PRIVATE SINGAPORE DAY TOUR
Private Singapore Day Tour: Culture, Art & Architecture
Private Walking Tour with an Expert Guide
3 Hours Singapore Day Tour; a Great Overview of the City
Explore key neighbourhoods - Chinatown, Civic District and Marina Bay
Recommended for
What Makes Us Different?
Explore Singapore's history through the lens of culture, art and architecture. Rather than a generalised presentation, this tour is led by an expert guide and a museum educator who will give you a great overview of the city. From Singapore's early history to its modern development, you will see historic architecture and iconic skyscrapers in key districts as well as a collection of art prints from National Gallery Singapore as your expert guide shares the stories of our early history through art. Private Singapore Day Tour: Culture, Art & Architecture is a perfect way to discover the city!
Singapore Day Tour Highlights
An Expert-led Welcome Tour
This 3-hour Singapore Day Tour with an Expert Guide offers a fresh perspective for new and repeat travellers who are interested to dive deep into Singapore's storied history and culture.
See award-winning architecture and historic sites
See architectural gems - from the the city’s oldest Hokkien Chinese temple, Thian Hock Kheng - to Marina Bay Sands and ArtScience Museum - set against Singapore's skyline.
Admire Iconic Sights & Singapore's Skyline
A city tour that connects you to must-see sights and hidden history through key districts: Chinatown, Civic District and Marina Bay. See a selection of beautiful art prints depicting early Singapore.
Tour Overview
Go deeper into the island's history during this immersive Singapore day tour. Travel back to Singapore's early beginnings in the 19th century and hear about its history through art and architecture. See the Civic District, Chinatown, and Marina Bay as well as iconic landmarks like Merlion Park, Fullerton Hotel and Thian Hock Keng Temple. Your Singapore guide also points out important architecture and art, as well as helps you understand the culture of the area and the city's diverse communities. Our Private Singapore Day Tour is great for history lovers and first-time visitors.
Explore Singapore's City Highlights & Hidden History on our
Signature Singapore Day
What to Expect
The day tour begins at Telok Ayer, a Malay name meaning "bay water", which alludes to its history as a coastal settlement. Today, it is one of Chinatown's four sub-districts, alongside Kreta Ayer, Tanjong Pagar and Bukit Pasoh. We'll visit Thian Hock Kheng Temple, Singapore's oldest Hokkien temple that played a significant role in shaping the live of early immigrants. Appreciate its vibrantly resplendent architecture and hear about how religion and Chinese folklore had influenced the design of intricate decorative ornamentations of human figures, plants and animals.
Historically named the 'Belly of the Carp,' which signifies prosperity, the Singapore River meanders through the colonial district and served as a thoroughfare for ships from around the world to dock and trade. Your expert guide will provide a detailed overview of how and why the British established Singapore as a trading outpost, as well as the reasons that attracted waves of early immigrants. Drawing from accounts of hardship and success through the 19th and 20th centuries, you will also explore select sculptures in the colonial district that offer context about life under British rule.
A short walk away takes us to Marina Bay and Merlion Park. Admire sweeping views of Marina Bay Sands and the ArtScience Museum that dominate the skyline. We will also visit the Fullerton Hotel, formerly the General Post Office building, and show you a hidden gem that takes us back in time to Singapore as a former British settlement.
The tour continues to National Gallery Singapore, built in neoclassical architecture and which integrates the Former Supreme Court and City Hall buildings. In air-conditioned comfort, you will hear the key historical events that took place in both buildings and high-profile trials that shook the nation between the mid and late 20th century. Apart from visiting holding cells, you will also have close-up observations of the copper-clad dome, exquisite timber-paneled ceiling and towering colonnades – and hear anecdotal accounts of how the architect skillfully modernized the Neoclassical buildings with Southeast Asia architectural influences. Your Singapore Day Tour ends on the roof deck, overlooking the Civic District and Marina Bay, offering amazing views of the Singapore skyline.
Your Singapore Day tour ends near City Hall MRT station. Your guide will give you recommendations to spend your day in the city.
