One-Day Shanghai Tour: Shanghai Museum + Yu Garden + City God Temple + The Bund + Shanghai Tower
This morning, you will head to the [Shanghai Museum], one of China's four major museums, to admire various exquisite traditional precious cultural relics and gain an in-depth understanding of China's long and profound history and culture. The Shanghai Museum is known as "half of the cultural relics world." Its overall architecture is round on top and square below, in line with the ancient Chinese concept of "a round heaven and a square earth." The museum houses more than 1.02 million cultural relics, covering the most precious artworks in China's 5,000-year history of civilization. Among them, the museum's treasures are especially worth seeing: the Da Ke Ding, a bronze vessel about 3,000 years old; the Jin Hou Su Bell, an ancient musical instrument from the Western Zhou period; the Shang Yang Fang Sheng, a relic of Shang Yang's reforms; and the Zi Zhong Jiang Pan, a Spring and Autumn period bronze vessel carved with more than 30 aquatic animals.
Afterward, head to [Yu Garden], known as the "crown of famous gardens in the southeast," to enjoy the scenery of classical Jiangnan gardens in China. Yu Garden was first built in the 38th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1559 AD), 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 enjoy his later years. Strolling along the winding paths of Yu Garden, you can admire China's ingenious garden layout, exquisite classical architecture, and superb brick carving, stone carving, clay sculpture, and wood carving designs. In particular, the landmark attractions such as the Dragon Wall, the Nine-Turn Bridge, and the Mid-Lake Pavilion are especially worth careful appreciation.
After touring Yu Garden, you can visit the nearby [Shanghai City God Temple]. The City God Temple was first built during the Southern and Northern Dynasties period in China. It 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] to taste the most authentic Shanghai cuisine, such as xiaolongbao, braised pork, and eight-treasure duck. If interested, you can also browse various traditional Chinese handicraft shops, such as embroidery, ceramics, and wood carvings.
Practical tips
1. Both the Shanghai Museum and Yu Garden are closed on Mondays. If that day is a Monday, you can visit the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center near the Shanghai Museum (closed on Wednesdays).
2. Tickets for museums and attractions 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 walk along [Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street], known as "China's No. 1 Commercial Street," to the Bund, about 2 kilometers in total. Along the way, you can appreciate Shanghai's architectural style of the 1930s and 1940s, browse various century-old brand stores, and taste local specialty snacks.
Then arrive at the [Bund], known as the "Paris of the East," and feel the prosperity of Shanghai, the magic city. Located on the west bank of the Huangpu River, the Bund is one of Shanghai's landmark attractions and is known as the "Exhibition of World Architecture." It brings together 52 exotic buildings of different styles, such as the Shanghai Club, the Peace Hotel, and HSBC. Stepping into it feels like entering the golden age of the former Oriental Wall Street. Standing by the river, you can also look out at landmark buildings such as Shanghai Tower, the third tallest building in the world; the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the tallest tower in Asia; Jin Mao Tower, the fourth tallest building in Shanghai; and Shanghai World Financial Center, the second tallest building in Shanghai.
Afterward, you will take a public ferry at East Jinling Road across the [Huangpu River] to reach the Lujiazui business district in Pudong, Shanghai, and walk 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 Shanghai's magnificent skyline and panoramic city views, overlooking the famous buildings around. 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 highest post office in the world.
Shanghai evening activity suggestions
1. Shanghai Acrobatics Show (19:30-21:00, 1.5 hours): The Shanghai acrobatics performance is the favorite evening entertainment for domestic and international tourists. It not only features thrilling acrobatic performances but also incorporates graceful dance and humorous, comedic plots, bringing the audience a brand-new viewing experience and allowing you to gain an in-depth understanding of Shanghai's rich cultural heritage in an entertaining way.
2. Xintiandi and Shikumen Wulixiang Museum: Xintiandi, praised as "one of the world's top 20 cultural landmarks," is an urban tourist attraction that perfectly blends Shanghai's traditional shikumen architecture with modern architecture, and it is also an excellent place to learn about Shanghai's history, longtang 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.
After the visit, this unforgettable Shanghai tour will come to an end. Our guide will take 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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