Pingyao

– a hot spot with lots of travellers
– a perfect starter trip for those new to China
– a great family destination
– bullet train, overnight train, long distance bus, or air

Pingyao is a UNESCO world heritage site, a genuine ancient city still with its city wall. Of course it has been restored somewhat and some ”amenities” have been added to make it more tourist friendly. The city maintains enough of its pureness to be very representative of a small and wealthy city of the Qing period. In fact Pingyao’s history is much longer than Qing. You may not appreciate the flags and electric carts that carry tourists around, but on the other hand the idea is to restrict cars and trucks in an effort to preserve the small city. That mere fact alone deserves congratulations. Pingyao has a rich and fascinating history and should be visited with an eye to that. For those travelers who just want “quaint, as close to genuine as possible, and with good coffee and a bit of shopping” - Pingyao fills that bill also.

Shanghai

– marvellous sophisticated city with something for everyone
– the  Shanghai Museum should not be missed and children will enjoy the train museum
– organized bus trips available from Shanghai to neighboring siteseeing destinations such as the watertowns, amusement parks, and nearby famous cities such as Suzhou and Hangzhou.  You should speak some Chinese to take advantage of these inexpensive travel options.
– deluxe or regular overnight train, or air

Xi'an  

– family destination
– Xian is the city in China with the most visitors, so go with an open mind regarding crowds
– everyone should see the Terra Cotta Warriors, the city wall, the Grand Mosque
– hotel options in all price ranges are available but don’t expect 5 star service in a 1 star setting!
– deluxe or regular overnight train, or air