Excursion The water town of zhujiajiao by private van & guide - full day tour at Shanghai

Venture beyond the modern metropolis of Shanghai to discover one of East China's traditional waterside towns on this intriguing this full-day outing with your exclusive guide in your air-conditioned van.Your private tour is for up to 4 of your friends and family. Situated beside the Dianshanhu Lake, Zhujiajiao illustrates the customs and culture of old-world China.

Commencing your journey at the pier, travel approximately an hour and a half past rustic farms and rippling fields of rice to Zhujiajiao, an ancient water town well-known throughout the country with a history of more than 1,700 years. Covering an area of 18 square miles (47 square kilometres), the little fan-shaped town glimmers like a bright pearl in the landscape of lakes and mountains. Endowed with another elegant name - Pearl Stream - the little town is the best-preserved among the four ancient towns in Shanghai. Unique old bridges across bubbling streams, small rivers shaded by willow trees, and houses with attached courtyards all transport people, who are living amidst the hustle and bustle of the modern big city, to a world full of antiquity, leisure and tranquillity.

Upon arrival in this small town, leisurely make your way along meandering streets and narrow alleyways on foot. Admire Zhujiajiao's numerous stone bridges and centuries-old buildings of white wall or black brick. Reminiscent of Venice's canals, local women display their wares from wooden boats bobbing in the water. Although this community boasts 36 moss-covered bridges, the most famous is the five-arched Fangsheng Bridge, a remnant of the Ming dynasty.

Continue your exploration at Daqing Youju, a post office that dates back to the Qing dynasty, the only remnant of its kind in East China. Visit the Tongtianhe Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, the largest in Zhujiajiao that accounted for almost half of the business scale of all pharmacies in the area in late Qing dynasty. For centuries, this Pharmacy has established its fame among the locals as it has adhered to the principle of 'Healing the Pain & Saving the Life' based on traditional Chinese ethics and medical culture. Today, the essence of traditional business and prescription practices as well as the original 'Shikumen'-style front gate and some of the old furniture have been well retained.

We suggest you stop for a traditional lunch of Chine-style cuisine served at a local restaurant. Following lunch, visit a silk factory where you have the opportunity of observing some of the ancient techniques in producing this elegant fabric. See the workers removing the fibres from cocoons before winding them onto spools. Later see how the fibres are woven into silk threads.

Relax in your private vehicle for the return driver to Shanghai.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Zhujiajiao, Daqing Youju, Tongtianhe Traditional Chinese Pharmacy

Note

Please note: This tour is non-refundable if cancelled within 48 hours prior to the cruise start date. This programme is sold per van and will accommodate up to 4 of your friends and family.  Only one person in your party need request this programme by selecting one ticket, which represents the vehicle and not the number of guests. This tour requires an extensive amount of walking for about 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometres) with approximately 80 steps to climb. It is not suitable for guests with limited mobility or those who utilise a wheelchair. Dress in casual layers and wear comfortable walking shoes. The order of sites seen or visited may vary.  This is a suggested itinerary and you reserve the right to make changes after speaking with your exclusive guide. Traffic may cause delays.