What You Need to Know
Price includes a 3-Hour Private Walking Tour with your expert licensed guide and refreshments – a choice of local coffee, tea or bottled water per guest.
See Prices HERE.
Runs daily; select BOOK NOW to see real-time tour availability.
If the date you want is no longer available on our booking calendar, please contact us at +65 9115 3874 (Whatsapp) in case any slots become available. While we can’t make any promises, we will do our best to accommodate you! (:
- Start Point: Telok Ayer MRT Station – Exit A. Directions to the meeting point will be sent to you upon booking confirmation.
- End Point: City Hall MRT Station
Is the walking tour suitable for everyone?
Yes, this walking tour is recommended for adults and children. While we recommend children 9 years and above for the tour, we’ve hosted younger learners who equally enjoy the tour! Our expert guide and storyteller will skillfully weave tour narratives to suit the group’s dynamics. Whether you are a history enthusiast or first-time visitor, this private walking tour is an great jumping off point for your explorations in Singapore.
Is the walking tour suitable for all fitness levels?
Our walks have some steps and gentle inclines. There will be brief breaks in between the tour to cater to your comfort. Let us know in advance if you have any mobility condition that we should take note of for your safety and comfort.
What should I be aware of regarding the weather and attire?
Light, breathable clothing and comfortable walking shoes are recommended for all tours. Singapore enjoys year-round equatorial climate with average temperature ranging between 25 and 31 degrees Celsius. Brief periods of rain and thunderstorm are expected but they usually pass relatively quickly. In the event of inclement weather, we will wait for the skies to clear before resuming the tour. You are advised to bring along a brolly or poncho in case it rains.
If the date you want is no longer available on our booking calendar, please contact us at +65 9115 3874 (Whatsapp) in case any slots become available. We'll do our best to accommodate you (:
Great for families and children!
We have had plenty of experience delivering this tour for families with kids, tweens, and teenagers. The Singapore Day tour is delivered by your expert local guide and storyteller who is great with children. We tap on children's natural curiosity and offer free educational prompts and a guide to enhance their learning experience.
Hear from Our Travellers
The Best Way to Discover Singapore
-margaret, UK
An excellent tour. As newcomers to Singapore we found Rachel’s in depth knowledge of the history and culture of the island fascinating. So much better that reading from a guide book. We couldn’t have wished for anything better. As a retired couple we have travelled a lot and booked many tours. This one topped the lot! We would highly recommend it. Thanks Rachel.
Excellent Half Day Tour of Singapore - the Old and the New
eastocoasttvlr, USA
This is an excellent tour facilitated by a very knowledgeable guide, Rachel Chen. Rachel packs a lot of information into her little frame and explains different topics clearly backed up by pictures and photographs of both old and new Singapore. I especially liked that the tour was in that part of the city that blends the old and the new and gave me a vision of the origin of the city state and its unique and rapid progress to its current first world status. She has a good command of facts on different topics ranging from art to faith and religion, environment and the greening of the city, architecture and economics. For me this is what makes traveling so educational and interesting. On top of all these, she is also a very charming, personable and caring person.
A Well-Crafted Tour of Historical Singapore
-Terry T, Singapore
Tour guide Rachel has shown much zest in helping us to understand more about historical Singapore. Her energetic delivery of the past behind each place that we went — whether it’s Thian Hock Keng Temple, the Fullerton Building, or National Gallery Singapore — filled us up with little known facts that you may not find in a generalised presentation of the city-state. And she was very confident to answer our questions in respect to these things. Highly recommended if you want a refreshed perspective of familiar and lesser-known places.
Highly Interesting & Relevant to Our Interests in Culture, Visual Arts, Design & Architecture
-penny, Australia
Curious about the Singaporean Art scene, we were looking to increase our knowledge and also seek hints and tips of how to spend our remaking days here. Rachel was most informative and clear in her descriptions of historical facts, with relevant visuals to support each topic. We were enamoured by the content she spoke of and she was happy to answer the MANY question we had that deviated from her initial plan. This was a most enjoyable half day tour and we have loads of links to further sites to visit. We would recommend this to anyone wanting a clear grounding in Singaporean history, culture, art and architecture, it was totally enjoyable.