Private Layover Tour of Shanghai Museum, Yu Garden and Cruise on Huangpu River

Your tour guide will meet you at exit of airport at 08:30 a.m. or your flight arrival time. Then, you will move to the Bund. The Bund is a famous waterfront on the west bank of Huangpu River and regarded as the symbol of Shanghai. Here, the charm of Shanghai as a bustling metropolis combining the century-old history and flourishing future is fully presented, making the Bund Shanghai a must-see attraction. We will see the 26 various buildings of different architectural styles at the Bund. Such as Peace Hotel, Shanghai Customs House and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank. We will see Sculpture on the Bund, Monument to the People's Heroes, Huangpu Park and Waibaidu Bridge. We also can appreciate high rises across the Huangpu River. Then, you will take a cruise to enjoy the scenery along the Huangpu River.

The Huangpu River divides two iconic but different Shanghai sights: high modern buildings in the Pudong area and 26 various buildings of different architectural styles on the west side. We will take a one-hour cruise along the Huangpu River to enjoy the light show and beautiful scenery on both sides of the river including the Bund, the Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center and Jin Mao Tower. Then, you will move to People’s Square and visit Shanghai Museum to learn about profound history and culture of Shanghai.

Shanghai People's Square is located at the very center of Shanghai and is the demarcation point of East Nanjing Road and West Nanjing Road. It is a flourishing place for people to look around. Before 1949, the area of Shanghai People’s Square and the People’s Park was used as a famous horse racetrack which was built in 1861, honored as the “No.1 Racetrack in Far East”. Visitors still can find the ruins for the former main building standing at the northeast part of the People’s Square. You will see many scenic spots around people's square, such as the new Municipal Government Mansion, Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Grand Theater, Shanghai History Museum the Urban Planning Exhibition Hall. Later, we will visit Shanghai Museum.

Located in the center of Shanghai in People's Square, Shanghai Museum is a large museum of ancient Chinese art. Its style and presentation surround visitors with artifacts demonstrating ancient wisdom and philosophy. The exterior design of the round dome and the square base symbolizes the ancient idea of a round heaven and a square land. The museum is divided into eleven galleries and three exhibition halls. The eleven galleries cover most of the major categories of Chinese art: Ancient Bronze, Ancient Ceramics, Paintings, Calligraphy, Ancient Sculpture, Ancient Jade, Coins, Ming and Qing Furniture, Seals, and Minority Nationalities. We will see many scenic spots around people's square, such as the new Municipal Government Mansion, Shanghai Grand Theater. Later, you will walk to Yunnan Road. According to your preference, your guide will recommend a place to eat, which could be a small local eatery or elegant cuisine restaurant.

This building used to be the pinnacle of Night life in Shanghai many years ago. Da Shi Jie was the happening place in the foreign settlement area in Shanghai. Crowds flocked there to see the novelties and enjoy themselves. On the first floor they still have the "magic mirrors" which were brought over from the Netherlands many decades ago. Some of the shows still survive. From beautifully woven carpets in Xinjiang, to cave paintings in Ningxia, to a wide variety of skilled artisans showing off their handicrafts.

Shanghai Old Street, historically called Miaoqian Dajie, is an old business street that has a combination of tourist attractions, shops, entertainment and cultural exhibits. It owes its special social attractions and rich commercial background to the fact that the earliest bank, gold shop, jeweler's store, wine shop and tea house of the city were all to be found here. Visiting the old alleys of Shanghai is a great way to discover the traditional culture of this city and experience the real life of the Shanghainese. Then, we visit the largest of Shanghai's ancient gardens - Yu Garden.

Later, you will be shown around Yu Garden which was first built in 1559 during the Ming Dynasty by Pan Yunduan as a comfort for his father, the minister Pan En, in his old age. Pan Yunduan began the project after failing one of the imperial exams, but his appointment as governor of Sichuan postponed construction for nearly twenty years until 1577.  Yu Garden is small in size, but it contains all elements that a classical Chinese garden should have. The pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and cloisters all have unique characteristics. The garden has six areas, each with its own style.

The Old Town God Temple of Shanghai, with far-reaching history, attracts a lot of tourists from all over the world to visit. As well as praying, visitors to the Old City God Temple can watch some folk performances, can take part in cockfighting, special calligraphy and some other acrobatic performances. The Old City God Temple is most famous for its local snacks, and as such is a real kingdom of delicious food with many different kinds of restaurants spread along the streets. Afterwards, enjoy comfortable transfer back to airport to catch your flight or nearby hotel. Wrap your memories and say good-bye.