The Venice of Shanghai:
Zhujiajiao Water Town
Ancient Canals · Stone Bridges · Gondola Ride · Local Street Food
Tour Highlights
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Escape the City
Just one hour from Shanghai's gleaming skyline lies a world that feels centuries away. Zhujiajiao is the perfect antidote to the modern metropolis — peaceful, beautiful, and deeply authentic.
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Traditional Gondola Ride
Glide along ancient canals on a hand-rowed wooden gondola, passing under stone bridges and alongside whitewashed Ming-dynasty homes — a truly magical experience.
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1,700 Years of History
Lily brings the town's extraordinary history to life — from its origins as a riverside trading post to its status today as one of China's best-preserved water towns.
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Authentic Local Life
Browse traditional fan workshops, sip green tea in a riverside courtyard, and taste street snacks that locals have been making the same way for generations.
Tour Itinerary
Arrival & First Impressions 朱家角古镇
Lily picks you up from your hotel and drives you through the Shanghai countryside to Zhujiajiao — a journey of about one hour. As you enter the ancient town through its stone gateway, the transition from modern megacity to timeless water town is immediate and striking. Lily will introduce you to the town's remarkable 1,700-year history as you begin your exploration.
⏱ Approx. 30 minutes
Gondola Canal Ride 摇橹船游河
Step aboard a traditional wooden gondola, rowed gently by a local boatman along the ancient canal network that winds through the heart of the town. From the water, you'll see Zhujiajiao from its most beautiful angle — stone bridges arching overhead, weeping willows trailing in the current, and centuries-old homes lining the banks. An experience you'll never forget.
⏱ Approx. 40 minutes
Ancient Bridges & Hidden Lanes 古桥小巷
Zhujiajiao is famous for its 36 stone bridges, many dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Lily will lead you across the most beautiful of them, through shaded cobblestone lanes barely wide enough for two people, past doorways leading into ancient courtyard homes. Around every corner, something unexpected and beautiful awaits.
⏱ Approx. 1.5 hours
Local Food & Tea House 地道美食·茶馆
Sit down in a traditional riverside tea house for a pot of locally grown green tea, watching the boats drift past on the canal below. Lily will then guide you to the best local food stalls for authentic Jiangnan snacks — including zongzi (sticky rice parcels), fresh tofu, and seasonal specialities that you simply won't find anywhere else.
⏱ Approx. 1 hour
Traditional Fan Workshop 传统扇庄
Visit one of Zhujiajiao's renowned traditional fan workshops, where skilled artisans hand-paint and assemble intricate folding fans using techniques passed down through generations. Watch a master at work, learn about the cultural significance of the fan in Chinese history, and perhaps take one home as the most meaningful souvenir of your trip.
⏱ Approx. 45 minutes✓ What's Included
- Private licensed English-speaking guide (Lily)
- Traditional gondola canal ride
- All entrance fees to attractions
- Private transportation from Shanghai
- Hotel pickup & drop-off
- Riverside tea house experience
- Local snack tasting
- Personalised itinerary adjustments
✗ Not Included
- International flights
- Personal travel insurance
- Additional meals & drinks
- Personal shopping expenses
- Souvenir purchases
Led Personally by Lily
Zhujiajiao is one of Lily's favourite places in the world — and her enthusiasm for this magical town is absolutely contagious. She knows every bridge, every lane, and every story hidden within its ancient walls.
With Lily as your guide, you won't just visit Zhujiajiao — you'll fall in love with it. This is the kind of day that changes the way you see China forever.
More About Lily
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