Top Shanghai Unique Experiences

Shanghai is a great city for food lovers, but it can be hard for first-time visitors to know where to find the best bites. Leave the planning to someone else on this local-led, small-group food tour, which takes you off the beaten path. As the sun starts to set, head out to find some of the most authentic regional dishes in the city. Look forward to sampling soup dumplings, noodles, and more, plus drinks.

Get a taste for Shanghai’s startlingly diverse food culture and its culinary specialties, without getting overwhelmed at the many options, on this small-group tasting tour that focuses on breakfast. With your guide in the lead, look forward to trying everything from dumplings and hand-pulled noodles to bubble waffles and more. Along the way, observe tai chi practitioners and water calligraphers in Xiangyang Park, stroll the atmospheric French Concession, and see other highlights.

Unlike standard daytime Zhujiajiao tours, this private half-day tour is timed for late afternoon and early evening, when the crowds fade and the canals, bridges, lantern streets, and water reflections become more atmospheric. The experience focuses on a relaxed water-town walk, local stories, photo spots, and optional upgrades such as a boat ride or Kezhi Garden visit when available. On the return journey, your driver can drop you off anywhere within downtown Shanghai, so you may continue enjoying the city’s night views, such as the illuminated Yuyuan Garden area or the Bund.

Enjoy an authentic cultural experience during a private tea ceremony in Shanghai with a respected master of tea. Learn about the cultural significance of the beverage with your English-speaking guide and educate your palate to the delicate and distinctive flavors of different types of tea, including black, oolong, Pu-erh and green tea, then perform the tea ritual to cement your newly acquired skills.

Lift the lid on Shanghai’s tea culture and sweet treats on this small-group afternoon tea and dessert tour. Stroll along Huaihai Road and after sampling Chinese mooncakes, visit a tea house for a classic tea ceremony. Taste delicate Chinese green and black teas as you discover traditional tea drinking etiquette, and finish at a Cantonese dessert restaurant to try popular cold sweets such as milk pudding and mousse cake.

Wan Ling will share her unique experiences of sourcing the teas you will enjoy during the experience. As we know the exact provenance of each of the teas, we can share about each tea's journey from field to cup, as well as give you an insight into the people and places behind the teas. Our tea house provides a calm and relaxing space, which allows you to focus on enjoying the tea and gaining a deeper understanding of Chinese tea and tea culture. You are encouraged to engage and ask any questions you have, so we hope that you will feel confident when talking and enjoying tea in the future.

One of the biggest cities in the world, Shanghai can be overwhelming on a first encounter. Get to know the city with a passionate local on a private adventure that’s tailored to your unique interests: Feel free to request specific destinations in advance or simply outline your interests and let your local make the choices. Please note that any transportation costs or entrance and activity fees are at your expense.

If there's one Chinese delicacy that no foodie visiting Shanghai should miss, it's tea. Learn all about this favored Chinese beverage with a full-day, private tour to Hangzhou, a celebrated tea producing region. After swift travel direct from you hotel, you can visit the tea museum, learn how tea is grown, and even sample some Dragon Well Green Tea—included in the tour.

Take in the highlights of beautiful Hangzhou on a private guided full-day tour from Shanghai. After hotel pickup and transfer by high-speed train (extra fee) to Hangzhou, explore West Lake, enjoy a boat cruise, savor lunch, and visit Faxi Temple. Afterwards, learn about tea culture at Longjing village before returning to Shanghai.