Shanghai Tower and French Concession Private Day Tour

A tree-lined street holds protected historical buildings, each one a story from Shanghai's European past.

A private guided day tour of Shanghai covering the Former French Concession, Nanjing Road, People's Square and Shanghai Tower, with hotel pickup, lunch and all entrance fees included. The tour runs 7 to 8 hours and visits Wukang Road (where 21 city-level and 22 district-level heritage buildings line a single street in European style), then moves through Sinan Road's garden houses, the Dangdang sightseeing tram, Shanghai Museum and the 118th-floor observation deck of Shanghai Tower. Your guide speaks English, Spanish, French, German or one of two other languages, and the itinerary is built around your hotel's location and schedule.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. French Concession30m
2. Nanjing Road1h
3. People’s Square30m
4. Shanghai Museum1h 30m
5. Pudong10m
6. Shanghai Tower1h 30m · entry included

Explore Shanghai's historic and modern sites

• Meet guide at hotel at 09:00 a.m.
• Visit Wukang Road and admire European-style buildings
• Stroll along Sinan Road and enjoy French-style gardens
• Walk around Former French Concession area
• Explore Nanjing Road and ride Dangdang sightseeing tram
• Visit the thinnest building on Ningbo Road
• Enjoy local traditional lunch
• Visit People's Square and see surrounding landmarks
• Tour Shanghai Museum and learn about Chinese art
• Walk along Lujiazui Ring Bridge in Pudong
• Visit Shanghai Tower observation deck and enjoy views
• Transfer back to hotel and end tour

The experience

The guide meets you at your hotel at 9 a.m. and drives you to the Former French Concession, where Wukang Road becomes the day's anchor. The street is only 1.17 kilometers long, but it holds 43 protected historical buildings (21 at city level, 22 at district level) all built in European style during Shanghai's early 20th century. The Wukang Building, shaped like a giant vessel and designed by the architect Hudec, stands as the most famous one. Walking the road, you move through a stretch that feels transplanted from Europe into the middle of Shanghai.

From there, the tour moves through Sinan Road, a French-style boulevard lined with garden houses on both sides, now home to boutique hotels, restaurants, bars and designer shops shaded by plane trees. You walk past the Jinjiang Hotel, Okura Garden Hotel, Moller Residence and Cathay Cinema: each one a piece of the neighborhood's residential and cultural fabric. Then comes Nanjing Road, the "No. 1 commercial street in China," which stretches 5.5 kilometers and draws 1.7 million visitors a day. You ride the Dangdang sightseeing tram, an old-style streetcar that moves slowly enough to see the shops and streets unfold from the window. The route also passes the "Paper Building" on Ningbo Road, a triangular structure so thin it was reported by the British Daily Mail as perhaps the world's flattest building. At noon, lunch arrives: vegetarian, Beijing Duck or Sichuan cuisine, your choice.

The afternoon takes you to People's Square, the center point where East and West Nanjing Road meet, and to Shanghai Museum. The museum sits inside a building whose design symbolizes ancient Chinese philosophy: a round dome (heaven) resting on a square base (earth). Inside are eleven galleries covering ancient bronzes, ceramics, paintings, calligraphy, jade, coins and Ming and Qing furniture. After the museum, you cross into Pudong and walk along Lujiazui Ring Bridge to photograph the skyline. The day ends at Shanghai Tower, where an express elevator reaches the 118th floor in 55 seconds at a speed of 18 meters per second. The indoor observation deck is the world's highest, and on clear days you can watch the sunset from the 119th floor while looking out over both sides of the Huangpu River. The driver then returns you to your hotel.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• a knowledgeable guide in your chosen language.
• private transportation throughout the day.
• bottled water.
• lunch with your choice of cuisine.
• all entrance fees to Shanghai Museum and Shanghai Tower.
• and all taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (18 to 75 years) · Child (3 to 17 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Chinese and Japanese

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 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomeNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by MoreFunAsia Shanghai Tours

Is this one for you?If your guide speaks your language fluently, the whole day's history and detail comes through without translation lag: the stories behind Wukang Road's 43 protected buildings, the significance of People's Square, the engineering of Shanghai Tower all land as the guide tells them, not as summaries afterward.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese and Japanese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 17 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What is the Wukang Building and why is it famous on this tour?

The Wukang Building is the most famous structure on Wukang Road, shaped like a giant vessel and designed by the architect Hudec in the 1930s. It represents the English-styled architecture that defined Shanghai's early 20th-century European influence and stands as the centerpiece of the Former French Concession walk.

How does the Dangdang tram work on Nanjing Road?

The Dangdang is an old-style sightseeing tram that moves slowly along Nanjing Road, allowing you to see the shops and surrounding neighborhoods from the window without stopping at each one. It is an unhurried way to experience the street's 600+ shops and the crowds that pass through daily.

What can I see from the 118th floor of Shanghai Tower?

The 118th floor holds an indoor observation deck, the world's highest, where you have a bird's-eye view of Shanghai. On the 119th floor, you can see both sides of the Huangpu River, and on clear days, you have time to watch the sunset from this vantage point.

Is lunch included, and what are the options?

Lunch is included at noon and served at a local restaurant. You can choose vegetarian, Beijing Duck or Sichuan cuisine when you book the tour.

How long does the elevator ride to the 118th floor take?

The express elevator reaches the 118th floor in 55 seconds, traveling at a speed of 18 meters per second, making it one of the fastest elevators in the world.