4 Days Shanghai In-depth Tour with Sidetrip to Suzhou

Day 1 Shanghai Arrival

Airport/train station/cruise port Pick up, Free Time

Ni Hao! Welcome to Shanghai - China's dazzling Magic City, where futuristic skylines meet timeless charm in a metropolis that never slows down!

Upon arrival, you will be met by a local tour guide at the arrival hall of the airport/train station/port and escorted to check in your hotel in downtown by a private comfortable vehicle. The rest of today is on your own to relax. If you want to explore nearby, feel free to get some practical suggestions from your tour guide.

Optional Activity - Attend an entertaining Acrobatic Show, including breathtaking “balls of death” acts, chair balancing, hula hoops, juggling of benches, walking in the air, and other breathtaking performances.

Arrival Ideas: At present, there are many international and many domestic flights to and from Shanghai. Also, you can arrive in Shanghai city by taking a high speed train from Beijing (4.5-6hrs), Xian (6-8hrs), Hangzhou (1hrs), Suzhou (30mins), Huangshan (2.5-4hrs), and so on.

• Our curstomer enjoyed the beautiful night view of Shanghai

Day 2 Shanghai City Highlights Tour (B, L)

Today's Highlights: Shanghai Museum, Tianzifang, Shanghai Tower, The Bund

After breakfast, your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel to start your Shanghai exploration. Your will firstly visit Lujiazui and ride one of the world's fastest elevators to the 118th-floor observation deck (at 546 meters / 1,791 feet) of the Shanghai Tower — the tallest building in China and the third tallest in the world, standing at 632 meters (2,073 feet). From this incredible height, you'll enjoy a jaw-dropping 360° panoramic view of Shanghai's dynamic skyline, including the modern Pudong area, the historic Bund, and the winding Huangpu River.

Then, drive to the Shanghai Museum East, one of the Four Best Museums in China. There are over one billion cultural relics related to Chinese ancient history and art are exhibited inside, including precious bronzes, paintings, calligraphy, ceramics, jade, sculptures, traditional furniture, seals and old coins from more than 5,000 years ago to the Qing Dynasty. Da Ke Ding(bronze food vessel in over 3000 years ago), Bianzhong of Marquis Su of Jin (ancient musical instruments) are the top treasures to visit. An Audio Explanation Device will help you better learn the facts and knowledge of the exhibitions.

Next, drive to Tianzifang, a unique popular tourist enclave remolded from a traditional residential block in old town of Shanghai. Intertwined narrow alleys are filled with small creative shops selling lovely souvenirs and plenty of cafés, bars and restaurants. It’s great fun to ramble through the maze-like area to appreciate the well-preserved traditional Shanghainese Shikumen (Stone Warehouse Gate) houses, see interesting novel art and handicrafts, savor a lazy open-air coffee time and try some local street food and feel the original Shanghai life vibe.

Later, get to Nanjing Road, Shanghai’s earliest commercial street and one of the most popular current landmarks. Lots of big name brands, restaurants, cafés, souvenir shops and towering buildings can be seen when you stroll around this busy pedestrian mall. Continue your walk to the Bund, the No.1 attraction in Shanghai and the best viewing deck for the skyline of Lujiazui across the Huangpu River, a cluster of futuristic skyscrapers including Shanghai Tower, Jinmao Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, and Oriental Pearl Tower rising from what was once a fishing village. The view captures Shanghai's extraordinary transformation from a treaty port to a global financial hub and innovation powerhouse. Lined with 52 historic European-style buildings, the Bund is also often hailed as an open-air museum of world architecture. Take a pleasant stroll along the promenade, enjoying both the grandeur of the past and the futuristic skyline.

After the tour, drive back to your hotel. (If you want to spend free time at the Bund, Nanjing Road or somewhere else please let your tour guide know.)

Optional Activity - Take a relaxing Huangpu River night cruise to see the city’s most significant edifices and streets sparkling under the atmospheric cover of darkness (about 50 minutes).

• The View of Lujiazui from the Bund, Shot by Our Guest Laszlo
• Da Ke Ding in Shanghai Museum
• Sanchez's Family from Mexico took a Huangpu River Cruise in 2019
• Rajeev's group from India visited Shanghai World Financial Center with China Discovery

Day 3 Shanghai - Suzhou - Shanghai (B, L)

Today's Highlights: Zhouzhuang Water Town, Lingering Garden

After breakfast, you will be picked up and driven about 1.5 hours from Shanghai to the beautiful Zhouzhuang Water Town in Suzhou City. Reputed as the No.1 Water Town in China, Zhouzhuang is one of the “Ten Most Beautiful Towns in the Globe” and “World Charming Water Town” with a long history of over 1000 years, appealing sightseeing and authentic flavor of regions south of Yangtze River in China. Visiting Zhouzhuang Ancient Town, you can see 14 ancient particular stone bridges built in Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, multiple courtyards linking together on the winding water, more than 800 residents living by the river, etc., which is exactly the look of serene historic water town in east China. Besides the scenery, the special folk culture in Zhouzhuang will tell you about the real gem of culture in Wu area and the sole of this charming place. Famous attractions include the Double Bridge, Old Drama Stage, Cultural Street, Zhang’s Residence and Shen's Residence, etc. (Optional activity - take a relaxing cruise on the water canals at your personal expense)

Then, transfer to downtown Suzhou to visit Lingering Garden, one of the Four Greatest Gardens in China as well as the perfect representative of traditional Suzhou Gardens. The Lingering Garden has synthesized almost all the classic features of Suzhou gardens. It is composed of residential areas, shrines, family temple and garden, making full use of the changes between big and small, bend and straight, bright and dark, tall and low, tight and disperse, with the surrounding landscapes, such as plants, lakes, sky, etc. as backgrounds to create an ingenious system of space. Stepping into the garden, you will find the architectures, rockeries, corridors, pavilions, ponds and trees in Lingering Garden are all standing in the best place, neither too crowded nor too sporadic. The most incredible thing is that, in the same place, looking from different angles, you can enjoy different scenery. Making a step, you will get another feeling of another kind of scenery.

After all sightseeing, drive back to Shanghai.

• Our delighted customers visited Lingering Garden in May 2017
• Peaceful Zhouzhuang Water Town, Taken by Our Guest from Australia

Day 4 Shanghai Tour & Shanghai Departure (B)

Todays' Highlights: Wukakng Road, Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Center

This morning, take a leisurely walk on the charming Wukang Road which was a special premier living quarter and retail district for expats in early Shanghai (from 1849 AD until 1943 AD). You will browse hundreds of old European-style buildings, apartments, villas, boutique shops, restaurants of a wide range of culinary styles standing among the ultra-modern architecture complex. It is a significant window into the city’s up-and-down history.

Move on to the next site, Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Center, a small private museum to catch a special glimpse of the 20th century history of China. More than 400 interesting exhibits are displayed, including original Dazibao (Big Character Poster) and woodcuts, arm bands, pretty Shanghai Lady Posters from early 20th century to the 1970s China. You can see many Chinese stylized images, explicit slogans for advocating economical and technological development, as well as beautiful Shanghai Lady calender posters reflecting early fashion trend and advertising creativity, which are all with good explanation.

After the short visit, your guide and driver take you to the airport/train station/curise port for your next destination or home. Tour ends.

• Propaganda Posters Exhibited in Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Center
• Wukang Road City Walk
• Shikumen Architecture in Xintiandi