Shanghai: Top Five Must-See Downtown Highlights Private Day Tour

We offer two exclusive package options for this private day tour to fit your travel needs, with a private English-speaking guide and driver at your service for both choices.
Option 1 (Basic): Includes private English-speaking guide and private transfer service only; you pay for attraction tickets and meals on-site at your own expense.
Option 2 (All-Inclusive): Covers private English-speaking guide, private transfer service, all entrance tickets to the five highlights, and a authentic local lunch featuring Shanghai’s world-famous xiaolongbao (steamed soup dumplings).

Your private tour starts with our guide and driver picking you up directly from your downtown Shanghai hotel, kicking off your seamless and personalized sightseeing experience of the city’s most iconic spots. All five stops are Shanghai’s unmissable downtown highlights, and the entire itinerary is fully customizable—you can discuss with your guide to add other attractions or adjust the visiting order according to your preferences.
1. Yu Garden & Yuyuan Bazaar
Yu Garden is Shanghai’s most renowned classical Chinese garden, boasting exquisite rockeries, winding corridors, tranquil ponds and traditional pavilions that embody the beauty of Jiangnan garden art. Follow your guide to wander the garden’s delicate scenery and learn about its time-honored cultural stories; then explore the adjacent Yuyuan Bazaar, a lively traditional market lined with small shops and local vendors, where you can browse unique souvenirs, handcrafted artworks, folk crafts and classic Shanghai packaged snacks.

One of Shanghai’s most famous Buddhist temples, the Jade Buddha Temple is a serene haven of Buddhist culture in the bustling city, with grand and elegant traditional Chinese temple architecture and a peaceful spiritual atmosphere. Your guide will walk you through the temple’s main halls and sacred spaces, and you’ll admire the two precious jade Buddha statues (a seated one and a reclining one) imported from Burma—treasures of the temple—while learning about the temple’s Buddhist heritage and historical background from your guide’s detailed explanations.

3. Shanghai Tower
As China’s tallest building and the world’s second-highest skyscraper, Shanghai Tower is a modern architectural marvel of the city, featuring a stunning spiral design and panoramic observation decks with unobstructed views. Follow your guide to the tower’s high-level observation area to take in a breathtaking bird’s-eye view of Shanghai’s urban skyline, spanning the Huangpu River, the Bund and the entire Lujiazui financial district.

4. French Concession
The French Concession is Shanghai’s most charming urban neighborhood, filled with tree-lined streets, vintage French-style villas, cozy cafes and boutique shops, blending French romanticism with local Shanghai style. Stroll along the district’s quiet lanes with your guide, soak up the unique nostalgic and leisurely atmosphere, and discover the area’s historical stories and hidden local gems.

5. The Bund
A world-famous waterfront promenade and the symbol of Shanghai’s modern history, the Bund is lined with magnificent historic buildings of various Western architectural styles—known as the "World Architecture Expo". Your guide will lead you along the Huangpu River waterfront, introduce the history and architectural features of these iconic buildings, and let you enjoy the stunning view of Lujiazui’s modern skyline across the river.
At the end of the tour, our guide and driver will drop you back to your downtown hotel for your convenience. Alternatively, you can choose to stay at the Bund to wander freely and enjoy its spectacular evening view if you wish.