4 Day Shanghai + Hangzhou Highlights Tour

Arrive in Shanghai, the Pearl of the Orient, and be welcomed enthusiastically by your local Shanghai guide. With a focus on making this experience as enriching as possible, your guide and driver will transfer you to the hotel sharing a little of Shanghai’s highlights, history, and culture. Once checked in, you’ll have time to explore at your own pace either in and around the hotel precinct, or further afield if you’re feeling adventurous. Make the most of the remainder of the day, visiting local sights, enjoying the local food options, or by booking into an evening show.

Meals included: None

Notes: Remember we can help with guidance on where to eat and what to see in your free time, including making recommendations and bookings, if required. Shanghai offers many unique experiences and we’re happy to share our insider tips for making beautiful travel memories in this exciting city. Just ask us!

Shanghai is truly an international city and you’ll understand why when you start your day by visiting the Shanghai Museum, which is home to over 140,000 artifacts. You’re welcome to wander on your own or walk with your local guide as they share the Shanghai’s history and culture.

From the Shanghai Museum, you’ll move on to The Bund. Without question, there are few places that capture the intersection of commerce and culture quite like this iconic streetscape. Famous for its location in proximity to the trading centre of Shanghai, the Bund is an outstanding example of colonial Shanghai . Classically beautiful buildings that overlook the Huangpu River add to the old world feel. While shopping may not be your priority, it’s hard to miss the busiest shopping precinct in China, Nanjing Road. A wander through this seemingly infinite shopping precinct will open your eyes to shopping China-style. A place where big is better, you’ll find international brands and high street fashion stores pitched alongside quirky silk traders and tiny hole-in-the-wall shops selling every imaginable thing.

For a total change of pace, you’ll welcome a visit to the Yuyuan Garden. Once the residence of a prestigious local merchant, Yuyuan Garden is thoughtfully designed and beautifully maintained. Here it is a quiet and tranquil and the ideal place to wander in contemplation and perhaps capture some beautiful images.

From here you’ll face the bustle of Shanghai again as you stroll around the nearby Chenghuangmiao bazaars and make a worthwhile detour by visiting the Shikumen Museum in New Spot (XinTianDi) for a true taste of old world Shanghai. Be transported back to Shanghai of the 1920’s and gain an insight into the daily life of people involved in trade and commerce during the period of the Former French Concession.

Make the most of your afternoon by wandering the quieter streets of Dongping Road or Sinan Road in the Former French Concession, where you will find the essence of classic Shanghai captured in this historical retail and residential precinct. Wander past the former residences of famous Chinese politicians and artists and appreciate the architecture and gardens, the style of which date from the 1920s. Your day’s explorations concludes when you are returned to the hotel. Feel free to consult with your guide about options for dinner or and evening show.

Meals included: Breakfast

Note: As the Shanghai Museum is closed to public on Mondays, a visit to the Shanghai History Museum is arranged as an alternative.

Looking for iconic Shanghai mementos to remember your travel adventure? Talk to your local guide. With personal knowledge of where to find silk, porcelain, and other treasures, your guide can save you time and ensure your purchase is authentic.

Today’s adventure starts when you are collected by your guide and driver at the hotel lobby for transfer to the train station where you’ll board the high speed train to Hangzhou. Awaiting you in Hangzhou is the vast West Lake, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, a place of beauty, legend and wonder, in the middle of this bustling modern city. Your local guide in Hangzhou will take you on a memorable walk to see the famous Broken Bridge, Su Causeway and Red Carp Pond, sharing the folk stories behind each of them along the way. From here you’ll move to the renowned Lingyin Temple. Standing on the western corner of West Lake, Lingyin Temple impressively dates back to 326 AD. Discover the beautiful carvings and paintings on the walls and ceilings in different halls. Appreciate the strong Buddhist belief of the worshippers and burn some incense in the spirit of the occasion. Follow your guide to view inscriptions at Feilai Peak, the most famous of which are Happy Buddha and Eighteen Arhats. At the end of the day, you will be escorted to the train station for the high speed train back to Shanghai. Upon arrival, you will be met and returned to your hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast

Start your day at a leisurely pace until check out, at which time you’ll be collected by your guide and driven you to the airport for travel to your next destination.

Meals included: Breakfast