Private Shanghai City Tour: Highlights and Local Food

Taste your way through Shanghai's neighborhoods while a local guide steers you past the obvious stops.

A private full-day tour of Shanghai with a professional local guide, hotel pickup, and meals at authentic food stalls and restaurants throughout the city. The itinerary flexes around your preferences: you pick which neighborhoods to explore, which temples to enter, and which local dishes to try. Food requirements and dietary needs are accommodated. You choose between private car or taxi transfer at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. The Bund1h
2. Yu Garden1h
3. French Concession2h
4. Jade Buddha Temple45m
5. Shanghai Tower2h

Shanghai city highlights and food tour

• Meet guide at hotel lobby
• Taste Jian bing near Bund
• Visit Bund and see skyscrapers
• Visit Yu Garden or alternative
• Explore Former French Concession
• Taste Xiaolongbao and scallion noodles
• Enjoy Chinese tea ice cream
• Visit Jade Buddha Temple
• Visit Shanghai Tower and view city
• Taste Hong Shao Rou dish

The experience

The day starts at your hotel at 8:30am (or a time you set) with a jianbing, a savory Chinese-style omelette wrap, from a street vendor near the Bund, then moves to the riverfront itself to see the skyline of skyscrapers along the Huangpu River. From there, the stops are yours to shape. Yu Garden, the classical Chinese garden with its history of official residences, is an option (closed Mondays, so your guide will suggest alternatives if needed). The French Concession is a set stop where you'll eat xiaolongbao soup dumplings and scallion noodles, then finish with Chinese tea ice cream before your guide shows you the neighborhood's quieter corners based on what interests you.

The Jade Buddha Temple comes next if you want it (your guide explains the Buddhist philosophy and points out the architectural details), and the day ends at Shanghai Tower, where you take the world's fastest elevator (18 meters per second) to the 119th floor for a view of the whole city. Dinner is Hong Shao Rou, the red braised pork dish that was Chairman Mao's favorite. All food and drink are included. Entrance fees to attractions are separate. The tour runs 6 to 8 hours depending on how long you linger at each stop.

You book with either a private car or a shared taxi for transfers: both include hotel pickup and drop-off. The guide speaks English or Chinese. Children from age 1 are welcome, and the tour is wheelchair accessible, though some temple and garden areas may have stairs.

What’s included

• Professional local guide in English or Chinese.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• meals and drinks at street food stalls and restaurants (jianbing, xiaolongbao, scallion noodles, Chinese tea ice cream, Hong Shao Rou).
• private car or shared taxi transfer between stops, depending on which option you book.

Options for this experience

2 options

Tour with a private carUp to 15 per booking · Guide in English, Chinese or Chinese · 08:30 and 09:00This package includes private car transportation, and pickup is included

Tour with TaxiUp to 4 per booking · Guide in English, Chinese or Chinese · 08:30 and 09:00Private tour with taxi: taxi transportation is included in this package, and 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 dayDepartures at 08:30 and 09:00

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (4 to 17 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Shanghai Melody Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the private car option if your group wants a dedicated vehicle and the flexibility to move at your own pace without waiting for other passengers. The taxi option works well for solo travelers or pairs who don't mind sharing transfers and prefer a lower price.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Chinese and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 17 years); Infant (1 to 3 years): free.

What's the difference between booking with a private car versus a taxi?

The private car option gives you a dedicated vehicle for the full day with your group only. The taxi option uses shared transportation for transfers between stops. Both include hotel pickup and drop-off, and both work with the same guide and itinerary.

Are entrance fees to the attractions included in the price?

No. The tour price covers the guide, meals, hotel pickup and drop-off, and transfers, but you pay separately for entry to Yu Garden, Jade Buddha Temple, Shanghai Tower and any other sites you choose to visit.

What happens if Yu Garden is closed on the day of my tour?

Yu Garden closes on Mondays. Your guide will suggest other Shanghai neighborhoods or attractions to visit instead, and you can choose what fits your interests.

Can the guide accommodate dietary restrictions or food allergies?

Yes. Tell your guide about any dietary needs or allergies when you meet, and they'll adjust the food stops and dishes to suit you. Special requirements can be arranged in advance.

How much time do you spend at each stop?

The pacing is flexible and depends on your interests. The Bund and food tastings take an hour or two, Yu Garden or the French Concession can be a couple of hours each, and Shanghai Tower's observation deck is typically 30 to 45 minutes. Your guide adjusts based on what you want to linger over.