What is the real charm of the biggest city of China?
What comes to your mind when you think of Shanghai? The “Paris of the East” and “Pearl of the Orient”? An awesome “Magical City”? The biggest and most populous city in China? A global center for finance? Only when you come here, you will understand what makes Shanghai a internationally-famous tourist destination numerous travelers love to visit.
Located in China’s eastern coast, Shanghai taking advantage of its well-developed waterway transportation and beneficial location has grown from a small fishing town to a world-class megacity, which excellently recognized as the epitome of China’s development and showcase of future trend. This 2-day Shanghai City tour offers you great opportunity to uncover distinct fascinations of Shanghai, including its ancient characters and local lifestyle culture harmoniously kept amidst in modern phenomenal high-rises, mixed culture of the East and Europe illuminated in plenty of exotic architectures. With our all inclusive Shanghai tour package, you can enjoy wonderful tour services and well-organized itinerary containing eye-opening sightseeing of top landmarks, relaxed walking and shopping, wonderful cultural learning and authentic local food tasting.
Day 1 Shanghai Arrival & Tour (L)
Today's Highlights: Pick up, Yu Garden, Nanjing Road, The Bund, Shanghai World Financial Center
Welcome to Shanghai! Meet your private tour guide and driver at the airport, railway station, cruise port or your hotel in Shanghai, then start your Shanghai exploration! (Note: the number and order of attractions can be adjusted based on your schedule and interests.)
You will firstly transfer to Shanghai old town to visit Yu Garden (Yuyuan), a famous Southern China classical garden which was originally built about 450 years ago. Walk around to view the ancient pavilions, halls, towers with jagged carved cornices and decorations, grotesque rockeries, glittering ponds filled with swimming kois and many old plants. These buildings, laid out in an asymmetry, fully embody impressive Chinese architectural style, art and skills, from which you can imagine an ancient living scene and find a magic harmony between human and nature. Yuyuan Bazaar outside the garden is an interesting place for shopping traditional Chinese handicrafts and artworks and tasting a variety of local snacks.
Next, you will visit Nanjing Road, Shanghai’s earliest commercial street and one of the most popular current landmarks as a warm-up for your Shanghai modern city tour. Lots of big name brands, restaurants, cafés, souvenir shops and towering buildings can be seen when you stroll around this long busy pedestrian mall. Continue your walk to the Bund, the most iconic place of Shanghai. Stretching along the west bank of the Huangpu River, this 1.5km-long road was a simple towpath for transporting good but developed to the early “East Wall Street” in late 19th century. Most known as a perfect blend of the East meeting the West, the Bund mainly features 52 various European-style architectures praised to the Exhibition of World’s Architecture. Make a pleasant walk to see those western classical and modern style buildings and amazing skyscrapers of Lujiazui across the river.
The last stop is the Shanghai World Financial Center (SWFC), “the Eye of Shanghai”, one of the most incredible skyscrapers in Lujiazui. With a height of 492 meters (1,614 ft), the tower is the second tallest building after the nearby Shanghai Tower (632 meter/2,073 ft). Ascend up to the 474 meter-high 100th floor observation deck, try a thrilling skywalk on the transparent glass walkway and enjoy a breathtaking bird’s eye view of the entire city, including the Bund, neighboring Shanghai Tower, Jinmao Tower and many surrounding attractions. Feel Shanghai lying under your feet and blue sky hanging above your head.
After visiting the Shanghai World Financial Center, you’ll be escorted back to your hotel. (If you want to be dropped off at the Bund, Nanjing Road or somewhere else please let your tour guide know.)
Recommended Night Activities (optional): 1) Watch an entertaining Acrobatic Show, including breathtaking “balls of death” acts, chair balancing, hula hoops, juggling of benches, walking in the air, and other breathtaking performances (usually performed during 19:30~21:00); 2) Take a relaxing Huangpu River cruise to see the city’s most significant edifices and streets ablaze with colorful lights (about 50 minutes).
Yu Garden: A Chinese Classical Garden Built in 16th Century
474 M High Glass Walkway in World Financial Center
The Bund: Famous “Exhibition of the World's Architecture”
Day 2 Shanghai Tour & Shanghai Departure (B, L)
Today's Highlights: Shanghai Museum, Tianzifang, Former French Concession
After breakfast, you will visit Shanghai Museum, one of the best museums in China. Conveniently located near the People’s Square, this large museum is designed and built with a round top and a square base which symbolize the ancient Chinese perception of the world as “round sky, square earth”, and mainly focus on Chinese ancient history and art. Over one billion cultural relics are exhibited inside, including precious bronzes, paintings, calligraphy, ceramics, jade, sculptures, traditional furniture, seals and old coins from more than 5,000 years ago to the Qing Dynasty. Da Ke Ding (bronze food vessel in over 3000 years ago), Bianzhong of Marquis Su of Jin (ancient musical instruments) are top treasures to visit. An Audio Explanation Device will help you better learn the facts and knowledge of the exhibitions.
