Roof of the World

Beijing, a grand imperial capital from the 10th century until Communism in 1949, holds over 3,000 years of history.

From the sprawling Forbidden City to the serpentine Great Wall, Beijing is a massive repository of the monuments of the past.

Quiet warrens of courtyard homes, Beijing at its most authentic, recall the Peking of old.

Thousands of ancient Terra Cotta Warriors, buried with Emperor Qin Shi Huang over 2,000 years ago, were unearthed in Xian in 1974.

Over 3,100 years old, Xian rivals Egypt and Greece as the birthplace of civilization; its peak came during the glorious Tang Dynasty.

Known as the “City of the Sun,” Lhasa is the economic, spiritual and cultural center of Tibet.

This city is one of the highest elevated in the world, sitting at an altitude of over 11,000 feet.

The winter home of the Dalai Lama, Potala Palace, has been in Lhasa since the 7th century.

Perched on steep hills where the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers meet, Chongqing was one of the Allies’ three World War II headquarters.

Shibaozhai Temple (Precious Stone Fortress) is a gem of Chinese architecture.

At 25 miles long, Wu Gorge is a breathtaking canvas of forest-covered mountains, sheer cliffs, rising mist and cascading waterfalls.

Part of the Three Gorges system on the Yangtze River, Wu Gorge is perhaps the most beautiful stretch in the river.

Within Jingzhou, ancient Ying’s city walls, gates and watchtowers help Jingzhou strike a dramatic pose on the Yangtze’s banks.

One of the most important cities of China’s Republican Revolution, this capital of Hubei province is a gateway to the Yangtze Gorges.

The metropolis and financial center of Shanghai orbits around its famous Bund, an elegant riverfront promenade overlooked by colonial-era banks.

The largest city in China and one of the world’s most important ports, Shanghai began as a tiny fishing village 5,000 years ago.

Because Shanghai has long welcomed people from all over the world, it has a history of being an open-minded city with a freewheeling character.