In the bustling metropolis of Shanghai – a city where cutting-edge skyscrapers sit right next to centuries-old architecture, the best way to explore is through its dynamic city tours.

Whether you’re a first-time visitor or have already been here before, there’s always some raw, untold story around every corner, throughout hidden alleyways, beautiful green spaces, and modern buildings.

However, if you really want to make the most of your time there, I highly recommend going on one of the 5 top Shanghai city tours. I’ve detailed them all right here, and you can rest assured that they’re all worth your time and money.

Explore Shanghai like a local and discover everything this legendary place has to offer!

Best Private Guided Shanghai City Tours

	Zhujiajiao Water Town and Shanghai City Private Day Tour	Private Shanghai Full Day City Tour with Old and New Highlights	Private Evening Tour: VIP Huangpu River Cruise and Shanghai Lights
Location:	Hotel, airport, or port pickup and drop-off included	Hotel pickup and drop-off included	Hotel pickup and drop-off included
Start:	8:00, 9:00 & 10:00 AM	Between 8:00 AM & 3:30 AM	7:00 PM
Duration:	8 hours	7 to 8 hours	3 to 4 hours
Includes:	Private guide and transport, lunch, dinner in Shanghai (only if option selected), bottled water, Zhujiajiao, Yu Garden, Shanghai Tower admission tickets (if option selected)	Private tour and guide, lunch (if option booked), private driver, air-conditioned vehicle, entrance to Yu Garden and Jade Buddha (if all-inclusive option booked)	All transportation, private driver/guide, VIP class river cruise seat, bottled water, private vehicle
	Tour Information & Booking	Tour Information & Booking	Tour Information & Booking

Quick Answer: The 5 Best Rated Shanghai City Tours For 2025

1. Zhujiajiao Water Town and Shanghai City Private Day Tour
2. Private Shanghai Full Day City Tour with Old and New Highlights
3. Private Evening Tour: VIP Huangpu River Cruise and Shanghai Lights
4. 4-Hour Flexible Private Shanghai City Tour
5. Private Full-Day Tour: Incredible Shanghai Highlights

Shanghai City Tour Reviews

1. Zhujiajiao Water Town and Shanghai City Private Day Tour

I’ll admit that before I first visited Shanghai, I ignorantly thought it was largely going to just be skyscrapers along with a few more “historic” pieces of architecture dotting the city.

Boy was I pleasantly surprised when I was thrown into the bustling mix of futuristic, glittering giant buildings, tranquil waters, and breathtaking ancient architecture. One of the most lovely ways to experience it all is with the Zhujiajiao Water Town and Shanghai City Private Day Tour.

As this is a full-day tour, you can expect it to start off in the morning – however, the exact start time will depend on the best option for you and the rest of your traveling party.

This is a completely private tour so they do work to accomodate your group as well as they can, even offering complimentary pickups from your hotel, airport, or port! Our guide was a local who was clearly incredibly knowledgeable about the history and culture, but also offered us plenty of insight into her personal experiences growing up there.

The itinerary can be customized to suit your specific interests, or if there’s a particular stop you aren’t too keen on, you can work with your guide on an alternative that interests you more.

However, the itinerary we went on was absolutely incredible, starting by driving for around an hour to arrive in the 1,700-year-old Zhujiajiao water town, which really blew my mind!

It was like a more antiquated, traditional version of Venice, complete with charming little lanes, stunning homes with gardens, and truly impeccable views no matter where you looked. We then headed back to Shanghai city, where we had some time to relax in the Yuyuan Garden, which also has hundreds of years of history behind it yet is impressivley well-preserved.

Continue on to the city skyline, soaking in the amazing views, including the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center Tower, as well as various colonial structures along the river. You’ll even have the chance to visit the tallest building in all of China – Shanghai Tower – for completely 360 views of the city below!

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

2. Private Shanghai Full Day City Tour with Old and New Highlights

If you really want to check out all of the main tourist sights in the city in just one day, this next tour is one of the best options.

The Private Shanghai Full-Day City Tour with Old and New Highlights covers quite literally hundreds (if not thousands!) of years of Shanghai’s history, with a friendly and knowledgeable local guide to lead the way.

This flexible, adaptable adventure is a one-of-a-kind experience that I’d recommend to anyone, of any age or background! If you’re someone looking to delve deep into the city’s rich and interesting history while embracing its futuristic vibe, you’re going to love this one.

Starting off with a convenient hotel pickup and the time that works best for you in the morning, you’ll make the most of the day and still be back in time for dinner. If you’re looking to get your bearings and gain a thorough orientation of the city, the guides do a great job.

Ultimately, you’ll get to select the attractions you most want to see, though if it is your first time here, I’d recommend just sticking with the one your guide has planned for you as it’s varied and really explains the city’s culture and history quite well.

I personally recommend selecting the “all-inclusive” tour option, which also includes a delicious traditional lunch and a completely private, air-conditioned vehicle for transport throughout the way.