Afterwards, you’ll be transferred to Tianzifang and Former French Concession to make a delightful contrast walking tour of local traditional houses and western style architectures. First, visit Tianzifang, a unique popular tourist enclave remolded from a traditional residential block in the French Concession area of Shanghai. Intertwined narrow alleys are filled with small creative shops selling lovely souvenirs and plenty of cafés, bars and restaurants. It’s great fun to ramble through the maze-like area to appreciate the well-preserved traditional Shanghainese Shikumen (Stone Warehouse Gate) houses, see interesting novel art and handicrafts, savor a lazy open-air coffee time and try some local street food and feel the original Shanghai life vibe.
Finally, you will take a leisurely walk in the charming Former French Concession which was a special premier living quarter and retail district for expats in early Shanghai (from 1849 AD until 1943 AD). You will browse hundreds of beautiful old French and European style buildings, apartments, villas, boutique shops, restaurants of a wide range of culinary styles standing at tree-lined avenues. Located among the ultra-modern architecture complex, the Former French Concession is a heritage treasury, a significant window into the city’s up-and-down history and an excellent witness of the culture fusion of the East and Europe.
After the tour, your guide and driver will escort you to the airport, railway station or cruise port for your flight / train / cruise to your next destination.
Da Ke Ding in Shanghai Museum
Wukang Mansion - Iconic Landmark of Former French Concession
Exquisite Chinese Artifacts Shop in Tianzifang
Suzhou of over 2,500 years old is abundant with ancient culture and history of Wu State in ancient times.
City like Suzhou which gathers its best highlighting attractions together in the historical old city area is ideal for taking a day trip. This tour brings you the best features of Suzhou in a brief day tour - Appreciate the beautiful Lingering Garden, one of the four most famous classic gardens of China; Spend some leisure time on the Shantang Street to experience the very history and local life of Suzhou; Explore the most historical site in Suzhou – Tiger Hill; Have fun to see see how the exquisite silk garment is produced at No.1 Silk Factory.
“No mountain is worth seeing after a trip to Mt. Huangshan”!
If you want to travel Huangshan at a leisure pace, this is the ideal trip - short days, classic itinerary, cable cars covered, private transfer. You will reach the top of Mount Huangshan for a day-and-night trip to enjoy the best scenery, and get down the mountain to stroll along the Tunxi Ancient Street to encounter its hundred-years' history and admire the "Four Treasures of the Study" in Ink Stone Factory...
Explore the heavenly city - Hangzhou.
Spend two days to collects the essence of Hangzhou natural scenery and profound history, including cruise leisurely on West Lake to enjoy the tranquil lake views as well as the ancient pagodas, traditional arched bridges, tree-lined walkways, beautiful hills, green islands and lush gardens; experiencing the peaceful Buddhism atmosphere and breath the fresh tranquil air at Lingyin Temple; learning about authentic traditional Chinese tea culture and enjoy a cup of best Dragon Well Tea...
1. This price is for one person, based on a group of 2 adults sharing one standard double-bed room in 4-star hotel and traveling with our private tour in low seasons.
2. This price is subject to change according your traveling season, group size, hotel class, change of activities in your itinerary and possible fluctuation of currency exchange rate. If you want a lower price, you can get more people to join you, or use economy class hotels.
3. This price is only valid to March 31, 2023.
4. Reference exchange rate of USD 1=RMB 6.85. The final quote is based on current exchange rate. It may change according to the currency fluctuation, while the RMB quotation will be remained the same.
Dear Jack,
I have tried to leave the following review with tripadvisor several times now but somehow it is not accepted, I do not know why.
"Just back from our 9-day trip to Yunnan, long planned and waited for. It was our second time with China Discovery Tours. Once again they tailored the tour according to our ideas and interests - and succeeded in surprising us! Thanks to the local guides we learned a lot about history, traditions and customs, and, of course, food. We always felt in safe hands and the organization was just perfect with enough on spot flexibility. Big thanks to Jack who figured it all out so well and to the next time with China Discovery! Johannes (GER) & Elizabeth (GRC)"
Thanks again for an excellent trip, best regards, Johannes&Elizabeth
Hi Jack!
