10-Day Future Tour: China's Technology & Innovation
Modern China Pulse: Beijing Capital + Shanghai Skyline + Shenzhen Tech Hub
Day-by-Day Itinerary
1
Arrive in Beijing. Visit the Olympic Park to see the Bird's Nest and Water Cube, symbols of China's modern architectural prowess.
Beijing Olympic Park
Beijing Olympic Park is an Olympic park located in Chaoyang District, Beijing, China. It was built for the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, and served again as the venue for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics. The main facilities in the park include the National Stadium (Bird's Nest), the National Aquatics Center (Water Cube), and the National Indoor Stadium.
2
Explore the 798 Art District, a former factory complex transformed into a thriving hub for contemporary art and design.
798 Art District
798 Art District (also known as Dashanzi Art District) is located in the Dashanzi area of Chaoyang District, Beijing. It is an art community transformed from old military factory buildings with a 50-year history. The unique Bauhaus architectural style provides a rich space for artistic creation, bringing together galleries, art studios, cultural companies, fashion shops and other business formats. It is an important contemporary art gathering place and cultural and creative industry park in Beijing. The most important venue in the area is the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, and it is also the main venue for the Beijing Queer Film Festival and Beijing Design Week.
3
Experience China's world-class high-speed rail network on a trip from Beijing to Shanghai. Upon arrival, walk along the Bund to see the historic buildings facing the modern Pudong skyline.
The Bund
The Bund is a waterfront area and a protected historical district in central Shanghai. The area centers on a section of Zhongshan Road (East Zhongshan No. 1 Road) within the former Shanghai International Settlement, along the west bank of the Huangpu River in the eastern part of Huangpu District. The riverside area faces the modern skyscrapers of Lujiazui in Pudong. The Bund usually refers to the buildings and docks on this section of the road, as well as some adjacent areas. This area has a significant European influence, and many buildings are styled in a way that is most similar to the architectural styles of European cities, especially Gothic, Baroque, Neoclassical, Romanesque, Art Deco, and Renaissance. In addition, some of Shanghai's top restaurants are also located there. From the 1860s to the 1930s, it was the wealthy and powerful center of foreign institutions in Shanghai, operating as a treaty port protected by law.
4
Ascend the Shanghai Tower or Shanghai World Financial Center for breathtaking views. Visit the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall to see a massive scale model of the city.
Shanghai Tower
Shanghai Tower is a 128-story, 632-meter (2,073 ft) megatall skyscraper in Lujiazui, Pudong, Shanghai. It is the tallest building in China and the third-tallest in the world. Since 2015, it has been the world's tallest and largest LEED Platinum-certified building. It boasts the world's fastest elevators, reaching a top speed of 20.5 meters per second (74 km/h; 46 mph). Designed by international design firm Gensler and owned by the Shanghai Municipal Government, the building is the tallest of the first three adjacent super-tall buildings in Pudong, the other two being the Jin Mao Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center. Its tiered design is intended to improve energy efficiency, providing nine separate zones for office, retail, and leisure use. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat has called it "one of the most sustainable tall buildings in the world."
Shanghai World Financial Center
The Shanghai World Financial Center (SWFC) is a supertall skyscraper located in the Pudong New Area of Shanghai. It was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and developed by Mori Building Company, with Leslie E. Robertson Associates as the structural engineer and China Construction Eighth Engineering Division and Shanghai Construction (Group) General Company as the main contractors. It is a mixed-use skyscraper comprising offices, a hotel, conference rooms, observation decks, and ground-floor shopping malls. The Park Hyatt Shanghai is the hotel component of the building, featuring 174 rooms and suites occupying the 79th to 93rd floors, and was the highest hotel in the world when completed. It is currently the third-highest hotel in the world, after the Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong (located on the 102nd to 118th floors of the International Commerce Centre). On September 14, 2007, the skyscraper was topped out at a height of 492 meters (1,614.2 ft), making it the second-tallest building in the world at the time of its completion (the tallest at the time being Taipei 101), the tallest building in the world by roof height, and the tallest building in China. The SWFC opened to the public on August 28, 2008, with its observation decks opening on August 30. The observation decks offer views from 474 meters (1,555 ft) above the ground. The SWFC's design has received accolades, and it was named the best-completed skyscraper of the year by architects in 2008. In 2013, the SWFC's height was surpassed by the adjacent Shanghai Tower, which is the tallest building in China as of 2023. The Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai Tower, and Jin Mao Tower together form the world's first group of three adjacent supertall skyscrapers.
Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center
The Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center is located on People's Square in Shanghai, adjacent to the Municipal Government Building. It was the first urban planning exhibition hall in China, after which similar exhibition halls became common in major cities and new towns throughout China. The exhibition center is a six-story building with two basement levels, showcasing Shanghai's urban planning and development. The highlight of the exhibition is a large-scale model of the entire city of Shanghai, showing existing buildings and approved future buildings. Other exhibits cover Shanghai's history and planning development, including smaller scale models focusing on specific areas such as the Bund. The exhibition center also has space for various themed temporary exhibitions. The exhibition center was built in 2000 and was the first urban planning exhibition hall in China, designed to showcase planning models and design drawings to promote development and enhance civic pride. The building was designed by Ling Benli, an architect from the East China Architectural Design & Research Institute (ECADI), and forms a harmonious balance with the Shanghai Grand Theatre on the other side of People's Square. The exhibition center is 43 meters (141 feet) high and features white aluminum panel cladding and a symbolic membrane structure roof. The centerpiece of the exhibition is a huge scale model of the city of Shanghai, showing all existing and approved buildings. Visitors can view the model from the side or from a gallery that surrounds the model, enjoying the view from above. The model is designed to represent the entire city, including all planned developments. In addition, there is a small theater with a 360-degree screen. The room plays a video that gives the impression that the audience is traveling through the future of Shanghai, watching famous attractions, including some of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo pavilions.
5
Visit the Shanghai Museum for ancient art or the West Bund Museum for contemporary exhibitions. Explore M50 Creative Park, another art district.
Shanghai Museum (People's Square)
The Shanghai Museum is a large museum of ancient Chinese art, located in People's Square, Huangpu District, Shanghai. It is renowned for its rich collection of ancient Chinese art treasures, including bronzes, ceramics, calligraphy, furniture, jade, ancient coins, paintings, seals, sculptures, and ethnic crafts. The museum was founded in 1952 and rebuilt at its current location in 1996. The architectural design is unique, with a circular top and a square base, symbolizing the ancient Chinese cosmological concept of 'round sky and square earth'.
West Bund Museum
The West Bund Museum is located at 2600 Longteng Avenue, Xuhui District, Shanghai, and is an important part of the Shanghai West Bund Cultural Corridor. It is dedicated to the exhibition, collection, research, and public education of contemporary art. It is the first cooperative project of the Centre Pompidou in Asia and an important platform for international cultural exchange in Shanghai.
Shanghai M50 Creative Park
M50 Creative Park (50 Moganshan Road) is a contemporary art district in Shanghai, bringing together more than 100 artist studios, all of which are open to the public. Often compared to New York's SoHo district and Beijing's 798 Art District, it has become a popular cultural attraction for tourists from home and abroad. M50 Creative Park was formerly the Chunming Wool Mill, initiated in 2000 by artist Xue Song. Its low rents for abandoned industrial spaces attracted artists such as Ding Yi, Qu Fengguo, and Wang Xingwei. Today, the park's old factories and warehouses have been transformed into art galleries, artist studios, design agencies, and other visual arts and cultural enterprises of varying sizes. The land and buildings are still owned by the Shenda Group, a state-owned textile group that has ceased production.
6
Fly from Shanghai to Shenzhen. In the afternoon, visit the OCT-LOFT Creative Culture Park to see how old factories are repurposed for modern design studios and cafes.