Start by exploding the colonial-era promenade of “The Bund” right on the river, which was actually where the powers from other countries who came to Shanghai after the Opium War of 1842 built their trading houses.

It was nice to then step into the tranquil Chinese Yu Garden, where we got to learn about and see traditional Qing-Dynasty architecture, walk along the lucky Nine Zigzag Bridge, and more (make sure to pick up some cool souvenirs at the bazaar!).

After, we saw some more colonial buildings, along with the French Park, where I saw so many people of all ages enjoying themselves with dancing, Tai-chi, and more. We took a break for an amazing lunch and then headed to the impressive Jade Buddha Temple and went up to the Shanghai Tower viewing platform!

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

3. Private Evening Tour: VIP Huangpu River Cruise and Shanghai Lights

If you’re looking for an incredible date activity or perhaps an experience that just feels a bit more luxurious, you’re in for a real treat.

The Private Evening Tour: VIP Huangpu River Cruise and Shanghai Lights is an exclusive, intimate excursion that offers the perfect way to soak in the breathtaking beauty of the city’s iconic skyline. Cruise along the Huangpu River in style, gliding through the waters on a private, VIP-class boat.

If you’ve never seen Shanghai at night before, prepare for the marvels that will unfold in front of you, with the glittering skyscrapers’ lights reflect off the water as you relax on the comfortable vessel.

As the sun sets, the city really comes alive, with the Bund’s colonial-era buildings lighting up, and the futuristic Lujiazui district’s skyscrapers, it’s a great way to see the contrast between the traditional and modern dynamism.

If you don’t have time for a longer tour or you’d like to experience it after the sun goes down, I can’t think of a better option! Everything is covered with this excursion, from a convenient hotel pickup right from your lobby, to bottled water and the best seats in the house once you’re on the boat!

Upon arrival to your drop-off point, take a little stroll to see the renowned Nine-Zigzag Bridge and other famous structures nearby, before boarding. Your included VIP class tickets will ensure you have prime views throughout your river cruise, where you’ll get to see the Bund, the city’s skyscraper-filled skyline, and the former French Concession at Xin Tian Di!

After the tour is wrapped up, you can opt to stay here (where there’s plenty of great restaurants and pubs to grab dinner or a drink), or your guide can take you back to your hotel. It’s a great way to get to know the city in a relatively short amount of time, in quite possibly the most luxurious way possible.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

4. 4-Hour Flexible Private Shanghai City Tour

Looking to dive deep into Shanghai at your own pace? The 4-Hour Flexible Private Shanghai City Tour is your ticket to venturing through the metropolis on a unique itinerary that caters specifically to you and your interests.

No rigid schedules, no rushing around – just you and your expert guide having a great time checking out breathtaking sights on this carefully-curated adventure through time.

The tour starts off with your guide picking you up either from the airport, your hotel, or the cruise port – whatever you need. Our guide came right to our hotel lobby to escort us to their vehicle, which was super clean, comfortable, and had complete climate control.

Within just a few minutes of chatting with him, it felt like we were longtime friends, and he just happened to know this city like the back of his hand! I don’t know about you, but I’m always the person who takes photos of everything and everyone, and by the end, I never have any photos of myself.

If that’s your case as well, you’ll definitely appreciate how the guide takes photos of you along the way, so you can have a lasting memento to take home with you. I had mentioned to him that I’d already seen

The Bund quite a bit, so we instead went to a picturesque old water town that’s thousands of years old, and he regaled me with an increidbly educational commentary as we traveled along.

After a bit of sightseeing, we stopped for some street food (incredible dumplings!), before making our way to the Yuyuan garden, shopping a bit at the bazaar for knicknacks I couldn’t find back home.

We also spent plenty of time at the French concession, learning about colonial life here and how the convenience of being a port city has transformed Shanghai in so many incredible ways over the years.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

5. Private Full-Day Tour: Incredible Shanghai Highlights

I couldn’t do a guide to the best Shanghai city tours and leave off the Private Full-Day Tour: Incredible Shanghai Highlights! This is yet another tour I’d recommend for anyone who’s visiting for the first time and really wants to jump into the deep end of the local culture and history!

You know China has some amazing food, and this tour offers you the opportunity to try an authentic dumpling lunch, if you’re someone interested in avoiding the tourist food traps.

You are in full control here: you get to select your tour start time (so long as it’s not too late in the day to ensure you get the entire 8 hours), and your guide will pick you up right from your hotel.

If you decide to book the slightly more affordable options, you can travel by taxi or metro, which is also not a bad option if you’d like to learn how to navigate around local transportation. If you don’t speak the language it can be really intimidating, so to have a local there by your side is invaluable.

We saw plenty of the main tourist sites, along with tons of hidden gems I hadn’t seen on any other tour up until this point. If you’re looking for great restaurants to try out later in your trip, along with unique activities, this should be at the top of your list.

Our guide gave us an amazing narrative of the history and culture of Shanghai, dating back quite literally thousands of years, along with plenty of anecdotes to offer insight into what life is really like here.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience