Our Team in Shanghai
Dinna
Founder / Guide
(English & Spanish)
Born in the hometown of Confucius (Shandong), Dinna grew up deeply connected to traditional Chinese culture. Being a passionate and adventurous world explorer, she has backpacked across the entire Latin America, where she found the inspiration for Free Walking Tours.
In 2017, she decided to leave the 9-to-5 office life and pursue her dream: connecting travelers worldwide with the most authentic China travel experiences. This vision led her to found Free Tours China, offering immersive tours and experiences through Shanghai, Beijing, and beyond.
Beyond her expertise in China’s cities, ask her anything about: Antarctica, Latin dance (Salsa & Bachata), and improv comedy!
Celina
Guide (English)
Celina, a native of Shanghai, has built a career spanning three continents. She began in finance but soon traded spreadsheets for the wilds of Africa, becoming a safari guide. This bold transition speaks to her courage and adventurous spirit, qualities that make her a cultural ambassador in Shanghai.
With the depth of local knowledge and passion as a city concrete “jungle” explorer, her storytelling brings Shanghai to life, blending rich history with hidden gems and transforming the city into a memorable experience rather than just a travel destination.
Beyond everything about Shanghai, feel free to ask her about Kenya, giraffes, gorillas, and cocktails!
Cindy
Guide (English)
Cindy has spent the last eight years living and working in Shanghai. As a professional tour manager for international musical productions, she expertly navigates cross-cultural communication and logistics. Beyond the arts, she is a world traveler who has explored 60+ countries, and a dedicated scuba and freediver.
During the theater off-season, she channels her vibrant energy into guiding. Born in Northeast China, her bold, cheerful personality and global worldview allow her to effortlessly uncover Shanghai’s hidden gems for worldwide travelers.
Beyond city tours, she’s always ready to chat about scuba diving, musical productions, and backstage theater secrets!
Raven
Guide (English)
Born and raised in Yunnan, China’s border province beside Myanmar, Raven is rooted in diverse ethnic minority cultures. She holds a journalism degree from the US and worked as a Shanghai advertising account manager from 2017, and recently took a leap of faith to step away from the corporate cubicle to pursue her long-held dream of studying psychology.
Fueled by her cross-cultural background and curiosity for people, Raven sees the city through a unique lens. Beyond typical tourist sights, she shares genuine local life moments and helps travelers connect with the city’s stories.
Beyond sharing Shanghai’s stories, feel free to ask her about psychology, tarot readings, and her two dogs, Toto & Ori!
Stacy
Guide (English)
Stacy, a native of Shanghai, moved to Canada at the age of 10 and spent her formative years growing up and building her career there. Boasting trilingual native proficiency in English, Mandarin and Cantonese, she embodies a seamless blend of Eastern roots and Western perspectives.
After stepping away from the traditional banking industry, she followed her true passion to become a psychology researcher and counselor. Shaped by her cross-cultural upbringing and psychological expertise, Stacy holds a sharp eye for urban subtleties and deep insight into human nature.
Beyond joining her on city walks, feel free to ask her about her life in Toronto, skiing adventures, and professional insights into psychology!
Chester
Chinese Cooking class
instructor
Chester’s love for food started in his childhood kitchen, where he was always sneaking bites and experimenting with flavors. His culinary journey later took him across Europe and the United States, where he not only honed his cooking skills but also embraced diverse food cultures.
A former professional chef and proud Le Cordon Bleu graduate, Chester specializes in both Chinese and French cuisine. Passionate about sharing authentic Chinese cuisine, he is dedicated to offering guests a fun and immersive hands-on Chinese food cooking experience.
Beyond his expertise in cooking, ask him anything about: soccer, Japanese animation, or the computer gaming industry!
Our Team in Beijing
Dinna
Founder / Guide
(English & Spanish)
Born in the hometown of Confucius (Shandong), Dinna grew up deeply connected to traditional Chinese culture. Being a passionate and adventurous world explorer, she has backpacked across the entire Latin America, where she found the inspiration for Free Walking Tours.
In 2017, she decided to leave the 9-to-5 office life and pursue her dream: connecting travelers worldwide with the most authentic China travel experiences. This vision led her to found Free Tours China, offering immersive tours and experiences through Shanghai, Beijing, and beyond.
Beyond her expertise in China’s cities, ask her anything about: Antarctica, Latin dance (Salsa & Bachata), and improv comedy!
Sherry
Guide (English)
Born and raised in Beijing, she grew up in the city’s historic hutongs and has witnessed Beijing’s transformation from the late 1980s to today’s digital age. Her deep love for these old alleyways and local life shapes every tour she leads.
She worked for over 10 years in multinational companies, which gives her a strong global mindset and an easy, natural way of connecting with travelers from around the world. With a warm and open style, she shares Beijing’s hidden gems and stories from a true local’s perspective with passion and love — blending tradition with modern life.
Beyond Beijing’s life, feel free to ask her anything about yoga, meditation, and Confucianism!
Luna
Guide (English)
Born and raised in an eastern Chinese small town, Luna moved to Beijing to work as a bilingual journalist for an international media outlet. She spent five years reporting from New York City before returning to Beijing, where she now lives with her cat. Her professional journey spans freelance journalism, documentary filmmaking, and her favorite calling — city guide.
A passionate street photographer, Luna roams urban neighborhoods in her free time with a vintage film camera, chasing raw candid frames that capture quiet, genuine glimpses of everyday city life.
Beyond joining her tours, feel free to ask her about her years in New York, street photography, documentaries and favourite reads.
Alba
Guía (Español)
Graduada con un nivel C1 en español, Alba pasó más de siete años en Latinoamérica y África como intérprete de español y gerente de mercado antes de regresar a su tierra natal para conectar su amor por la cultura china con más visitantes extranjeros.
Con tres años de experiencia guiando en Beijing, ha mostrado la ciudad a todo tipo de viajeros, desde turistas y familias hasta ejecutivos y líderes gubernamentales, siempre ofreciéndoles una visión auténtica y enriquecedora con su español fluido y profundo conocimiento local.
Además de Beijing, pregúntale cualquier cosa sobre: Guinea Ecuatorial, el baile de zumba y la música de Maluma!