China Spree Offers Air-Inclusive 9-Day Trip to Beijing, Shanghai for $999

China Spree has put together an air-inclusive 9-day trip to China’s two greatest cities—Beijing and Shanghai—for just $999 in January (the price is a bit higher at other times).

The really good news is that the $999 includes roundtrip flights from San Francisco or Los Angeles, all transfers and transportation in China, deluxe hotels, daily American buffet breakfast, three lunches, escorted sightseeing in both cities, professional guides in both cities, and baggage handling throughout.

Beijing, full of imperial treasures, has been China’s capital since the 15^th century, while cosmopolitan Shanghai, once called the “Paris of the East,” is China’s cultural and financial center.

In Beijing the tour visits Tiananmen Square; the Forbidden City, a 9,999-room palace where 24 emperors ruled; the Temple of Heaven; the idyllic Summer Palace imperial garden and Marble Boat; the Sacred Way of Ming Tombs; and China’s most famous monument, the Great Wall. There’s also an optional excursion offered: a rickshaw ride through Old Beijing’s hutongs, or traditional alleys, with lunch in a family’s courtyard home, a tour of Beihai Park and its lovely lake, and a special Peking Duck dinner.

Then it’s on to Shanghai, China’s most sophisticated and dynamic city, to see the colonial-era riverside Bund; the futuristic Pudong area and the view from the Oriental Pearl Tower; and the Shanghai Municipal Wax Museum to learn the history of this magnificent city. Here there are three optional tours: dinner and the Shanghai Acrobatics Show; a day-long excursion to Suzhou, known for its traditional gardens and ancient canals, and the charming little water town of Tongli; and a day tour of Shanghai sites such as the Yu Garden Bazaar and the Shanghai Museum, with dinner and an evening cruise on the Huangpu River.

The hotels China Spree has chosen for this budget package are amazing. The Traders Hotel Beijing by Shangri-La—a stunning hotel with quality amenities, two restaurants, a bar, and fitness center—is adjacent to the China World Trade Center with an upscale shopping mall and a metro station. The Crowne Plaza Shanghai, located in the famous French Concession, has spacious rooms with luxurious bedding, WiFi, satellite TV and 24-hour room service.

All prices are cash-only, are per person double occupancy, and are subject to availability. The price from Houston is $50 higher, from New York $100 higher, and add-on air fares are available from many other cities.

For more detailed information about “A Tale of China’s Two Great Cities, Beijing & Shanghai,” log onto www.chinaspree.com and click “China Tours,” then “Specials.” China Spree’s toll-free telephone number is 1-866-652-5656.

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Friendly Planet Travel Offers 7-Day ‘Taste of Ireland’ Tour with Airfare for $1,744

Friendly Planet Travel, a leading tour operator that offers high-quality, affordable vacation packages to exotic destinations worldwide, is offering a seven-day A Taste of Ireland tour, including airfare from Newark, all for the price of $1,744.

Travelers can experience the authenticity of the Emerald Isle’s rolling green countryside, historic castles, famous pubs, and more.

“It’s no surprise that this picturesque island is referred to as the ’emerald isle.’”

“Ireland is one of the world’s most stunning destinations with outstanding scenery, brilliant castles, and green, rolling hills,” says Peggy Goldman, President of Friendly Planet Travel. “It’s no surprise that this picturesque island is referred to as the ’emerald isle.’”

A Taste of Ireland includes round-trip airfare, including fuel surcharges, from Newark (many additional departure cities available for an additional cost); all ground transportation and transfers; accommodations in superior and deluxe hotels; daily Irish breakfast and two dinners; a comprehensive touring program including entrance fees; a professional, English-speaking driver and guide, and more.

The tour begins in Ireland’s capital city of Dublin, before traveling to Ireland’s Midlands in County Kerry. Travelers then stop in the little field town of Blarney for a visit to Blarney Castle and a chance to kiss the famous Blarney Stone for the gift of gab. They continue to the Iveragh Peninsula to take in the breathtaking scenery, mountains, and magnificent views of the Ring of Kerry. The tour passes through Killorglin, famous for its unusual street festival, Puck Fair, and the village of Glenbeigh, with panoramic views of the Dingle Peninsula and Dingle Bay. Passing through the peat bogs, the group arrives in Waterville and continues on to Sneem Village, famous for its brightly colored houses. A stop at the renowned Muckross House, in the heart of the Killarney National Park, rounds out the day.

The journey continues northward to Tarbert with a short boat ride across the mouth of Ireland’s longest river, River Shannon, bringing travelers to the village of Killimer. Travelers experience a view of the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher along the Atlantic Ocean, and enjoy a tour of the Burren Region, known for its impressive scenery and numerous castles and monastic ruins.

After a relaxing day in Limerick, travelers head back to Dublin, stopping in the medieval city of Kilkenny. Stops at the Kilkenny Castle and St. Canice’s Cathedral are the culmination of the Ireland experience before travelers take a departing flight from Dublin.

Friendly Planet’s seven-day A Taste of Ireland tour is available for $1,744 on the departure dates of April 23, May 7, and Oct. 8, if booked by Feb. 22.

And for travelers with a little more time, the nine-day Discover Ireland tour, from $2,044, includes nearly all of the highlights of A Taste of Ireland, plus a visit to the old stone city of Galway, known for its narrow streets and busy pubs and the Connemara region, where Gaelic is still spoken. A tour of the Benedictine Monastery, Kylemore Abbey, and the Monastery of Clonmacnoise brings travelers back to Dublin to enjoy their remaining time in “Dublin’s Fair City” and explore Trinity College, Ireland’s oldest university.

For more information about Friendly Planet Travel’s A Taste of Ireland and Discover Ireland tours, please visit the company’s website at www.FriendlyPlanetTravel.com; the blog at blog.FriendlyPlanet.com.

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