One-Day Shanghai Tour: Shanghai Tower + Yu Garden + City God Temple + Xintiandi + The Bund
Welcome to Shanghai, the magic city. This Shanghai port city tour will start from the cruise terminal and take you from Pudong New Area all the way to the old urban area of Shanghai, allowing you to appreciate the charming blend of old and new Shanghai.
This morning, our guide will go to your Shanghai cruise terminal to pick you up, and then head to [Shanghai Tower], the tallest building in Shanghai and even China. Here, you will take the world's fastest sightseeing elevator (73.8 km/h) directly to the "Top of Shanghai Observatory" on the 118th floor, 546 meters above the ground, and enjoy a 360-degree unobstructed view of the magnificent Shanghai skyline and panoramic city views, overlooking famous buildings around, such as Shanghai's landmark - Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the magic city's bottle opener - Shanghai World Financial Center, and China's No. 1 building - Jin Mao Tower. If interested, you can also send a special blessing from above the clouds to family and friends at the Top of Shanghai Air Post Office, currently the world's highest post office.
Afterwards, you can go to [Yu Garden], known as the "crown of famous gardens in the southeast," to enjoy the classical garden scenery of Jiangnan in China. Yu Garden was first built in the 38th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (AD 1559), with a history of more than 460 years. It was originally a private garden built by Pan Yunduan, the Ming Dynasty provincial administration commissioner of Sichuan, for his father to spend his later years in peace. Strolling along the winding paths of Yu Garden, you can appreciate China's exquisite garden layout, beautiful classical architecture, and superb craftsmanship in brick carving, stone carving, clay sculpture, and wood carving. In particular, the iconic attractions - the Dragon Wall, the Nine-Turn Bridge, and the Mid-Lake Pavilion - are especially worth careful appreciation.
Optional other activities (at your own expense): You can visit [Shanghai City God Temple] near Yu Garden. The City God Temple was first built during the Southern and Northern Dynasties period in China and is a Taoist temple mainly dedicated to the City God, responsible for protecting the safety of the entire city. Here, you can learn about traditional Chinese Taoist culture, and also pray to deities such as Yue Lao, the God of Wealth, and Mazu for your wishes. In addition, there are many lively commercial streets around the City God Temple, forming a bustling commercial area centered on Yuyuan Bazaar.
After the visit, you can walk along the streets to [Yuyuan Bazaar] and taste the most authentic Shanghai cuisine, such as xiaolongbao, braised pork, eight-treasure duck, etc. If interested, you can also browse various traditional Chinese handicraft shops, such as embroidery, ceramics, wood carvings, etc.
Practical tips
1. Yu Garden is closed on Mondays. If that day is Monday, you can visit the City God Temple and Yuyuan Bazaar near Yu Garden.
2. Attraction tickets need to be reserved or booked in advance. Please contact our customer service in advance so we can arrange ticketing for you.
After lunch, you can go to Xintiandi near the former French Concession for a stroll. [Xintiandi] is known as "one of the world's top 20 cultural landmarks." It is an urban tourist attraction that perfectly integrates Shanghai's traditional shikumen architecture with modern architecture, and is also an excellent place to learn about Shanghai's history, lane culture, and modern fashion. Here, you can stroll leisurely, admire historical sites, taste specialty foods, and browse various shops representing Shanghai's fashion and tradition. In addition, the Shikumen Wulixiang Museum inside is also a good place to learn about the lifestyle of Shanghai people in the 1920s and 1930s.
Afterwards, you can walk along [Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street], known as "China's No. 1 Commercial Street," to the Bund, about 2 km in total. Along the way, you can appreciate Shanghai's architectural style of the 1930s and 1940s, browse various century-old brand stores, and also taste local specialty foods and snacks.
Then, arrive at [the Bund], known as the "Paris of the East," to feel the prosperity of Shanghai, the magic city. The Bund is located on the west bank of the Huangpu River and is one of Shanghai's iconic attractions. It is known as the "Exhibition of World Architecture" and gathers 52 exotic buildings of different styles, such as the Shanghai Club, Peace Hotel, HSBC Building, etc. Stepping into it feels like entering the golden age of the former Oriental Wall Street. Standing by the river, you can also see landmark buildings in the distance, such as the world's third tallest building - Shanghai Tower, Asia's tallest tower - Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai's fourth tallest building - Jin Mao Tower, and Shanghai's second tallest building - Shanghai World Financial Center.
After the visit, this unforgettable Shanghai port city tour will come to an end. Our guide will send you back to your accommodation or to the airport/railway station. If you wish to extend this trip and explore more destinations in China, such as Suzhou, Hangzhou, Beijing, Yunnan, Xi'an, Zhangjiajie, Chengdu, Tibet, Xinjiang, etc., you can also contact our customer service to arrange it for you.
🍽️ Lunch included
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