Booked flight for monday to Shanghai, whats some must see areas?

I am so jealous that you can just pack up and go on a spontaneous trip! Seventeen days is plenty of time to explore a ton of places in China. Here is a quick itinerary I would recommend:

If you land in Shanghai, take the high-speed train straight to Beijing first. Spend two nights there to visit the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. You should also wander around the Beijing hutongs, which are an amazing local experience.

After Beijing, head to Xi’an. The Terracotta Warriors go without saying. Depending on your pace, stay one or two nights in Xi’an.

Next up is Chengdu to see the giant pandas and explore historical sites around the city. From there, take a short trip to Chongqing. You can budget three to four nights combined for both Chengdu and Chongqing.

After that, head down to Guilin and Yangshuo. Stay for three nights — even if you do absolutely nothing and just zone out surrounded by the karst mountains and rivers, it is purely magical.

Finally, visit Nanjing, Suzhou and Hangzhou, spending one night in each city before heading back to Shanghai. This is a classic China route.