Old City God Temple

Experience all the major highlights of Shanghai on this all-inclusive, full-day private tour. On your private full-day tour, you will:

Known as the ‘Paris of the Orient, Shanghai is steeped in culture, history, and glamour in equal measure. Throughout the day, you’ll see the architectural marvels of the city, and learn all about its cultural heritage, its history, its religion, and its contemporary daily life. 

Your day begins at the famous Jade Buddha Temple, home to a priceless collection of jade statues. The temple is designed in the breathtaking architectural style of the Song Dynasty and is the headquarters of the Shanghai Buddhist Institute. Your guide will then continue on to People’s Square. This beautiful green space is a hub of activity and is surrounded by monuments and museums. 

Next, your private guide will take you to Shanghai Old Town and the enchanting Yuyuan Garden. You will see the old-style buildings of the Ming and Qing Dynasty and have the chance to stop and try delicious local delicacies recommended by your guide. You will also visit the revered Old City of God Temple and learn about its statues in Taoism.

Move on from the traditional and learn more about Shanghai’s present as you head down to the exciting Tianzifang - the ‘Soho of Shanghai’. Walk along with the most famous landmark, the Bund. From this beautiful waterfront, enjoy a perfect end to your day as you take a ferry ride across the Huangpu River to the futuristic Pudong on the east shore. There your guide will orient you around the area and take you to the distinctive Oriental Pearl Radio & Television Tower, where the tour ends, allowing you to enjoy free time in the Pudong area, with the glorious views over the river towards the Bund. 

As China's largest and most affluent city Shanghai is rarely static, a city of mind-blowing proportions and an ever-changing urban footprint. Sky-bound superstructures, gleaming designer malls and sweeping, futuristic bridges characterise this modern megalopolis yet Shanghai - meaning City of The Sea - has a history that spans over a thousand years. On your private guided tour of Shanghai, you will: 

Beginning life as a tiny fishing village, the city now showcases China’s 21st Century dynamism in art and design. Upscale apartments, glitzy bars and restaurants overshadow Shanghai’s humble origins. Yet the city owes much to the Yangzi River delta where China's main waterway completes its 5,500-km journey to the Pacific - the trade route on which Shanghai blended East-meets-West culture was born. 

Parts of Shanghai were once independently ruled by British, French, and American colonists, which has left its telltale mark on the architectural and societal character of the city. This contrasting mix of cultures has paved the way for openness to Western influences found in modern Shanghai. See the ancient and the modern, beginning with the Jade Buddha Temple, a beautiful Song Dynasty-era building flanked by statues. Denoting the geographical heart of the city, leafy People’s Square forms a lively daily hub in the thick of it. In Old Shanghai, see the enchanting Yuyuan Garden and the city’s historic Bazaar amidst a storied building of the Ming and Qing Dynasty. In the 15th century, the Old City of God Temple is a grand place of Taoist worship while the Bund, a mesmerizing 1.5 km esplanade along the Huangpu River—is lined with cafés, restaurants and chi-chi boutiques— boasts prized views of the Lujiazui skyline. Enjoy all of this and more on this fabulous all-inclusive half-day private tour. 

Explore the origins of Shanghai, the mesmerising city by the sea, on this fascinating private walking tour, including all skip the line entrance tickets and public transport. On your private tour you will:

Shanghai is legendary as China’s largest, most highly populated, contemporary city, famous for its glamour, its massive trading port and its highrises; truly a melting pot of modern sights, smells, sounds and people. But this city has its own fascinating history and traditions – which you’ll discover on this immersive and fascinating private walking tour. 

You’ll start on ‘Ancient Corner’ – as its name suggests, it is the oldest corner of the city and part of the Qiao Family’s Road. The Qiao family was the city’s richest trading family, and this road was at the original heart of Shanghai with important temples to the Medicine God as well as the very first local government buildings. 

Next, your knowledgeable guide will lead you to ‘Heavenly Light Lane’ which was the first street in Shanghai to receive public street lights. It is said that the locals believed the light was sent from heaven to guide people home safely. The Old City Gods were and remain hugely important to the people of Shanghai – and you’ll learn all about them as you tour the Old City God Temple (skip the line tickets included). These gods are viewed as patron saints in Taoism, and the temple itself was built to protect the people of Shanghai. It enjoys a high status in the city, and there is an old saying that says ‘he who fails to reach the temple fails to reach Shanghai!’

Finally, watch the tourist crowds fade away as you head off into the laneways on Anren street to see traditional Shanghainese community living, which has disappeared in most other parts of the city. End your tour at the vibrant Flower and Bird Market and the beautiful Yuyuan Garden and Bazaar, which you can explore at your leisure.