4 Days Shanghai City In-depth Discovery

Day 1 Shanghai Arrival

Airport/train station/port pick up

Ni Hao! Welcome to Shanghai, the biggest metropolis of China!

Upon arrival, meet your tour guide in the airport Arrival Hall holding placard with your name. Before being transferred to your hotel, firstly experience the Shanghai Maglev Train (optional) - the first operational high-speed maglev train in the world, whose speed is 300km/h.

Started running in 2003, the Shanghai Maglev Train is the first commercially high-speed magnetic levitation line in the world. With a top speed of 430 km/h, Shanghai Maglev Train takes only 8 minutes to transfer from Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) to Longyang Road Station on the east outskirt of Shanghai. Passengers can hardly hear any noise and feel any jolt, because the maglev trains run without contacting the surface of the railway line. Facilities inside the trains are very modern, clean and comfortable. (Note: The Maglev Train only operates between Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Longyang Road Station from 06:45 AM to 21:42 PM)

Recommended Night Activity (optional): 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).

• Feel the Highest Speed of 431 km/h of Shanghai Maglev Train

Day 2 Shanghai City Highlights Tour (B, L)

Today's Highlights: Shanghai Museum, Yu Garden, Shanghai Tower, Nanjing Road, The Bund

After breakfast, you will visit Shanghai Museum, one of the best museums in China. Conveniently located near the People’s Square, this large and modern museum 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.

Then, 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, ascend the Shanghai Tower - China's tallest building and a marvel of modern engineering, standing at 632 meters (2,073 ft). Take one of the world's fastest elevators to the 118th-floor observation deck, perched 546 meters high, from which you will feast your eyes on a jaw-dropping panorama of Shanghai, including the Jinmao Tower, the Shanghai World Financial Center, and the Oriental Pearl Tower almost at eye level. Look farther and spot the historic Bund, its classic European-style buildings lining the Huangpu River like a living postcard.

Later, get to Nanjing Road, Shanghai’s earliest commercial street and one of the most popular current landmarks. Lots of big name brands, restaurants, cafés, souvenir shops and towering buildings can be seen when you stroll around this 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.

After the tour, drive back to your hotel. (If you want to spend free time at the Bund, Nanjing Road or take a relaxing Huangpu River cruise to see the city’s most significant edifices and streets ablaze with colorful lights (about 50 minutes), or explore somewhere else, please let your tour guide know.)

• Antal's family enjoyed the scenery of Shanghai skyscrapers in March 2024
• Dakeding (1046 BC-711 BC) - The Most Precious Treasure of Shanghai Museum
• Yuyuan Bazaar Shot by Our Customer Paul
• Sanchez's Family from Mexico took a Huangpu River Cruise in 2019
• A Jaw-dropping Panorama of Shanghai from Shanghai Tower
• The Bund: Famous "Exhibition of the World's Architecture"

Day 3 Shanghai City Exploration

Explore Shanghai On Your Own

Today is a free day for you to explore Shanghai at your own pace, but we’ve prepared a few recommendations to help you make the most of it.

Starbucks Reserve Roastery: It is the largest in China. This immersive coffee haven features giant copper casks, coffee-themed art, and a maze of overhead tubes transporting beans. Watch the full coffee-making process - from roasting to brewing - while sipping handcrafted drinks in a uniquely designed space.

North Bund: Less crowded than the famous Bund, the North Bund offers a quieter and equally stunning view of Shanghai’s skyline. There are several excellent spots here for taking in the cityscape. One highlight is Zhapulu Bridge, which spans the Suzhou River. From this vantage point, you can enjoy a clear view of the iconic "Three Sisters" — Shanghai Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, and the Oriental Pearl Tower — all beautifully reflected in the calm waters of the river. Early risers can even catch a memorable sunrise here, and it's a popular area for locals out jogging in the morning. For an evening experience, head to North Bund Garden for a gorgeous night view of the illuminated Lujiazui district.

Wukang Road: This charming street is lined with over 50 historic buildings, each telling its own story of Shanghai’s past. The Wukang Building, a classic example of Art Deco architecture, stands out as a landmark that showcases the city’s architectural evolution. Stroll beneath the leafy canopy, take a break at a sidewalk café, and soak up the local atmosphere. Along the way, you’ll discover art galleries, boutique shops offering local crafts, and cozy tea houses — a great way to experience authentic Shanghai culture.

Tianzifang: It is touristic arts and crafts enclave that has developed from a renovated traditional residential area. It is the typical tourist attraction to appreciate the preservation of local Shikumen architecture. In this place full of rich flavor of life, you can leisurely stroll along the clean old alleys to watch the daily life of local Shanghai people, savor a cup of drink at the open-air café, and find some interesting things in the novel shops to feel the international feature mixed with real Shanghai culture.

• The Morning Glow View from Zhapulu Bridge
• Enjoy the Night View of Lujiazhui from the North Bund Garden
• Wukang Road City Walk
• Starbucks Reserve Roastery

Day 4 Shanghai Tour & Shanghai Departure (B)

Today's Highlights: Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre, Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center

After breakfast, start your day with a visit to the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre is a compact yet remarkable private museum dedicated to preserving and exhibiting mid-20th-century Chinese propaganda posters. Housed discreetly in the basement of a residential building, this unique institution serves as both a historical archive and a celebration of visual art, offering visitors an authentic glimpse into China's evolving political and social narratives.

Next, you will go to learn why Shanghai developed into a modern, vibrant and cosmopolitan city from what was originally a shabby fishing village in Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center will answer that question fully while also giving you an overview of the City’s ambitious plans for future. The Center is a fashionably designed modern museum, themed with “City, Citizens, Environment and Development”. Different usages of photography, models and interactive multimedia displays make your visit enjoyable and entertaining. The best features are the old rare photos of landmarks, such as the Bund, Nanjing Road, Yu Garden, during the international settlement, and the large scale model showing the detailed layout of Shanghai.

In the afternoon, your guide will escort you to the airport for your flight to next destination or home.

• Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center with Visitors
• Propaganda Posters of 21th Century of China Exhibited in Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Center