Wuzhen Water Town Tour from Shanghai, No Shopping

After enjoying the hustle and bustle of Shanghai, you cannot miss the nearby centuries-old water towns, reminiscent of the “Venice of the East”, to touch their poetic, cultural souls steeped in a laid-back ambience. As one of the most beautiful ancient towns in South China, Wuzhen Water Town is selected as our destination today for its perfect blend of local unique heritage and tourist-friendly experience.

Around 9:00 in the morning, your private guide and driver will wait for you at your own booked hotel in downtown Shanghai.
► Alternative Pickups: For transit travelers, we also offer convenient transfers from Shanghai airports, train stations, or cruise terminals, and customize a Shanghai layover tour for you. Additional fees apply upon request.

After a warm greeting, relax on a 2-hour private car ride to the 1,300-year-old Wuzhen Water Town. Once inside, a picturesque Chinese ink and wash painting gradually unfolds before your eyes: antique stone bridges lie across a crisscross of belt-like waterways, flanked by rows of white-walled, grey-tiled dwellings with the upturned eaves extending to the river. Small canoes moored in front of the houses sway gently in the breeze, not to mention a labyrinth of narrow, winding alleys.

The town is divided into four parts, and your guide will accompany you on an in-depth exploration of its most popular West Scenic Zone, aka Xizha, to explore the buildings during the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1911 AD) and well-preserved traditional crafts. Note that the following route can be adjusted based on your interests and preferences.
► Insider Tips:
1. It’s better to wear comfortable walking shoes, as you'll walk on the flagstone alleys a lot. 
2. Please do not buy the overpriced silk in the scenic area, and they’re usually not worth it!

The first stop is a traditional dyeing workshop, an indigo-colored world where newly dyed fabrics are hung on tall, tiered drying racks with the scent of natural dyes in the air. Observe how dyes are crafted from natural plants like bluegrass and safflower, and if you’re interested, feel free to try it at your own expense. Let’s then step into the tranquil Zhaoming Academy, named after Prince Zhaoming about 1,500 years ago. Apart from tracing his educational experience, you may spot some tourists printing with movable type or making a lacquer fan. Next, turn into the Yida Silk Workshop, founded in 1875, where the 4-meter-tall (13-foot) loom, standing as the zenith of ancient Chinese weaving technique, will dumbfound you. Made of nearly 2,000 wooden components, it requires close cooperation between two persons to finish just 5-6 cm (2-2.4 in) of brocade each day.Lunch is at your discretion, and you’ll be spoiled for choice with multiple yummy local delicacies. Soft, lotus-shaped Dingsheng steamed rice cakes filled with light sweet bean paste, rich-flavored lamb noodles, scallion pancake wraps, and stewed ducks in soy sauce are worth a bite.

Later, we’ll hit the Old Post Office, which has operated for around 100 years since its foundation, featuring the grey-bricked structure, wrought iron gate, and bronze mailbox. Walking further, soak in a lively water town life scene, where the happy burble of chatter and singing rises out of the windows of the riverfront teahouses and eateries, while banners with decorative Chinese characters from restaurants and stores flutter in the wind and strings of bright red lanterns hang from the rooftops. At this moment, time seems to slow down as you see locals still wash clothes by the old waterways and row boats back and forth. When passing by the Tongji Bridge, stand on it for an Instagram-worthy “Bridge in Bridge” photo of the bridge meeting another one at a right angle alongside their water reflections. Finally, follow your guide to the 7-story White Lotus Tower, the highest landmark in the town. Ascend to its third floor for a stunning panorama of cargo ships sailing through the adjacent Grand Canal, the world’s oldest manmade water course connecting the south and north of China.► More Inspirations:
1. The town offers daily folk performances like the half-hour Flower Drum Opera from 11:00 to 20:30 with an interval of 30 minutes. Also, it hosts the Wuzhen Theatre Festival from mid to late October, when you can enjoy both traditional Chinese cultural shows and modern performing arts like Nuo exorcism opera, drunken dragon dance, physical theatre, and mime.
2. If your stay coincides with the period of World Internet Conference in November, lots of technological wizardry, such as driverless cars, AI medical diagnosis, and embodied robot fight competitions, will await your discovery.

At the end of the tour, your guide and driver will accompany you back to your hotel in downtown Shanghai. Alternatively, if you wish to stay overnight in Wuzhen for its breathtaking nightscapes and unique water market in the morning, our travel consultants would be willing to help you tailor a personalized itinerary! Look forward to receiving your travel plan!