Customized Shanghai tour: Highlights, food & local gems

A day shaped by what matters to you, not a script.

A fully customizable eight-hour Shanghai tour with a licensed guide who picks you up from your hotel and takes you through the city's main landmarks (the Oriental Pearl Tower, Yu Garden, the French Concession and the Bund) stopping for authentic local food and markets along the way. The itinerary flexes around your interests: skip the tourist traps, linger where you want, and choose between walking, shopping, drinking or market browsing depending on your mood. Your guide speaks English and Chinese and has no commission shops on the route.

The experience

What makes this tour different is that you're not following a fixed schedule. Your guide, Scarlett Mao, a licensed tour guide with a background in psychotherapy, builds the day around what you tell her you want. If you love walking, she'll take you from Yu Garden through the local wet market, electronic market and bird and flower market nearby. If you'd rather shop, Tianzifang is the stop. If you want to drink and eat Western food, XinTianDi or another bar area replaces something else. The route stays anchored to the main sights: the Lujiazhui Financial area and Pudong skyline, the Oriental Pearl Tower (160 RMB per person), Yu Garden (40 RMB), the French Concession's quiet streets, and the Bund at evening when the architecture lights up, but the time you spend at each one and what you do in between is yours to decide.

The day starts with pickup from your hotel lobby or wherever suits you. You can also book a private car (the seven-seat business van option) or use public transport and meet your guide at a starting point. It's your choice. The guide walks you through what Shanghai actually is: the old private gardens of Eastern China, the French colonial traces still visible in the Concession, the evolution of the Bund over 170 years into the city's symbol. Between landmarks, you eat where locals eat, not where tour groups go. Your guide recommends small eateries or restaurants based on what you're in the mood for, and you decide. No commission shops, no detours to places that pay the guide to bring you there.

The eight-hour window gives you time to move without rushing. You're on foot for stretches, so wear comfortable shoes. The French Concession is peaceful. A neighborhood where you can actually see how people live, away from the tourist Shanghai. The Bund in the evening, after 6:30pm, is when the riverfront architecture shows itself best. By the end of the day, your guide escorts you back to your hotel.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• personal guide services in English or Chinese.
• landing and facility fees for attractions.
• air-conditioned vehicle if you book the van option.
• fuel surcharge.

Options for this experience

2 options

By Metro/Taxi/Bike/WalkUp to 10 per booking · Guide in English or Chinese · No fixed time8-hour tour using metro, Didi, walking, bike and other transport. Pickup is included.

Business van with 7 seatsUp to 5 per booking · Guide in English or Chinese · No fixed time8-hour tour by private car: Buick 7-seat minivan with room for 5 travellers. Under 3 years old, clean, cool and comfortable. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (17 and older) · Child (5 to 16 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Scarlett Mao Journeys

Is this one for you?Book the seven-seat van if you're traveling with family or a group and want everything arranged: pickup, transport between stops, and a guide who knows where to eat and what to see. Choose the metro/taxi option if you prefer to navigate your own way to a meeting point and keep costs down, or if you want the flexibility to use Shanghai's public transport system yourself.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 16 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What's included in the price of this tour?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, your guide's services, landing and facility fees for the attractions, and fuel surcharge are included. The seven-seat van option includes the private car service. If you choose metro, taxi, bike or walk, you arrange your own transport to the meeting point. Food and drinks are not included. You pay for meals as you go.

Can I really change the itinerary on the day, or is it set?

The itinerary is fully flexible. Your guide will show you the main landmarks (Oriental Pearl Tower, Yu Garden, French Concession, the Bund), but which markets, shops, bars or neighborhoods you visit, and how long you spend at each stop, depends on what you tell her you want. Let her know your preferences when you book, and she'll adjust on the day if your mood changes.

What's the French Concession actually like to walk through?

The French Concession is a neighborhood of quiet, peaceful streets that blend local Shanghai life with traces of French colonial architecture. It's the part of the city where you can see how people actually live, away from the main tourist crowds and high-rises.

Is the Oriental Pearl Tower included, or do I pay extra?

Entry to the Oriental Pearl Tower costs 160 RMB per person, paid separately on the day. Yu Garden entry is 40 RMB per person. Your guide will take you to both, but you pay the attraction fees directly.

Do I need to book the private van, or can I meet the guide somewhere?

You can choose: book the seven-seat business van for private car pickup from your hotel, or select the metro/taxi/bike/walk option and meet your guide at a location you both agree on. Either way, your guide is with you for the full eight hours.

What time does the tour start and end?

You choose your preferred pickup time when you book. The tour runs for eight hours from that start point, and your guide will have you back at your hotel by the end. Evening is the best time to see the Bund, so many travelers prefer a morning or early afternoon start.