We'll already be travelling around China. This is the part we'd love to do together: Shanghai, the "Avatar" mountains of Zhangjiajie, then Beijing and the Great Wall. Here are your flight options and what it should cost.
If your flight lands in Shanghai on the 12th, we add a third night there.
Fly into Shanghai, fly home from Beijing. Prices are per person with luggage, as we found them in autumn 2026, so they will move. One booking (multi-city) came out cheapest.
Two one-ways add up to €742–869, so the multi-city booking is usually the better deal.
Pick a flight and how we sleep and get around. Costs on the ground are split between the four of us.
per person, all in. Shopping not included.
| Per person | Shanghai | Zhangjiajie | Beijing | Total |
|---|
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Chinese visa (see note below) | €0 |
| Travel insurance, 3 weeks | €35 |
| Mobile data eSIM (works with WhatsApp, Google, Instagram) | €15 |
| Water, snacks, toiletries (about €3 a day) | €57 |
| Card fees on Alipay / WeChat Pay | €10 |
| Buffer (10%) | €170 |
| Total extras | €287 |
Slovenian, Croatian and Italian passports can visit China visa-free for up to 30 days, but the rule currently runs only until 31 Dec 2026. Check it gets extended before booking. If not, a visa costs about €45–60.
China runs on Alipay and WeChat Pay. Foreign cards pay a 3% fee on purchases over ¥200. Get an eSIM so WhatsApp, Google and Instagram work.
Hotels at about €85 a night per room (€45 in Zhangjiajie), or a 2-bedroom flat for 4 on Trip.com or Tujia at about €120 (€80 in Zhangjiajie). Central Beijing flats run higher, about €140–150.
The long hops (Shanghai → Zhangjiajie → Beijing) are flights with a bag included. Food is budgeted at €25 a day, €18 in Zhangjiajie: local places plus some nicer meals.