OCT-LOFT Creative Culture Park
OCT-LOFT Creative Culture Park is located in the former eastern industrial area of Overseas Chinese Town in Shenzhen, and is a famous cultural and art district in Shenzhen. It brings together creative industries such as design, photography, animation, art, and media, and features numerous independent bookstores, galleries, cafes, designer shops, and art spaces. The park retains the architectural style of old industrial factories, integrating modern art elements to create a unique atmosphere where industry and art converge. Various art exhibitions, cultural events, and creative markets are held irregularly, making it a popular destination for Shenzhen's youth and tourists to experience the city's cultural vitality.
7
Go up the Ping An Finance Centre's observation deck, one of the world's tallest buildings. Then, visit the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning to understand the city's meteoric rise.
Shenzhen Ping An Finance Center Cloud Top Observation Deck
The Shenzhen Ping An Finance Center Cloud Top Observation Deck is located on the 116th floor of the Ping An Finance Center, Shenzhen's tallest building. It is a high-altitude tourist attraction integrating sightseeing, entertainment, culture, and creativity. Here, visitors can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of Shenzhen, gaze towards Hong Kong, and feel the pulse of urban development. The observation deck also features a high-tech interactive experience zone, specialty theme shops, and a cafe, offering a unique cloud-top leisure experience.
Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning
Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning (MOCAUP), located in Futian District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, opened in 2016. It covers an area of 29,688 square kilometers and has a total building area of 88,185 square kilometers, designed by Coop Himmelb(l)au. The museum features permanent exhibitions on Shenzhen's urban planning, landmarks, and Shenzhen's role in China's economic reform history.
8
Explore the vast electronics markets of Huaqiangbei, where you can find everything from components to the latest gadgets. It's a true spectacle of the global tech supply chain.
Huaqiangbei Electronics World Metropolis 100 Market (Huaqiangbei Pedestrian Street Store)
Huaqiangbei Electronics World Metropolis 100 Market is located at SEG Plaza, No. 1002 Huaqiangbei Road, Futian District, Shenzhen City. It is one of the largest electronics markets in the world, known as "China's Silicon Valley" and "Hardware Silicon Valley." It gathers a wide variety of electronic products and components, making it a paradise for electronics enthusiasts and professionals. The market houses numerous shopping malls, with approximately 38,000 merchants, famous for selling low-priced electronic products. Most of China's smartphones originate from here. The area boasts convenient transportation, with Shenzhen Metro Line 1 Huaqiang Road Station, Line 2 and Line 7 Huaqiangbei Station, and Line 3 and Line 7 Huaxin Station.
9
Have a relaxing day at Window of the World or China Folk Culture Village, two theme parks showcasing global landmarks and Chinese ethnic cultures at a smaller scale.
Window of the World, Shenzhen
Window of the World, Shenzhen is a theme park located in the western part of Shenzhen, China, covering an area of 48 hectares (118 acres). It features miniature replicas of approximately 130 famous tourist attractions from around the world. The 108-meter (354-foot) tall Eiffel Tower replica within the park is its iconic landmark. World wonders like the Pyramids and the Taj Mahal are within easy reach, forming the park's unique charm. As of 2025, Window of the World attracts over 3.25 million visitors annually.
Splendid China Folk Village
Splendid China Folk Village is a theme park in Shenzhen, China, comprising two areas: Splendid China Miniature Park and China Folk Culture Village. The park is themed around China's history, culture, art, ancient architecture, and customs, condensing famous attractions and ethnic customs from across China. Over 100 main attractions are miniaturized within the park, arranged according to the layout of a Chinese map, with most attractions scaled down to a 1:15 ratio. The park also hosts various performances showcasing Chinese historical events and ethnic cultures.
10
Enjoy a final Cantonese Dim Sum breakfast before departing from Shenzhen, a city that perfectly represents China's future.
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