Shanghai City Break (Standard)

On arrival in Shanghai, you'll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. On arrival, the rest of the day is free for you to relax in the hotel or head out and start exploring.

After breakfast, the day begins with a visit to Yu Garden and the surrounding Old Bazaar (closed on Mondays). Yu Garden is one of Shanghai’s finest classical gardens and a must-see attraction. Dating back to the Ming Dynasty, it was built by the government official Pan Yunduan as a peaceful retreat for his parents to enjoy their retirement. The garden’s traditional pavilions, rockeries and ponds offer a glimpse into classical Chinese garden design. Just outside, the lively Old Bazaar is filled with shops selling local snacks, handicrafts and jewellery - bargaining is part of the experience.

You then visit the Jade Buddha Temple, one of Shanghai’s most important Buddhist temples. Originally built in 1882 to house two jade Buddha statues brought from Burma by the monk Huigen, the temple was destroyed during the revolution that ended the Qing Dynasty. The precious statues were saved, and the temple was rebuilt on its current site in 1928, where it remains an active place of worship today.

Lunch is served at a local restaurant, and in the afternoon you visit a silk factory to learn about China’s long tradition of silk production.

Later, enjoy a stroll along Nanjing Road and the Bund. Nanjing Road, stretching 5.5 kilometres from the Bund to Jing’an Temple, is China’s most famous shopping street and a showcase of Shanghai’s modern energy. Continue to the Bund, the city’s iconic waterfront along the Huangpu River, where historic buildings stand opposite Shanghai’s futuristic skyline - a striking symbol of the city’s past and future. You return to the hotel by private vehicle.

This morning, enjoy breakfast at the hotel before you transfer to Zhujiajiao Water Town, a charming ancient town with a history of more than 1,700 years. Covering an area of 47 square kilometres, this small fan-shaped town is often referred to as the Venice of Shanghai. Set among rivers, lakes and stone bridges, Zhujiajiao is the best preserved of Shanghai’s four ancient water towns and offers a wonderful insight into traditional life south of the Yangtze River.

Lunch is served at a local restaurant before you continue exploring Zhujiajiao Water Town, including a 30-minute cruise on a traditional wooden sculling boat. Gliding along the canals provides a different perspective of the town’s historic houses, arched bridges and waterside lanes. Later, you head back to downtown Shanghai and transfer to the hotel. Dinner is at your leisure.

Your tour comes to an end after breakfast and hotel-check-out. An included transfer takes you to the airport or railway station for your onward journey.