Full-Day Private Tour Shanghai: Tower Sunset & Yu Garden

One guide, one car, the whole city: from Old Shanghai streets to the 118th-floor sunset

A full-day private tour of Shanghai with a professional guide, hotel pickup and door-to-door transport covers the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, Shanghai Museum, Yu Garden, Nanjing Road, the Bund and Shanghai Tower's observation deck. Lunch and all entrance fees are included; the guide speaks English, Spanish, French, German and other languages, and the itinerary moves at your pace without group timing constraints.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Shanghai's history and skyline

• Meet guide at hotel at 09:00 a.m.
• Visit Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum
• Explore Shanghai Museum at People’s Square
• See scenic spots around People’s Square
• Walk and shop on Nanjing Road
• Enjoy local lunch with vegetarian options
• Experience original Shanghai atmosphere at Yuyuan Old Street
• Tour classical Yu Garden
• Walk along Shanghai Binjiang Avenue and view the Bund
• Visit Pudong district and see modern skyscrapers
• Admire panoramic views and sunset from Shanghai Tower 118th floor
• Return to hotel and end service

The Experience

Your guide meets you at your hotel at 9 a.m. and the day unfolds in a single arc: first to the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, where documents, photographs and personal items tell the story of over 20,000 Jewish residents who sheltered in Shanghai during World War II after fleeing Europe. Then to People's Square and the Shanghai Museum, a large repository of ancient Chinese art divided into eleven galleries covering bronze, ceramics, paintings, calligraphy, jade, coins and Ming and Qing furniture — the exterior's round dome and square base symbolize the ancient idea of a round heaven and a square land. The museum sits at the center of the city, and your guide can explain what you're standing in front of without the noise of a group.

Midday brings Nanjing Road, the commercial street that draws 1.7 million visitors daily across its 5.5 kilometers and over 600 shops. You walk it at your own speed, then sit down to lunch with local specialties and vegetarian options. After eating, the tour moves to Yu Garden and the Old Street around it — the garden was built in 1559 during the Ming Dynasty and contains all the elements a classical Chinese garden should have: pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and cloisters arranged across six distinct areas. The Old Street itself is where Shanghai's earliest banks, gold shops, jewelers and tea houses once stood, and walking the alleys shows how Shanghainese life actually worked.

The afternoon takes you to Binjiang Avenue on the east bank of the Huangpu River, a newer promenade built in 1997 that overlooks the Bund's panorama from the Pudong side. Then comes Shanghai Tower itself — at 632 meters, it's the city's tallest building. The express elevator reaches the 118th floor in 55 seconds at 18 meters per second, and the indoor observation deck there is the world's highest. You have time to stand and look across both sides of the Huangpu River, and if the weather holds, you'll see the sunset from up there. Private transportation carries you between every stop, and the driver waits while you're inside. The tour ends with your return to the hotel.

What’s included

• Private transportation with door-to-door pickup and drop-off.
• professional guide in your chosen language.
• entrance fees to Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, Shanghai Museum and Shanghai Tower's 118th-floor observation deck.
• lunch with vegetarian options available.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcome

Operated by MoreFunAsia

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to move through Shanghai's landmarks without coordinating transport between stops or waiting for a group to assemble — the private car and single guide mean the day stays on your pace, and you see both the famous sights and the museums most group tours skip.

Top questions

What is the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum and why is it on this tour?

The Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum documents the lives of over 20,000 Jewish refugees who fled Europe during World War II and sheltered in Shanghai's Restricted Sector for Stateless Refugees, known as the Shanghai Ghetto, during the Japanese occupation. The museum holds photographs, documents, films and personal items from that period, and it represents a lesser-known chapter of Shanghai's history that most day tours skip.

How much time do you spend at each major stop?

The tour runs 10 to 11 hours total from hotel pickup to return, and your guide adjusts the pace at each stop based on your interest — there's no fixed schedule pushing you through. The Shanghai Museum, Yu Garden and Shanghai Tower each get meaningful time; Nanjing Road is yours to shop or walk at your own speed.

Is the sunset at Shanghai Tower guaranteed?

The observation deck on the 118th floor is included, and you'll have time to admire the view. A spectacular sunset depends on weather, but on clear days you can see across both sides of the Huangpu River and watch the light change over the city.

What does lunch include, and are there options for dietary needs?

Lunch is a local specialty meal included in the tour price, with vegetarian options available. Your guide can discuss preferences when you meet in the morning.

Do I need to speak English, or does the guide speak other languages?

The guide speaks English, Spanish, French, German and two additional languages — you can request your preferred language when you book.

What happens if I'm not ready at pickup time, or if my flight is delayed?

Hotel pickup is included and timed for 9 a.m., so coordinate with your hotel concierge the evening before. If your arrival is delayed, contact the operator as soon as you know — the private format means the guide can adjust the start time, unlike a group tour with fixed departure.