It's was great, we loved it! Our tour guide Frank was very kind, informative, and funny :) We loved how easy it was and how much we got to see in a day, I will definitely recommend to our friends!
Hi Jack,
we will be happy to when we get back to Shanghai It was a great trip and Kevin was a wonderful guide!
Lisa
Hi Jack,
Absolutely fantastic trip. We enjoyed every moment and the guides were all really good.
I might only have one more year in China and I would like to see more. I believe that the best way for me is smaller trips leaving Thursday evening and returning Sunday.
Soren
Hi Jack,
Thank for our trip. Well organised. Driver & guide were super ! We have been lucky to have a sunny weather and the lantern festival! And not toooooo cold, only if you compare to the week before !
Helene
We are one of the few China travel agencies who have kept active and received lots of feedbacks and reviews during pandemic years
"Highest Standards of Quality and Honesty" is the core value of each specialized team at China Discovery.
Eveyone in our company is working hard for only one goal, which is to ensure the highest level of service, luxury, and attention to detail from the minute you begin planning your trip, to the day you return home.
Our travel consultants are professional, experienced and responsible, helping you from the very beginning to the end of your China trip!
After sending us an inquiry, one of our travel consultants will get back to you within 0.5~23.5 hrs. In the next few days, he/she will be working closely with you to formulate a customized tour plan, as well as providing professional suggestions based on your travel interests, time, and budget.
Beside, he/she will keep in contact with you during your entire tour in China, continually checking if everything is going well as planned.
We're working at Chengdu Bamboo International Tours, local based in Chengdu.
Our local guide in every destination is not only very friendly, enthusiastic but also very informative and knowledgeable.
Once you arrive in the destination, the patient and punctual guides will pick you up and take you to get under skin of the city at your own pace. By in-depth discovery and explanation, they’ll show you more about the history, culture, customs and authentic local life. Throughout the journey, they're not only expert guides who take care of all the details but also fellow travelers who are dedicated to help you explore in comfort and style.
Our guides are passionate about what they do, and it shows all the way!
Using our private transfer service makes you comfortable, relaxed and worry free all the way!
Our private service includes licensed drivers with many years’ driving experience and air-conditioned, non-smoking, clean and well-maintained cars/vans. Drivers are local, polite, friendly and helpful, taking you to your tourist sites, hotels, airport/train stations in safety. All kinds of vehicle are offered, and yours depends on the size of your group. Usually, we offer sedan cars, SUVs, business vans (MPV) and different types of buses, all with extra space for your luggage.
Our private transfer service guarantees you the highest comfort!
In each destination, you’ll enjoy a comfortable stay in a great location!
The hotels we choose are based on star rating, great locations, well-equipped facilities, cozy bed, high quality service and guests’ feedbacks. Choices are a lot ranging from luxury 5 star, comfortable 4 star to budget 3 star. You could decide where to stay to best suit for your budget and likes. Generally, the hotels have both Western and Chinese breakfast with a wide choices.
If you have already got an ideal hotel, please feel free to tell our travel consultants and they'll book the hotel for you.
Have good sleep in our well-selected hotels in all the destinations of China.
We can satisfy all the dietary requirements no matter you want Chinese local food, western food, vegetarian food or muslin food.
The restaurants we will take you for lunch or dinner are all designated tourist restaurants approved by local tourist administration bureau. They have very good sanitary conditions and the food is prepared fresh and clean.
There will be some meals excluded in your itinerary as you like, and your private guide will be delighted to give you some suggestions and take you to the local restaurants to taste like Beijing Roast Duck, Xian Dumpling Dinner, Sichuan Hotpot, etc., if you are interested in local food tasting.
All the dining options will satisfy your stomach!
Yu Garden: A Chinese Classical Garden Built in 16th Century
474 M High Glass Walkway in World Financial Center
The Bund: Famous “Exhibition of the World's Architecture”
Da Ke Ding (Chinese Ancient Food Vessel) - Treasure of Shanghai Museum
Wukang Mansion - Iconic Landmark of Former French Concession
Exquisite Chinese Artifacts Shop in Tianzifang
Normally, you need to get a Chinese Tourist Visa (L Visa) for a Shanghai tour. However, at present, Shanghai offers different visa exemptions applying to different visitors. Knowing them helps you save lots of time, energy and money on applying for a Chinese Visa, and enjoy great convenience to have a visa-free layover tour in Shanghai. The 144-Hour Visa Free Transit and 15-Day Visa Free for Cruise Travelers are the two main visa free accesses used by international travelers.
