Vibrant Shanghai: Riverside Glamour & Deco Dreams

Hello and welcome to China’s financial powerhouse — Shanghai. We meet at the hotel at 1:00 pm for a welcome meeting, where you’ll get to know your fellow travellers and go over the details of the journey ahead. After that, the adventure begins. Our first stop is Yu Garden, a beautifully preserved Ming Dynasty garden with a history of more than 400 years. Wander through its clever layout of elegant pavilions, rockeries and zigzagging corridors. Keep an eye out for highlights such as the Yu Ling Long (one of the Three Famous Stones of Jiangnan), the iconic Nine-Turn Bridge and the Huxinting Teahouse. Just outside the gates of Yu Garden, we step straight into the lively food haven of City God Temple — a buzzing maze of stalls and snack shops. We highly recommend trying Nanxiang Xiaolongbao, the city’s famous soup dumplings. In the evening, we’ll make our way to the world-famous Bund. Standing along the Huangpu River, you’ll see one side lined with century-old buildings, each telling a story of Shanghai’s storied past, now glowing under the city lights. On the other side, the futuristic skyline of Lujiazui rises with shimmering towers like the Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai Tower. Across the river, past and future meet in a silent conversation, a vivid expression of Shanghai’s openness, ambition, and endless energy.

Enjoy a relaxed morning today. You may like to head to Bugao Li, one of Shanghai’s most representative shikumen neighbourhoods. Built in the 1930s, this lane community is both a protected cultural site and a recognised historic building of the city. Step through its arched stone gateways and it feels as though you’ve slipped back into the atmosphere of old Shanghai. In the afternoon, we visit the Shanghai Museum, often described as one of China’s Four Great Museums. Its circular roof and square base reflect the traditional philosophy of “round heaven, square earth”. Inside, the museum houses ten permanent galleries, including bronze ware, ceramics, painting and calligraphy, and seals. Highlights include Shang and Zhou dynasty bronzes (such as the famous Da Ke Ding), Tang and Song dynasty artworks, and an exceptional collection of Chinese ceramics. For dinner, we’ve chosen a well-loved local restaurant popular with Shanghainese, where you’ll sample classic Benbang cuisine. Expect signature dishes like red-braised pork, stir-fried river prawns and hairy crab with rice cakes. After dinner, you may wish to head to Lujiazui and ascend the observation deck of Shanghai Tower (known as Shanghai’s Top). From here, take in sweeping views of the Bund’s historic lights and Lujiazui’s futuristic skyline glowing below.

This morning, step into one of Shanghai’s most atmospheric neighbourhoods — the heart of the Former French Concession. This isn’t a checklist of sights, but an open-air museum of architecture and everyday life. Sit beneath plane trees as dappled light falls across textured façades, or wander past half-open iron gates revealing rose-filled courtyards and quiet lanes that feel worlds away from the city’s pace. In the afternoon, we take part in a hands-on Xiaolongbao-making experience that blends culinary tradition with a bit of fun. With guidance from a local instructor, learn how to knead dough, roll wrappers and prepare the signature filling — complete with savoury soup jelly — mastering the balance of thin skin, generous filling and plenty of broth. Then, enjoy tasting your own creations. This evening, we recommend heading to Yongkang Road, known for its low-key bars, craft beer spots and late-night cafés. With its relaxed vibe, it’s the perfect place to experience Shanghai’s refined yet easygoing nightlife — best enjoyed at a gentle, unhurried pace.

On the final day of our journey, we head to West Bund, Shanghai’s hub for contemporary art. Once a stronghold of modern industry, dotted with airports, coal docks and cement factories, the area has been transformed into a globally recognised riverside art corridor. Here you’ll find top art spaces such as Long Museum (West Bund), West Bund Art Center, and the Tank Shanghai. Even if you skip the exhibitions, the striking architecture and riverside promenades alone make it worth a visit, full of industrial charm and a hint of the future. This marks the official end of our Shanghai adventure. From here, you’re free to explore and “complete the last piece of your Shanghai puzzle.” Stroll along the Suzhou Creek, a living timeline of the city witnessing its transformation from industrial hub to global metropolis; or head to North Bund for panoramic views of both the historic Bund and the futuristic Lujiazui skyline.