Private Wuzhen and Xitang Water Towns Tour from Shanghai

Two water towns in one day: ancient canals by daylight, lantern-lit streets after dark

A private day tour from Shanghai to Wuzhen and Xitang, two celebrated water towns in southeast China, with a local English or Mandarin-speaking guide, air-conditioned car pickup from your hotel, entrance fees, and a boat ride in Xitang. You walk the old alley streets and explore traditional architecture, stone bridges and canal scenery at both towns, take lunch at a riverside restaurant, and return to your hotel or downtown Shanghai in the evening.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Wuzhen and Xitang water towns

• Pick up from Shanghai hotel
• Drive to Wuzhen water town
• Stroll old alley streets and markets
• Lunch at riverside local restaurant
• Drive to Xitang water town
• Explore street markets and historic sites
• Visit museums and garden houses
• Enjoy night view with lanterns
• Transfer back to Shanghai hotel

The experience

You're picked up at your Shanghai hotel and driven in an air-conditioned car to Wuzhen, a 1,300-year-old water town rated as a National 5A attraction. Your guide leads you through the old alley streets, past colorful local shops and the traditional water market, where you can see the canal-side architecture and stone bridges that define the town. Lunch is at a local riverside restaurant, giving you time to sit and absorb the township scenery without rushing.

In the afternoon, the drive continues to Xitang, a thousand-year-old town in Jiashan where the film Mission Impossible III was shot. Here you explore on foot: the street markets, well-preserved garden houses, historic temples, and museums like the Chinese Wine Museum and Bouton Museum, choosing which ones to visit based on your interests. A boat ride on the town's canals is included. As evening falls, Xitang transforms under traditional lantern lighting: the guide shows you the town this way before you're transferred back to your hotel or a downtown Shanghai drop-off point.

The tour runs seven to nine hours total, with your guide handling the route and timing. Dress for the weather. The tour operates rain or shine. If you have dietary preferences, let the operator know when you book, and confirm your preferred departure time then as well.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and return transfer in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• professional guide in English or Mandarin.
• entrance fees to Wuzhen and Xitang.
• boat ride in Xitang.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day8 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 12:30

AgesAdult (8 to 88 years) · Child (3 to 7 years) · Infant (under 3): 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 yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Sunny Private Tours

Is this one for you?The tour spans seven to nine hours with walking through both towns' alley streets and markets at your own pace, so it suits travelers with a full day free and a comfortable level of mobility. You set which museums and sites to visit in Xitang, making the afternoon flexible around your interests.

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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 (3 to 7 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What is Wuzhen Water Town like to walk through?

Wuzhen is a 1,300-year-old town built along canals with stone bridges, traditional ancient residences, and narrow alley streets lined with colorful shops and a water market. The tour includes a stroll through these streets and time to explore at your own pace before lunch at a riverside restaurant.

Can I see Xitang at night, or only during the day?

Xitang is visited in both daylight and after sunset. You explore the town's architecture, temples, museums and street markets during the afternoon, then return to see it lit up with traditional lanterns in the evening before heading back to Shanghai.

Is the boat ride in Xitang included in the tour price?

Yes, the boat ride in Xitang is included. Entrance fees to both water towns are also covered in the tour price.

How much walking is involved in this tour?

You walk through the old alley streets and explore both towns on foot, though the pace is leisurely and you choose which museums and sites to visit based on your interests. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels.

What's included in the tour cost?

The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off, an experienced driver with an air-conditioned car, a professional guide in English or Mandarin, entrance fees to both water towns, and a boat ride in Xitang. Lunch at a local restaurant is not included in the price.