Shanghai 144-Hour Visa Free: If you hold valid ordinary passport of one of the appointed 53 countries (including US, UK, Canada, Australia, Singapore...) and connecting ticket to a third country (region) with confirmed date and seat, you can get into Shanghai from Shanghai Hongqiao & Pudong International Airport (SHA & PVG), Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal, Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal and Shanghai Railway Station, and visit Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Nanjing, etc. (Shanghai, Jiangzu and Zhejiang) no exceeding 144 hours (6 days).
Shanghai 15-Day Visa Free for Cruise Entry: Foreign cruise group tourists can make visa-exempted shore excursion in Shanghai, Beijing and other coastal cities for up to 15 days if received by licensed Chinese travel agents.
Our private Shanghai tour packages provide you wonderful travel experiences of high quality and best value. Travel with us, you can enjoy the best sightseeing highlights, featured local activities and local experienced and knowledgeable tour guide, efficient private transfer, excellent dining and accommodation and many considerate tour services. One-to-one trip planning is offered during your whole tour. Except our popular itinerary, you can let us design a special travel itinerary in Shanghai based on your own schedule and interests. Also, you have great flexibility of choosing hotel and restaurant. Thousands of customers have realized their Shanghai tour with our help and spoke highly of our arrangement and service that you can get inspired from.
There are three ways to reach Shanghai: by air, by train and by cruise. Shanghai as two airports, Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) and Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), both are international airports flying lots of international and domestic lines. You should know that Pudong Airport operates more international flights to/off Shanghai, but is located farther from downtown than Hongqiao Airport. If you want to take a train travel to Shanghai, you can depart from Beijing, Xian, Hong Kong, Guangzhou..., nearly all major cities in China. Besides, you can take an international cruise voyage or a Yangtze River cruise to get to Shanghai.
Located in China’s east coast, Shanghai experiences a humid subtropical monsoon climate, which features four distinct seasons, abundant sunshine and rainfall. The annual average temperature of Shanghai is about 17.6℃ and yearly sunshine hours is around 85.9 hours and mean annual precipitation reaches up to 1,173.4 mm, which mostly occurs between May and September. Shanghai is quite hot and moist during summer (June ~ August) and clammy and cold in winter (December ~ February). As an metropolis highlighting in cultural & historical sites and modern skyscrapers, Shanghai can be visited all year round. If you think of temperature comfort, travel convenience and seasonal features, Spring (March ~ May) and Autumn (September ~ November) are the best times to visit Shanghai, for the weather is quite pleasant, nature scenery is beautiful and a good time to taste crabs.
Normally, top Shanghai city highlights can be covered within a 2 to 3 days’ itinerary. Nearby area, such as Suzhou, a poetic city of classical gardens and Hangzhou, a paradise city with West Lake, both with UNESCO World Heritages are worth for a Jiangnan style natural and cultural exploration. It’s very popular to take day trips or spend 2 days in each city. If you have 2 days and more, you can also make a marvellous hiking in Huangshan Mountain, travel to Beijing realizing your Great Wall tour, visit Xian to see the miraculous Terracotta Army, to Guilin for a picturesque Li River Cruise and idyllic countryside experience, etc. Just contact us, tell your schedule and preference, we can tailor-make a unique China tour of different destination, theme and length for you.
If you choose Shanghai as the gateway city for a China discovery, it’s very convenient to travel from Shanghai to other parts of China, based on the city’s excellent transportation network. Depending on your time and personal interests, you can easily enjoy a China trip of different destination, theme and length. The “”Golden Triangle Cities” - Beijing, Xian and Shanghai are the top three must-visit destinations with the most famous iconic attractions of China, which can be covered in 7 to 8 days’ itinerary. If you only want to explore diverse charm in neighboring area of Shanghai, 5 days is enough to visit Suzhou and Hangzhou with Shanghai, and 9 days is fine to add the Huangshan Mountain in. With over 10 days, you can more stunning experiences, such as a relaxing Yangtze River Cruise tour, a pastoral Guilin countryside life immersion, a super cool real “Avatar World” expedition in Zhangjiajie, a colorful ethnic culture in Yunnan, and sacred spiritual trip to Tibet and so on. Just contact us, tell your schedule and preference, we can tailor-make a unique China tour for you.
Beijing / Xian / Shanghai
Shanghai / Hangzhou / Suzhou / Shanghai
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