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Offered languages
- English
Unlike big-bus tours, this walk is capped at just 4 guests and led by a born-and-raised Shanghainese host, not a script-reading guide. You’ll get the best of both worlds: Shanghai’s iconic sights, like the classical Yu Garden and the tree-lined streets of the former French Concession, plus the hidden side only locals know. We eat where Shanghainese actually eat, in family-run shops and quiet lanes no guidebook covers, and we also stop at the city’s trendiest spots, so you won’t miss the places everyone is talking about. Along the way, you’ll learn real skills for the rest of your China trip: setting up Chinese mobile payment, riding the metro, and ordering food by yourself. It feels like exploring with a local friend, and the route flexes to whatever interests you most.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
I will wait for you at Exit 7.
Itinerary
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1
We start where Shanghai began — the narrow streets of the old walled city, far from the rebuilt tourist bazaar. Your first tasting is breakfast the local way: flaky scallion pancakes and warm soy milk from a stall that's been here longer than I've been alive.
1 hour • Admission ticket free -
2Yuyuan Old Street
Next, we step into the beating heart of old Shanghai: the Yu Garden Bazaar. Beneath sweeping Ming- and Qing-style rooftops, upturned eaves and rows of red lanterns, this is where Shanghai has shopped, snacked and prayed for some 600 years. We’ll visit the City God Temple (Chenghuang Miao), the Taoist temple that has watched over the city since the Ming dynasty. Locals still come here to light incense and pray for luck, exam success and good business, and I’ll show you how to read the temple the way Shanghainese do. Then we cross the famous Nine-Zigzag Bridge toward the historic Huxinting Teahouse. Legend says evil spirits can only travel in straight lines, so the zigzags keep them away!
1 hour • Admission ticket free -
3Former French Concession
Our walk begins at Bugaoli, a lane neighborhood built in 1930. Its shikumen, or “stone gate” houses, blend Western row-house design with the Chinese courtyard tradition. Look up at the arched entrance, where the name appears in both Chinese and French: “Cité Bourgogne.” People still live here, so you’ll see laundry drying overhead and neighbors chatting in the lanes. Bugaoli sits in the heart of the former French Concession, governed by France from the mid-1800s until 1943. Its European character survives in the tall plane trees lining the streets. Planted over a century ago, they form a green canopy in summer and turn golden in autumn. What makes this area special is its relaxed daily life: older residents playing cards, people cycling to the market, and little cafés sitting beside traditional noodle shops. Slow down and enjoy Shanghai at its most charming.
1 hour • Admission ticket free -
4Tian Zi Fang
1、Our last stop is Tianzifang, a maze of old lanes that artists began transforming in the late 1990s. Today the former homes and small factories are filled with galleries, craft shops, cafés and bars. It’s a perfect place to wander, shop for souvenirs and enjoy a drink while soaking up the atmosphere of old and new Shanghai. 2、We end sitting down with a proper bowl of scallion oil noodles and wontons at my favorite family-run shop, time for all your China questions, and my personal recommendation list for the rest of your trip.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
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Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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