Shanghai: Old Street, Jade Buddha Temple & Bund Private Day Tour

Seven Shanghai landmarks in one day, with a guide who knows the city's layers

You get picked up from your hotel and spend the day moving through Shanghai's old and new (the Ming garden, the French Concession, the Jade Buddha Temple, the Bund, and Pudong's skyline) with a senior English-speaking guide who explains the city's history and architecture as you go. Lunch at an authentic local restaurant is included, and because it's a private tour, the pace stays flexible around what interests you.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Yu Garden1h 20m · entry included
2. French Concession20m
3. Jade Buddha Temple40m · entry included
4. Pudong20m

Explore Shanghai's key sights

• Visit Yu Yuan Garden and Old Street
• Rest at ancient Chinese tea house
• Drive to People Square and see City Hall
• Optional visit to Shanghai Museum
• Stroll along Xintiandi in French Concession
• Visit Jade Buddha Temple
• Walk along the Bund waterfront
• Drive to Pudong Financial Center
• See Shanghai Tower and Jinmao Tower

The experience

The car pulls up to your hotel in the morning, and you step out into Shanghai's rhythm: the guide waiting with a bottle of water, ready to move through the day at your pace. This is a private tour, which means no rushing to match a group's schedule, no waiting for stragglers at the gate. You start at Yu Garden, the Ming dynasty garden that sits in the middle of the old city like a secret, its walls and pavilions arranged so tightly that you feel the centuries compressed into a few acres. The guide walks you through the logic of it (how the rocks are placed, why the water moves the way it does), and then you slip into an old tea house for a real pause, not a photo stop.

After tea, the car takes you to People Square to see the City Hall and its surrounding buildings from street level, and if museums interest you, the Shanghai Museum is right there. Then comes the Former French Concession at Xintiandi, where the architecture shifts: tree-lined streets, converted shikumen buildings, the texture of Shanghai's colonial past made into a place people actually want to walk through. Your guide talks about how the city layers itself, how different eras sit next to each other without erasing one another. The Jade Buddha Temple comes in the afternoon, a 19th-century structure where you see the one-piece jade Buddha that gives the place its name, and the guide explains what the temple means to people who live here, not just what it looks like in photographs.

The Bund is next: the waterfront that Shanghai built its reputation on, the skyline rising on both sides of the Huangpu River. You stand there and see what the guide means about layers: the old colonial buildings facing the water, and across it, Pudong's towers climbing up. The final stop is Pudong itself, the financial center where Shanghai Tower (the tallest building in the city), the Jinmao Tower, and the "Bottle Opener" (that's what people call it) cluster together like a argument about what modern looks like. Lunch happens somewhere in the middle of all this: a local Chinese restaurant where the food tastes like Shanghai, not like what tourists expect Shanghai to taste like.

What’s included

• Hotel or port pickup and drop-off.
• private English-speaking senior guide.
• entry to Yu Garden, Jade Buddha Temple, and all other attractions.
• authentic Chinese lunch at a local restaurant.
• bottled water throughout the day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 10:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (13 to 85 years) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

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

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Shanghai Driver Guide

Is this one for you?Book this if you're new to Shanghai and want to see both the old city and the modern skyline in one day without arranging transport, tickets, or timing yourself. The private format means you move at your own pace, and the guide handles the navigation and context.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.

How long is the full day tour?

The tour runs for a full day, though the exact duration isn't fixed. It adjusts to your pace and interests since it's a private tour.

What's included in the price?

Hotel or port pickup and drop-off, a senior English-speaking guide, authentic Chinese lunch, bottled water, and entry to all attractions.

Can I skip any of the stops?

Yes. Because it's a private tour, you can adapt the itinerary to your interests. The guide will work with you on what to prioritize.

Is the guide fluent in English?

Yes, the guide is a senior English speaker who shares knowledge of Shanghai's history, architecture, religions, and culture throughout the day.

What if I want to visit the Shanghai Museum?

The museum is located at People Square, one of your stops. You can choose to visit it. The guide will adjust timing accordingly.

Is lunch included, or do I pay separately?

Lunch at a local Chinese restaurant is included in the tour price.

What time does the tour start?

The tour begins with hotel pickup in the morning, though the exact time is arranged based on your preference.