1-Day Tour｜Shanghai Highlights Tour

Welcome to Shanghai! Take a bite of this alluring world-leading metropolis with its striking highlights, including classic Chinese gardens, thousand-year-old artworks, elegant Western colonial architecture, and soaring skyscrapers.

Your guide and the driver will pick you up from your hotel at approximately 9 AM and set off to Yu Garden. This 400-year-old Suzhou-style garden was originally commissioned by an ancient official as a filial tribute to his parents. Upon entering, you’ll be amazed by a 14-meter-high (46-foot) Giant Rockery, stacked up by tons of rare yellow stones and dotted with lush plants. Climb up to the top to enjoy a brilliant panoramic view. Lingering in the garden, you’ll explore its well-organized layout: “dragon walls”, winding corridors over tranquil fish ponds, artificial rockeries topped with pavilions, as well as secluded paths through the groves, all contributing to a rich and varied landscape. Outside the beautiful garden lies the bustling Yuyuan Bazaar, where a grid of ancient streets is filled with handicrafts, silk products, souvenirs, and local snacks. Consider trying the handmade Nanxiang Steamed Soup Buns with super thin skin and juicy hot pork fillings, traditional pastries, or Scallion Oil Noodles at your own expense.

► FYI: If you visit during the Chinese New Year in January or February, you’ll find yourself in a dreamlike world, where the garden and the bazaar are decorated with thousands of hand-made lanterns themed around Chinese mythologies and zodiacs.

Our visit continues to the Shanghai Museum, a huge treasure trove of ancient Chinese art, especially boasting world-class exhibits of bronzeware, traditional calligraphy and paintings, as well as exquisite porcelain. The Bronze Gallery displays the most extensive bronzeware history worldwide, among which the Buffalo-shaped Ritual Wine Container, Da Ke Tripod, and Rectangular Capacity Measuring Vessel are particularly worth a careful appreciation, offering insights into the etiquette, land system, and slavery 3,000 years ago. Cherish the chance to enjoy the current calligraphy and painting artworks, which are rotated every six months, as they’re extremely sensitive to temperature, humidity, and light. During your visit, you might find that some exhibits lack specific archaeological context. There are many reasons for this: some artifacts were donated, some were repatriated from overseas, and some were even salvaged from recycling spots in the late 20th century.

In the afternoon, let’s move to the city heart, the Bund, nestled along the west bank of Shanghai’s mother river, the Huangpu River. Unwind along the 1.5-kilometer-long (0.9-mi) riverside promenade, glimpse the splendid colonial-era legacy, and discover the secrets this riverbank holds. Having served as concessions from 1844 until 1943, the Bund earned the nickname “Wall Street of the East” in old Shanghai, becoming home to a lot of consulates, banks, and trading companies from various countries. Today, its 52 buildings of styles from Art Deco to modernism offer a living architectural textbook to peek at the city’s past glory. It feels as if a European metropolis has been brought to the banks of the Huangpu River. By the way, the revolving doors of the legendary Fairmont Peace Hotel on the Bund are the oldest existing automatic doors in Shanghai!

As you lean against the railing of the observation deck, you can watch the ferries on the river while gazing across at the prosperous Pudong New Area, where stand the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai Tower, and many other high-rises, bearing witness to the city’s blossoming in the 21st century. Later, board a 1-hour Huangpu River cruise to immerse yourself in 360-degree panoramic views of this contrasting skyline from a dynamic angle.

After disembarking, follow your guide for a stroll along the famous Nanjing Road connecting with the Bund. Dubbed China’s top pedestrian street like Fifth Avenue in New York, the busy commercial avenue is home to hundreds of modern shopping malls, time-honored brands, and local specialty stores. It represents the cutting-edge technology and fashion of Shanghai, featuring flagship stores and experience centers for tech giants like Apple and Huawei.

All of our exploration concludes here. Your guide will escort you back to your hotel, or you may choose to stay longer on your own to enjoy the vibrant night views. Should you have any other ideas of Shanghai day tours, please do not hesitate to contact us for a tailored itinerary.

► Nighttime Inspiration:
If tired of walking, try the retro tram on Nanjing Road to go back to the Bund, costing CNY 10 (USD 1.4) per person for one way. Rest your legs and enjoy the bustling street thronged with lively crowds. As the sky darkens, the city showcases its razzle-dazzle. Both banks of the Huangpu River will be illuminated by warm yellow lights and colorful neon lights, reflecting off the shimmering river surface, which creates a stunning scene that contrasts history with modernity. The lighting hours are generally between 18:00 and 22:00 or 19:00-23:00. If you happen to visit during a festival or celebration, don’t miss the gorgeous light show, lasting 5 to 10 minutes every half hour, when dazzling lights change with the rhythm of the music.