Shanghai Yu Garden, Old Street, the Bund & Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour

Yu Garden, a classical garden in the old city

Yu Garden, or Yuyuan, was built between 1559 and 1577 by an official of the Ming dynasty as a private garden for his father. Its winding paths lead through pavilions, ponds, artificial rockeries and moon gates, and dragon-topped walls divide the garden into separate scenes. One of its best known features is the Exquisite Jade Rock, a weathered stone prized for its many holes and its delicate shape.

The garden shows how wealthy families in traditional China created miniature landscapes for contemplation, and a guide helps explain the symbolism behind each pond and gateway. If you are asking whether a Yu Garden tour is worth it, the answer is yes, particularly in the early part of the day when the paths are calmer. On Mondays the tour visits the Jade Buddha Temple in place of the garden, and the schedule is arranged accordingly.

Old Street and the City God Temple bazaar

Just outside the garden, the old town's bazaar streets fill with traditional buildings, tea houses, craft stores and small workshops. The area around the City God Temple is the centre of old Shanghai, and its upturned eaves and lantern-hung lanes give a picture of the city before the towers of Pudong appeared.

Your guide leads you along Old Street, where you can browse for silk, paper cuts, tea sets and other souvenirs, and try a Shanghai-style snack. Prices in the shops are negotiable, so a little bargaining is expected. Visitors who search for things to do in Shanghai Old Street will find that a walk here works well in the morning before it fills up.

The Bund and the Pudong skyline

The Bund is the waterfront promenade along the western bank of the Huangpu River, lined by grand early twentieth-century buildings in Neoclassical, Art Deco and Gothic styles. Once the headquarters of banks and trading houses, it now offers one of the world's best-known skyline views, looking across the water to the towers of Pudong, including the Oriental Pearl Tower and the twisting Shanghai Tower.

The Bund is beautiful in the daytime, and it is a favourite for photography with the modern skyline behind the historic buildings. Your guide explains how Shanghai grew from a trading port into a global city. Expect a walk of an hour or so along the river, and if you are asking for the best time to visit the Bund, early morning is peaceful while evening brings the lights.

Zhujiajiao Water Town

Zhujiajiao is a canal town around fifty kilometres west of central Shanghai with a history of well over a thousand years. Narrow waterways run beneath dozens of stone bridges, and old houses, shops and tea houses line the banks. The best known crossing is Fangsheng Bridge, dating from the sixteenth century and the longest and tallest stone bridge in the town.

Your ticket includes Kezhi Garden, a classical garden built in the early twentieth century that mixes local and Western touches. A boat ride on the canals is possible, paid on site, and it offers a lovely view of the houses from the water. If you are looking for a Zhujiajiao day trip from Shanghai, this tour handles the transport for you and is an easy way to see the town.