : After breakfast depart to visit the Summer • All Transfers & Excursions Palace with a boat ride on the famous Kunming Lake. Continue. • All entrance fees Then we continue to the airport to fly toXi’an . Check in at the 4 • Local Guide during all Excursions Star ‘Grand Dynasty Culture Hotel’ located in central Xian one of • Experienced Tour Leader the ancient capitals in China. Dinner & overnight

* Yangtze River Cruise - Itineraries and timings are subject to Thu 17 Oct. Xi’an : Today we visit the World famous 6’000 life change according to river conditions size Terracotta Warriors and Horses, buried with the first Chinese Emperor . On our way back we visit the ‘Huagig

58 Europa Tours • Your Summer Travel Guide 2019 appropriately named “The Pearl of the Yangtze – During the day you can relax and join the ship activities ( Lunch onboard included). At 18:15 we are invited to the ‘Captain’s Welcome Reception’. Then after the buffet dinner you can sit and relax in the main theatre to € from watch ‘Minorities and Dynasty Costumes Show’ 17 3,050

Wed 23 Oct. *Yangtze River Cruise - After breakfast we sail days per person through the Three Gorges, one of nature’s most extraordinary sculptures. We will pass through the first two—Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge. Qutang Gorge is the shortest (5 miles), narrowest (500 12 – 28 October feet), and most dramatic. The 25-mile long Wu Gorge is known for its quiet, beauty, forest-covered mountains, and cliffs so sheer that the sun barely penetrates the precipices. Then we change to Sun 27 Oct. Shanghai : After breakfast free time for the last another vessel for a relaxing excursion through the attractive gorges minute Shopping from and personal sightseeing. of Goddess Stream. Buffet lunch included and tonight we have the We can keep the rooms till 18:00hrs. Transfer to Shanghai Airport for Captain’s Farewell Banquet followed by The Crew Cabaret! our flight EK303 to Dubai departs at 23:00

Thu 24 Oct. *Yangtze River Cruise - Ship Lock/Three Gorges Mon 28 Oct. 05:15 Arrive Dubai and fly back to Malta by EK1019 Sat 19 Oct. Xi’an / Guilin. Breakfast. Transfer to airport for our Dam/Yichang – Disembark early morning to take a specially- departs 07:45 and arrive Malta at 13:25 domestic flight toGuilin one of Chinas most scenic areas. Upon designed sightseeing boat through the recently-completed unique arrival visit of the ‘Reed Flute ’ Guilin´s largest and most ship lock with a ship lift, the world’s largest. The lock will be transited impressive cave. This cave is 790 feet deep. As we will walk for some in about 40 minutes to an hour. Then visit the Three Gorges Dam, Visa REQUIRED 400 meters through a zigzagging way of and which spans the Yangtze River at Sandouping; it is the world’s largest in dazzling colors. Check in at the 4 star ‘ Waterfall Hotel power station. We finish the tour in Yichang. Transfer to Airport to fly located in city centre, and surrounded by some of the most popular to Shanghai. Check in at the 4 Star Hotel Equitorial Shanghai. shopping areas. Fri 25 Oct. Shanghai : Today we have a full day to visit ‘Best of Sun 20 Oct. Guilin : After breakfast transfer to Lijiang pier to Shanghai’ . We start the tour by People Square surrounded by embark for a to Yangshou. Li River is one of the cruise on Li River great buildings on all sides, Shanghai Museum with its permanent most popular and picturesque scenic spots in China, it was also collection and hosts various exhibitions with over 120,000 pieces listed as one of the World’s Top Ten Watery Wonders by America’s including bronze ware, ceramics, paintings, calligraphy, sculpture, National Geographic Magazine. And in recognition for its beauty, ancient Chinese coins, Jade carving, ancient furniture, and western the image of the Li River is featured on the current 20 Yuan art, which shows you 5000 years history of China, Bund and Xin Tian banknote. Lunch box on board. Disembark at Yangshuo and a stroll Di . over the west street. Drive back to Guilin by private coach.

Sat 26 Oct. Shanghai : After breakfast we leave to visit the Jade Mon 21 Oct. Guilin / *Yangtze River Cruise : After brerakfast Buddha Temple with its priceless collection of Jade statues from depart to which rises from the banks of the river and Fubo Hill Burma then we visit the Yu Yuan Garden with their shaded alcoves, offers superb views from its summit. Inside the cave you can see glittering pools churning with carp, pavilions, pines sprouting lots of rock stone carvings of Buddha statues from Tang Dynasty. wistfully from rockeries, these gardens are one of Shanghai’s premier In the afternoon we fly to Chongqing the “Mountain City”.then we sights. Then we visit the Shanghai Old Street, historically called proceed to Chao Tian Men Dock no.5 for the embarkation on board Miaoqian Dajie, and is an old business street that has a combination the 5 star ship ‘Victoria Anna’ by Victoria Cruises. Dinner onboard. of tourist attractions, shops, entertainment and cultural exhibits. It Ship set to sail at 21:00hrs. owes its special social attractions and rich commercial background to the fact that the earliest bank, gold shop, jeweler’s store, wine Tue 22 Oct. *Yangtze River Cruise - today we take a shore shop and tea house …. excursion to Shibaozhai, with its impressive wooden pagoda,

31 St Anne Street, Floriana • T: 2125 0526, 2124 3562 • E: [email protected] • www.europatours.org 59