Shanghai Colonial History Tour: The Bund & French Concession

Walk through Shanghai's colonial layers, from European trading houses to modern streets

A private full-day tour of Shanghai exploring colonial history across four key sites: The Bund's historic trading houses and river walk, the French Concession's tree-lined streets and architecture, Tianzifang's maze of walkways and Shikumen buildings, and Thames Town's Victorian-style market town 30 kilometres outside the city. Includes hotel pickup and dropoff, an English or Chinese-speaking guide, and an authentic dumpling lunch with vegetarian options.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. French Concession1h
2. Tianzifang1h
3. The Bund1h

Explore Shanghai's colonial history

• Visit French Concession area
• Walk through Tianzifang alleys
• Explore Thames Town architecture
• Stroll along The Bund waterfront
• Tour Shanghai Municipal Archives museum

The experience

The Bund anchors the day: dozens of historical buildings line the Huangpu River where European banks, trading houses and consulates once operated, and you walk the waterfront while learning how Western influence shaped Shanghai's architecture and culture. From there, the French Concession shows you tree-lined streets and unique colonial-era buildings that still define the neighbourhood, then Tianzifang opens up as a maze of small walkways and coffee bars where Shikumen architecture (the traditional Shanghai residential style) sits alongside shops and restaurants: a place built for people-watching and understanding how colonial Shanghai actually felt to live in.

Thames Town, about an hour from central Shanghai, shifts the perspective: it's a newer development in Songjiang District designed around classic British market town styles, with cobbled streets, Victorian terraces and corner shops. A taste of what the British concession imagined, now reconstructed as a modern neighbourhood. The Shanghai Municipal Archives, a modern facility on the Bund itself, holds almost all the archives of the previous foreign settlements and republican-era municipalities, offering a deeper dive into the records behind what you've seen on the streets. An air-conditioned vehicle carries you between stops, your guide meets you at your hotel and returns you there at the end, and lunch is an authentic dumpling meal (vegetarian available) built into the day.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and dropoff in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• a live guide speaking English or Chinese.
• an authentic dumpling lunch with vegetarian options available.
• access to four major sites spanning colonial Shanghai's history from the 1800s to today.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 11:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Child (4 to 9 years) · Infant (under 4): 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 effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Jennys China Tours

Is this one for you?Eight hours is long enough to move slowly through each neighbourhood and absorb the colonial architecture and street life without rushing, but it leaves your evening free for dinner elsewhere in Shanghai or to rest before the next day. If you want to see multiple colonial-era districts and understand how they connect, this full-day structure works. If you prefer to explore just one area deeply or need a shorter commitment, a half-day alternative would serve you better.

Traveler reviews

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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 (4 to 9 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What exactly is The Bund and why does it matter to Shanghai's colonial history?

The Bund is a stretch of the Huangpu River lined with dozens of historical buildings that once housed European banks, trading houses and consulates from all over Europe, Asia and the United States. It's where Shanghai's Western influence in architecture and culture took physical form, and today it's a walkway where you can see those colonial-era structures while learning how they shaped the city.

How long is the full day and what time does the tour start and end?

The tour runs for eight hours total. Your guide meets you at your hotel in the morning and returns you there at the end of the day, so the timing fits around your hotel location and the rest of your Shanghai schedule.

Is lunch included, and what if I'm vegetarian?

Yes, an authentic dumpling lunch is included. Vegetarian options are available, so you can request that when you book or let your guide know on the day.

What is Tianzifang and what will I actually do there?

Tianzifang is a maze of small walkways, unique coffee bars, shops and restaurants built around Shikumen architecture: the traditional Shanghai residential style. You'll walk through the neighbourhood, do people-watching, and learn about Shanghai's colonial history from the streets themselves rather than just from a guide's narration.

Is Thames Town really worth the time, or is it too far out?

Thames Town is about 30 kilometres from central Shanghai and takes roughly an hour to reach, but it offers something different: a British-themed market town with cobbled streets, Victorian terraces and corner shops. A modern recreation of what the British concession imagined, now part of Shanghai's suburban landscape. Whether it fits your interests depends on how curious you are about how colonial influence shaped not just the old city but newer developments too.