Private Walking Tour in the Former French Concession

It’s not very often you encounter a tour guide who feels like an old friend leading you through their favorite city - but Penny was so warm and friendly and our conversation was so easy that the time just flew by. Her knowledge of the area and thoughtful responses to my questions not only gave me insight but made me curious to experience more of the local culture. I travel a lot (12 weeks a year.). This is one of the best tours I’ve had in a very long time. Don’t miss out on your chance to see the French Concession up close!

This was the first of two tours with Penny and we had a great time! Penny was extremely knowledgeable about the history and architecture of the area, along with the food and culture. We highly recommend this tour and were happy we also got some excellent food recommendations out of it, too.

I spent a half day with Penny as my guide on a private tour of the French Concession. She was extremely knowledgable, having been a teacher and very well versed in Chinese history and the evolution of Shanghai. She brought the town to life and I found myself quoting her and her knowledge to my family when I returned home. We spent most of our time in the park where she was able to bring to life the songs, dances and discussions many of the locals were taking part in on a Sunday afternoon. She paced the half day quite well as we covered a lot of ground and history and never felt rushed. The other piece that she ensured was how easy everything was logistically. Her and her group communicated regularly in advance, picked me up right on time at the hotel, covered the taxi rides and she even made sure I found a great gift for my wife and two daughters as I was traveling solo on this trip. At the end of the tour she made sure I was dropped at the location I needed to be and gave me a few notes on a good dinner spot....that I hit for dumplings AND LOVED. I think overall this tour was an incredible value, Penny brought the area to life and I learned a ton on the history of Shanghai. Very good use of a half day if you want to dive a bit deeper into the area and learn.

Kelly took us on a wonderful walking tour of the old French Concession in Shanghai....it was just the trip I was hoping for - so interesting - Kelly's English is excellent - and we had such a great time with her. I highly recommending asking for Kelly when booking a tour in Shanghai. Mickie & Doug Lloyd in Sausalito, CA

This was a very educational tour. Penny knows her recent Chinese history well and packed in many stories from the pre-war days all the way to much more modern times. Really appreciate her enthusiasm to make the tour lively and fun. Shame it was a stormy day and we had to spend much time indoors. Would have been lovely to see more of the former French Concession if the weather was better.

My dad and I thoroughly enjoyed this tour. Our guide, Penny, was so knowledgeable and personable and tailored the tour for us. Although it was my first time to China, my dad has been more than 30 times over the last 35 years. He has also studied China all of that time. He LOVED the tour and even learned some things and clarified events of Chinese history based on penny's instruction. Penny ensured that we got great pictures and even treated us to a sticky bun from a street vendor. This is a great way to see parts of Shanghai. My dad is a spry senior citizen and did great with the walking, but I think it would be manageable for most people. It was delightful and not at all exhausting.

This was a fascinating half-day tour led by our guide Penny, who was very friendly, spoke better English than either my wife or me, and took obvious pleasure in explaining and guiding us in this totally new part of the world for us. She is clearly a history buff, who takes great delight in connecting what we see with its background and many colors. An extremely worthwhile value in terms of cost and time spent.

Penny was an amazing guide, if only we could book her for all of our travels! We started the four hour tour at the historical Garden Hotel Shanghai and then walked through parks and neighborhoods, both old and new where Penny explained with insight and humor the local historical legends and haunts. We then headed to the Sun Yat-Sen Museum and found some fun and inexpensive take home items. Penny's love of history and current city vibe was the perfect combination for a day of exploring we live in China and will book again with Penny when we're in Shanghai.

This tour was excellent. Having been to Shanghai and been in this area before I did not have the background and understanding to fully appreciate the history here. Penny, my tour guide, was very knowledgeable and knew the area very well including much of the history. We started with the history and founder of the Republic of China and toured the house where Sun Yat Sen spent much time and this was a very good history of the beginning of modern China. Also visited the place when Nixon and Chou En-lai signed the accord in 1972. This is excellent tour. Did a lot of walking through area including some info on how locals live and the beautiful Fuxing Park. Penny spoke fluent English and a tour that was supposed to be 3 hours lasted 4 and 1/2. I highly recommend this tour and ask for Penny - she is great. Mike B

We did French Concession and Hidden Door tours with Penny, who was an excellent English speaking guide. Very knowledgeable, friendly and considerate of our needs. She had in depth knowledge and gave personal recommendations based on our interests. We highly recommend Penny for visitors to Shanghai.