Shanghai Bike Tour: French Concession, Xintiandi & Street Food

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.72 (144 reviews) 83% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellation

1/7

Duration3h

GroupUp to 8

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Cycle Shanghai’s lively streets taste dumplings meet locals feel city energy

You’ll pedal through Shanghai’s French Concession and Xintiandi with a local guide who knows every shortcut and snack stand. Expect street food stops, laughter over language mix-ups, photo highlights included—and that feeling of seeing Shanghai up close instead of through a window.

Step-by-step itinerary

Bike tour through Shanghai highlights

Begin 11-mile bicycle ride
Ride through French Concession
Cycle around Xintiandi area
Explore Taikang Road and Old Town
Visit the Bund waterfront
Stop to taste local food and snacks
Learn history and culture from guide

The Experience

The first thing I remember is our guide, Li, waving at us from behind a row of bright blue bikes near the French Concession. He had this easy grin and said something in Shanghainese to an old lady selling baozi nearby—she laughed and handed him one (he split it with me later). I didn’t expect to start my Shanghai bike tour like that, honestly. The air was thick with the smell of fresh bread and something sweet I couldn’t place. We were off before I could overthink it, weaving into leafy streets where plane trees filtered the morning light.

I’m not really a confident cyclist but Li kept an eye on us, calling out little stories about the buildings—like how some used to be jazz clubs or bakeries when this part of Shanghai was all French. At Xintiandi we stopped for these tiny soup dumplings that nearly burned my tongue (worth it). There was a moment when a group of locals passed by doing tai chi in the park; their movements so slow compared to all the scooters zipping past. It felt almost cinematic. Someone’s radio played old pop songs—Li tried to translate but mostly just laughed at my attempts to repeat Mandarin words.

By Taikang Road the crowds thickened and we had to walk our bikes for a bit—not that I minded. There were murals everywhere and someone roasting chestnuts on the corner. The Old Town felt different: louder, more chaotic, vendors shouting prices over each other while we squeezed through alleys. My hands were sticky from some fried snack I still don’t know the name of. We finished at the Bund right as the skyline started glowing gold in late afternoon haze. I still think about that view sometimes—you know how some places just stick with you?

What’s included

Your day includes private transportation if needed, an English-speaking local guide throughout central Shanghai’s neighborhoods, bottled water for each rider, plenty of stops for street food snacks (with dietary needs considered), free photo highlights from your ride, as well as your bike rental and helmet—all taken care of so you can just focus on exploring.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by ChinaCycleTours