Focus on Architecture!

 “First we shape our buildings and afterwards our buildings shape us.”, Winston Churchill once said.

The Shikumen residential buildings are the creation of the Shanghai people who were born and brought up here, with the Shikumen spirit inside them. People and buildings are in fact inseparable. To understand the Shanghainese, to understand Shanghai, to understand more about China, we need to walk in alleys and streets. In addition, food is an indispensable part of culture. Especially, you will understand more about people when you are in a totally Chinese restaurant.   

Duration:

• 4 hours

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Meeting Point:

• We will arrange the most convenient meeting point according to the situation of the guest(s).

Meeting Time:

• 8:30am to 12am; 3:30pm to 7pm (you can choose one; if you book the private tour, you can decide the staring time you prefer.)

Available Languages:

• English

• Chinese

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Tour fee:

• 120 US dollars/person

• 20 US dollars for extra person

Inclusions:

• Meal (lunch/dinner depending on tour start time)

• Entrance fee to Lu Xun's former residence

• Local English-speaking Guide

Exclusions:

• Gratuities (optional)

• Additional food and drinks (food and drinks outside of the meal section of the tour)

Check out if this walking tour is suitable for you:

• love walking (this tour is based on walking)

• are Interested in local architecture , local culture, local life

• are willing to try different types Chinese food (meal may not just be Shanghai food, but food from all over China)

• want to get away from touristy places and the city centre

• are curious about new things

• have been to Shanghai before and want to see different sides of the city

What can you expect on this tour:

• Lots of secret streets, different styles of architecture, a local park

• Authentic and unusual Chinese Food (included one meal)

• Visit the former home of a famous Chinese writer - Lu Xun's former residence (tickets included).

• English Expert Guide

• Caring Service (the tour will not be a set system, we can change a lot details according to your personal preferences)

You may see elderly people look for spouses for them, playing Tai Chi, dancing in the park, playing chess, having haircuts outside etc. But, these depend on the weather and dates. This is real life, not a show.

Itinerary:

The walking tour will have two available starting times: morning tours will begin at 8:30am and end roughly around 12pm; afternoon tours begin at 3:30pm and finish around 7pm. You will meet your guide at a suitable pre-arranged location.

Your guide will begin by introducing the old streets around Lu Xun’s former residence, where you will glimpse the traditional Shanghainese way of life. Marvel at the peaceful and untouched surroundings as your guide offers you an insight into this area’s historical significance.

Next, you will visit the interior of Lu Xun’s former residence, allowing you to observe a traditional Shanghai-style residence. Your guide will offer you a brief summary of Lu Xun’s importance in Chinese literary history. After that, you will make the short amble to Sweet Love road, a street dedicated to the history of romantic literature.

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Then, your guide will accompany you to the inside of a Shikumen area, which is the traditional Shanghai-style residential area. Here, you will enjoy some of the best-preserved Shikumen architecture in the city, which your guide will illuminate with a detailed narration. After exiting the Shikumen, your guide will take you past some local markets, selling locally made products. A short walk away from there will take you to the Cultural Celebrities Street, which is a beautiful cobbled walkway with vintage and second-hand shops, calligraphy stores, monuments dedicated to Chinese historical and literary figures, and a Chinese-style church.

Following on from that, your guide will take you to an authentic and unique local restaurant for lunch/dinner (depending on the start time).

After eating, your guide will take you through some more interesting local streets on the way to Lu Xun Park. Here you will glimpse Chinese leisure culture, including old people practicing Tai Chi and playing Mahjong, as well as public dating for the elderly – a very unique sight that your guide will help explain! In the park, you will also visit Lu Xun’s burial site and enjoy the traditional Chinese-style manicured flower arrangements. Finally, upon leaving the park, your guide will direct you to the adjoining Hongkou Football Stadium, home of Shanghai Shenhua, a great example of Shanghai’s modern architecture and an interesting contrast to the traditional buildings observed during the tour.

At the end of the tour, your guide will help you find the relevant transportation for your departure and you will bid your guide farewell.