Private Shanghai City Tour: Old Town, Gardens & Bund
Walk Shanghai's layers, from Qing Dynasty bazaars to the Bund's old and new skylines.
A private Shanghai city tour with a local guide and a fully customized itinerary built around your interests. You'll walk Shanghai Old Town's ancient streets and nine-lucky bridge, explore the 500-year-old Yu Garden's pavilions and dragon wall, stroll the Bund along the Huangpu River, then choose between Pudong's observation decks, Nanjing Road's shopping energy, the French Concession's European architecture, or the Jade Buddha Temple. Lunch or dinner is part of the tour if you book one of the meal options.
Step-by-step itinerary
- Shanghai Old City 1h 20m
- Yu Garden 1h
- Shanghai Tower 1h 20m
Explore Shanghai's historic and modern sites
- Meet guide at hotel or downtown
- Walk through Shanghai Old Town bazaar
- Explore Yu Garden and its pavilions
- Stroll along The Bund and Huangpu river
- Visit Pudong Island and skybridge
- Choose observation deck or Nanjing Road
- Jade Buddha Temple or French Concession as an alternative
- Return to hotel or preferred city location
What’s included
- Private local guide in English or Mandarin.
- hotel pickup and drop-off in downtown Shanghai.
- customized itinerary built around your interests.
- local public transport by Uber taxi or metro (on the Uber option) or private air-conditioned vehicle with driver (on the private car options).
- lunch or dinner (on the options that include it).
Times
- Every day 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00
Options for this experience
4 optionsInformation
Prices and times updated 3 days ago
Operated by Sunny Private Tours
The experience
How much of Shanghai do you want to see in a morning or afternoon? A private guide means the itinerary is yours to shape. You'll start by spending a few minutes with your guide discussing which neighborhoods and sites matter most to you. The sample route hits the main contrasts (Old Town's Qing Dynasty bazaar with its ancient architecture and street food, Yu Garden's 500-year-old pavilions and rockeries, the Bund's historic buildings and river views), but if you'd rather skip one and linger somewhere else, or swap in the Jade Buddha Temple, the French Concession, or Tianzifang's creative studios, that's the point of a private tour.
The walk through Shanghai Old Town takes you along the nine-lucky bridge and Shanghai Old Street, where you can browse local crafts and sample street food without anyone rushing you. Yu Garden (closed Mondays, your guide will suggest an alternative if needed) is built on artistic principles. You'll see the famed dragon wall, walk through tranquil chambers and pavilions dotted with ponds, and hear the history behind the design. The Bund stretch is where you stand between eras: the historic Peace Hotel and Old Customs House on one side, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and Shanghai Tower on the other, with the Huangpu River in between.
The second half depends on what you choose. If you want height and perspective, you can visit one of Shanghai's observation decks (Shanghai Tower, Oriental Pearl, or Jinmao), for a bird's-eye view of how fast the city has grown. If you'd rather stay at street level, Nanjing Road (China's No. 1 shopping street) has a different energy, or the French Concession offers European-style architecture and cafes. For return visitors, the guide can pivot to the Jade Buddha Temple, Shanghai Museum, or smaller spots like the poster art museum or Tianzifang.
Is this one for you?Choose the private car option if you want to move between neighborhoods without navigating taxis or the metro yourself, or if a meal matters to your day. The Uber taxi option works if you're comfortable with public transport and want to keep the cost down. Either way, there's room to hit the main contrasts (old Shanghai, gardens, the Bund, and one newer neighborhood) without feeling rushed.
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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 (3 to 7 years); Infant (under 3): free.
What's included in the different tour options?
The Tour by Uber Taxi option covers the guide, hotel pickup and drop-off, and local public transport by Uber or metro. The private car options add an air-conditioned vehicle with a driver. The lunch and dinner versions include that meal.
Can I really customize the itinerary, or is it a set route?
The itinerary is 100% customizable. You discuss your interests with the guide at pickup, and the sample route (Old Town, Yu Garden, the Bund, Pudong or French Concession) is just a starting point. If you want to skip something or swap in a different site, you tell your guide and the tour adjusts.
What happens if Yu Garden is closed when I visit?
Yu Garden closes every Monday. Your guide will suggest an alternative (typically the Jade Buddha Temple or the French Concession), and you'll visit that instead.
Is there a meal included, and can you handle dietary needs?
Lunch or dinner is included with the private car options that come with a meal. If you book a meal option, let the operator know about vegetarian or other dietary requirements at the time of booking.
Private Shanghai City Tour: Old Town, Gardens & Bund
4h–5h · EN +1 · at your hotel
from US$ 93 per person