China's china

One of the world’s longest established travel companies, Cox & Kings, has announced a one-off, expert-led tour of China in March 2009, led by ceramics historian and BBC Antiques Roadshow regular Lars Tharp.

The Three Capitals route covers major themes of Chinese history and legend, including the early Ming capital shift from Nanjing to Beijing, the epic struggles of the 19th century (the Opium War and the Taiping and Boxer rebellions), and China’s emergence into the 20th century. The tour continues from Nanjing to Taiwan, where in 1949 Chiang-Kai-shek’s Nationalist army fled from the Chinese mainland, taking with them the imperial treasures from Beijing’s Forbidden City. These Imperial collections now form the core of Taipei’s National Palace Museum, the greatest collection of its type in the world.

In addition to the highlights of China and Taiwan, The Three Capitals tour with Lars Tharp will take in sites not included on standard China tours, including the Museum of Ancient Architecture and the antiques shops of West Liulichang Street in Beijing, the Sackler Museum of Art & Archaeology in Nanjing and a dinner at Tien Jsian Lo Restaurant in Taipei, which serves some of the best Hengchou food in Taiwan.

The 11-night tour can be enjoyed either as an introduction to China and Taiwan, or as a follow-up for visitors returning to the region.

Lars Tharp will give three lectures during the tour: Introducing China, Land of Confucius; A Crash Course in Chinese Porcelain, and The Emergence of Modern China and Taiwan. He will also be available for more informal discussions throughout.

Departing 21 March 2009, the one-off 11-night tour costs £3,095 per person including flights with British Airways, accommodation with breakfast and some additional meals, transfers and all excursions. It is possible to extend your stay in Taiwan by three nights to take in Taroko Gorge and Sun Moon Lake, from £975 per person. This extension will also be accompanied by Lars Tharp.

For more information on China: The Three Capitals with Lars Tharp or any other expert-led tours in Cox & Kings’ Art Treasures programme, log on to Coxandkings.co.uk.