Celebrating Chinese New Year

Read time - 5 minutes

From enormous ornate dragons soaring above city streets, to twinkling amber lanterns drifting through the inky night sky, Chinese New Year is one of the most recognisable celebrations on the planet.

Red is the colour of the season, symbolising happiness, wealth and prosperity. Luxurious crimson banners adorn houses and beautiful red cash-filled envelopes are handed to relatives. 

Spring Festival

Also known as the ‘Spring Festival’, which is the literal translation from its Chinese name, this loud and lively celebration sees the world’s largest annual fireworks usage. Designed to ward off evil spirits, firecracker displays light up buzzing urban spaces, dazzling excited onlookers.

Though the festivities will look a bit different this year, we wanted to get a head start on our celebration with a look at our favorite things to do in China.

Walking the Great Wall

Great Wall of China

What better place to walk than the sprawling historic expanse of the Great Wall? Snaking out across the lush green horizon, trek across this iconic and impressive piece of architecture. Exploring both dilapidated and rebuilt stretches allows you to get a feel for the sheer scale of this man-made wonder.

Trek lesser-known stretches of the wall including, Mutian Yu to Jiankou, a 1,500 year old section offering unrivalled views. This route also leads you to the vibrant and unspoiled Niangniang Buddhist temple. Warm and welcoming home-stays offer wonderful Chinese hospitality along the way, as well as a glimpse into day to day rural life.

Beijing is a city where modernity and antiquity unite. When you return to the capital, you can discover the largest town square in the world, Tian’anmen Square, and the imposing red towers and decorative temples of the Forbidden City. A fascinating way to end the trip.

View our tours to the Great Wall of China.

Pandas and Warriors

Panda lying in bamboo

From the jaw-dropping Terracotta Warriors, an army of 8,000 life-size statues, to the splendour of the Great Wall and the mystery of the Forbidden City, kids will love this interesting and educational itinerary.

Spend two weeks exploring everything that China has to offer. Begin in fast-paced Beijing, a slick city accompanied by boundless markets selling traditional wares and foods.

There are more than 2.4 million bicycles in Beijing, so two wheels is definitely the way to get around, but cycling is much more peaceful in the glorious countryside around Yangshuo.

From Kung Fu classes to Chinese cooking, immerse the whole family in Chinese culture on an itinerary which makes the most of sightseeing in this diverse country. Discover the Summer Palace with its impressive pavilions and temples, and the Shaolin Temple - the birthplace of Kung Fu. Round off an epic adventure with a visit to see China’s national animal, the characterful and much-loved Giant Panda.

View our tours to Beijing.

China Food Adventure

Traditional Chinese banquet

Taste the famous succulent Peking duck, delicious Dim Sum and other sumptuous specialities. Each region’s distinctly unique taste and ingredients means that you can indulge in a range of culinary pleasures. From mahogany coloured plum sauce to the Muslim-influenced Shaanxi cuisine of Xi’an which is best known for pork and mutton dishes.

Treat your taste buds to a food frenzy with tempting fresh seafood and tantalising spices. China is a vast realm with so much to smell, see and taste. Whisking through huddled market places presents the opportunity to try a selection of street food snacks.

Discover iconic sights such as the Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors and Gulangyu Island and sample treats along the way. Get hands-on and learn how to cook some delicious local delights, including bean curd with pork, whilst learning about the history of Chinese cuisine. The curtain falls on this culinary show in mesmerising Hong Kong, a cultural and gastronomic fusion - a spectacular destination which promises a mouth-watering finale.

View our cultural tours of China.

Browse more of our holidays to China below.