Shanghai in a Nutshell

You will be picked up from your hotel and taken in an air-conditioned coach for a historical and cultural sightseeing tour of Shanghai. An English-speaking tour guide will accompany you on this tour.

The highlights of your tour include:

Jade Buddha Temple: The Jade Buddha Temple is an active one and was built between 1911 and 1918 by the Song Dynasty. Inside, the centrepiece is a 2 metre-high white jade Buddha, which was installed here after a monk brought it from Burma to Zhejiang Province in 1882. The seated Buddha, encrusted with jewels, is said to weigh one ton. A smaller, reclining Buddha lies on a redwood bed. In the large hall, are three gold-plated Buddhas.

Fresh Water Pearl Gallery: Your next stop is the Fresh Water Pearl Gallery. Here, you will see the process of pearl cultivation. One lucky participant will be presented with a single pearl from a mussel.

Ren Min Square: People's Square (Ren Min Guang Chang) is a vast public square surrounded by government buildings. Truly an urban park, it features manicured greenery and, at its heart, the architecturally impressive Shanghai Museum. Other features include a 320-square-meter water fountain, subway station and an underground shopping mall.

Shanghai Museum: One of the most scenic spots in Shanghai, the building is designed in keeping with Feng Shui principles. Its collections encompasses over 120,000 pieces of cultural relics in twelve categories, including bronze, ceramics, calligraphy, paintings, jades, numismatics, furniture, seals, sculptures, minority art and foreign art. Shanghai Museum is especially famous for its collection of bronzes, ceramics, paintings and calligraphy. It is recommended that you to rent an audio phone (US$5) to make the 1.5 hours’ visit even more memorable.

Stop for lunch at a local restaurant.

The tour then continues to:

Yu Garden: The Yu Garden or the Garden of Peace and Comfort is in the Old City. It is a reconstructed classical Chinese garden that was originally built during the Ming Dynasty. There are over 40 buildings, ancient trees, ponds, bridges and sculptures. Built beside the Temple of the City God and covering only fives acres, its 30 pavilions are linked by corridors, artificial hills, bridges over lotus pools, groves of bamboo and walls occupied by stone dragons. As one walks through the garden, the view changes with every step.

The Bund: The Bund on Shanghai’s waterfront is a showcase of pre-1949 architecture. The 4-kilometer long Bund starts from the Baidu Bridge, which is at the connecting point of the Huangpu River and the Suzhou Creek, to the East Jinling Road. Walking along the Bund, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower can be seen on the opposite side and also the Jin Mao Tower. The two most famous buildings on the Bund are the Peace Hotel and the domed edifice that was once the headquarters of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank Corporation (HSBC), one of the largest banks in the world today. The Bund was once known as the financial capital of Asia.

Silk factory:The silk factory in Shanghai is not only an interesting place to see how Chinese silk has been produced since the 14th century, but also a desirable site to purchase it at a low price.

French Concession District: Drive along the former French Concession District, characterized by beautiful, tree-lined streets and weathered European architecture.

Xin Tian Di: At your next stop, you’ll finally be able to stretch your legs in Shanghai’s hottest new entertainment district, Xin Tian Di. The brick buildings on these two-square blocks have been preserved and transformed into trendy clubs, restaurants and boutiques. You will have time on your own here, or you can go back to your hotel with the group.

At the end of the tour, you will be dropped back at your hotel in Shanghai