Half-Day Tour · Private

Yu Garden and City God Temple Private Tour in Shanghai

A Ming-era garden on 2 hectares, seen at a slow pace.

Pavilion and pond in Yu Garden, Shanghai · Photo: Stefan Fussan, CC BY-SA 3.0

Duration: 3 to 4 hours
Price: From US$120 (estimate)
Pace: Slow, with some steps
Pick-up: Your Shanghai hotel

The journey

Yu Garden & Old City

“The art of Chinese gardens is to compress infinite nature into a finite space, where every window frames a painting and every pavilion offers contemplation.”
Ji Cheng, Ming Dynasty Master Architect & Author of Yuanye (The Craft of Gardens, 1631). Yuanye: The Craft of Gardens / UNESCO Classical Gardens

Ideal for

Garden lovers
First-time visitors
Families

Getting around

Private air-conditioned vehicle

Pick-up: Your Shanghai hotel

Destinations

Yu Garden & the Old City 豫园 · 老城厢

Rockery in Yu Garden, Shanghai · Rose Abrams, CC BY 4.0

City God Temple, Shanghai · Chainwit., CC BY 4.0

Carved dragon on a wall in Yu Garden · Stefan Fussan, CC BY-SA 3.0

Highlights

Moments to look forward to

Grand Rockery
Exquisite Jade Rock
Dianchun Hall
City God Temple area

Itinerary

Your day, unhurried

Morning
Yu Garden
The ponds, covered walkways and the 12 m Grand Rockery. We choose the hour with you.
- SeeThe Grand Rockery (12 m), ponds and covered walkways across 2 hectares and over 40 scenic spots. The garden was first built in 1559 by Pan Yunduan and created in 1577.
- PlanYour driver drops you at the nearest point and meets you when you finish, so you do not pay for parking in the Old City. We confirm opening hours and tickets before your date.
Late morning
City God Temple area
A walk through the lanes beside the garden.
- SeeThe City God Temple area next to the garden: the lanes of the Old City, a few steps from the garden.
- PlanWe leave this part loose. If you want a snack or a pot of tea, your guide shows you where.
Midday
Lunch or transfer
Lunch nearby, or back to your hotel.
- PlanLunch nearby, which we book for you, or back to your hotel if you prefer to rest. Meals are not included.

Included

Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver
English-speaking guide
Hotel pick-up and drop-off
Parking and road tolls
Bottled water

Not included

Entry tickets
Meals
Gratuities

Make it extraordinary

Private upgrades

珍Add the Shanghai Museum in the afternoon
珍Add the Bund at dusk

Before you book

Guides for this tour

Yu Garden: dates, layout and how to give it enough time

Before you go

Practical tips from official sources

Each tip names the page it comes from. These are published facts, not our own trip reports, and they can change; we re-check them before your date.

Yu Garden’s ticket price is 40 yuan per person, per the Shanghai government page updated 22 October 2025. Tickets are extra on our tours, and prices change, so we confirm the current price before your date. Shanghai government, Visit Shanghai’s classical gardens
Yu Garden is at No 168 Fuyou Road in Huangpu District and is graded AAAA, per the Shanghai government scenic-spot page updated 13 August 2025. Wikipedia says it is reachable from Metro Lines 10 and 14. Shanghai government, Yu Garden scenic-spot page

Frequently asked questions

How much does the Yu Garden & Old City cost?

From US$120 per private group of up to 2 travellers, with driver, guide and vehicle (estimate). Entry tickets and meals are extra. We confirm the final price in writing within 12 hours.

When was Yu Garden built?

First built in 1559 by Pan Yunduan and created in 1577, according to Wikipedia.

Sources for the facts on this page

The places and figures named here were read from these pages on 2026-11-09. The route, timing and inclusions are our own plan.

Wikipedia: Yu Garden

Continue your journey