Ultimate Shanghai Travel Guide 2026: Top Tips From A Local

Hi! This guide is based on my personal experiences of Shanghai.
I’m a native Chinese and the creator of this website, Yenkid In China.
With my all-in-one guide, you will find it much easier to plan your trip!

Summary: This guide contains information about attractions, activities, itinerary, directions, where to stay, what to eat, where to eat.

✨ Marvel at the world’s tallest quadruplet and try xiaolongbao

✨ Check out this hotel with epic skyline views ➡️ (Save money on hotels using my guide)

✨ Take a look at my ultimate Suzhou + Nanjing + Hangzhou + Beijing guides and more below!

Introduction to 上海

Shanghai is best known for

its futuristic skyline and the historic Bund architecture
the Shanghai Maglev, the fastest train service in the world
Being the economic and financial capital of China

A Few Facts about Shanghai

China’s most populous city with ~25m in 2026 - the second largest population in the world by city proper, even more than Beijing
Located at the eastern end of the Yangtze River, facing the Pacific Ocean
Nicknamed 魔都 módū - meaning “Magic City”
⬇️

What I like particularly about Shanghai 👍🏻

The skyline is absolutely breathtaking and unique.
Each of the 4 towers has an unforgettable design. The tallest quadruplet in the world by average height.
Love the diverse range of historic architecture styles, both Chinese and Western styles.
Incredible night-time vibes thanks to the bustling energy of the city.

⬇️

🛏️ I book hotels on Trip because it gives me the best prices ($26 cheaper for one booking!) + has way more hotels for China. What made it even cheaper was getting exclusive discounts as a new user. Register here!

🚅 I recommend booking trains on Trip as it offers the best English language interface + you can reserve tickets further in advance.

3 Things To See + Photographic Spots Not To Be Missed 📷

Taking a classic skyline photo on the Bund promenade.
I am always amazed by the stunning contrast with the skyline opposite the river.
Seeing the city from high up from one of the world’s highest observation decks - Shanghai Tower.
Hope you’re okay with heights!
Grabbing a snapshot of the iconic red China Pavilion
⬇️

3 Things To Do 🚶🏻

Strolling through the classical gardens and bazaar of Yu Garden.
So chill and different from the majority of Shanghai.
Walking the main pedestrian street of Nanjing Lu, with endless restaurants, cafes, and shops.
I just love the vibes along this street.
Embarking on a cruise along the Huangpu River at night.
Absolutely magical!
⬇️

Unique Experiences to Consider ⭐

Going on a historic architecture city walk through the former French Concession and the Bund
Embarking on a food tour through Shanghai with a local guide
Riding a driverless car (I recommend doing a tech tour with a local guide)
Taking a day trip to Zhujiajiao water town for a scenic experience of traditional buildings, canals, and bridges
Visiting Shanghai Disneyland, the biggest Disney park in the world
⬇️

🛏️ Don’t miss out! To save money on your hotel, check out my guide

👉 How to Get The Best Deal For Hotels in China!

👉 Have a quick look at hotel rates in China HERE

+ Skip ahead to the 2nd half of this guide for my recommended hotels and food! ⬇️

Points of Interest / Attractions to Visit 🌆

⬇️ You can find ticket prices + directions after this section

⭐ = my most recommended attractions

Pudong skyline ⭐- one of the most iconic skylines in the world. See next section for more details about the quadruplet
The Bund 外滩 (pronounced wài tān) ⭐- a well-known waterfront promenade lined with historic world architecture and facing the Pudong skyline.
As an architecture enthusiast, I found the contrast to be extraordinary!

Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street 南京路步行街 ⭐- one of the longest pedestrian streets in China with hundreds of shops and restaurants
Yu Garden 豫园 ⭐- classical Ming Dynasty Chinese garden with pavilions, ponds, zigzag bridges, rocks, and a surrounding bazaar. I really like the vibe in this area, especially at night
Jing’an Temple 静安寺 ⭐- a Buddhist temple with a large jade Buddha and attractive golden architecture. The gold is particularly alluring at night!
Wukang Mansion 武康大楼 ⭐- a unique wedge-shaped building in the French Renaissance style and a top destination for photography. Pretty unique!
⬇️

More Attractions

Shanghai Museum 上海博物馆 ⭐- iconic building resembling an ancient ding and containing a huge collection of ancient relics and art pieces. Could spend most of the day here.
China Art Museum 中华艺术宫 - symbolic red building shaped like a crown and housing a massive art collection. I really like this building.
Propaganda Poster Art Centre 上海宣传画艺术中心 - a unique collection of posters from the post-war era
1000 Trees 天安千树 - a vertically stacked green forest-like building with art galleries and shops. A unique photo op.
Tianzifang 田子坊 ⭐- narrow alleys with lots of little independent shops. A different vibe to other districts

Xintiandi 新天地 - a top shopping and restaurant destination with Chinese and European architecture
Zhujiajiao 朱家角 ⭐- a 1,700 year old water town with stone bridges, canals, and Ming Dynasty architecture, located in the western outskirts of the city.

Shanghai Disneyland 上海迪士尼乐园- the biggest Disneyland outside US with the largest castle, Chinese architectural elements, and the only Zootopia land.
Shanghai Circus World 上海马戏城 - traditional Chinese acrobatics, martial arts, juggling, and theatre inside a golden dome.
⬇️

The Pudong quadruplet

Oriental Pearl Tower, 东方之珠 ⭐- 5th tallest TV tower in the world in 2026. Observation decks at 351m, 263m and 259m.
Shanghai Tower, 上海中心 ⭐- 3rd tallest skyscraper in the world in 2026 and tallest twisted building. The highest observation deck is on 121st floor at 561m.
Shanghai World Financial Center (Shanghai WFC), 上海国际金融中心 ⭐- Nicknamed the Bottle Opener. Observation deck on 100th floor at 474m.
Jin Mao, 金茂大厦 ⭐- Has an observation deck on 88th floor at 340m.
⬇️

My favourite vantage points

Looking towards the Pudong skyline at Zhapulu Bridge over the Wusong River
The Bund promenade along the Huangpu River
The elevated pedestrian circular walkway in the centre of Pudong where you are sandwiched between Oriental Pearl Tower and the 3 skyscrapers
Huangpu River - you can take one of the daytime passenger ferries on the Dongjin Line (which are only 2 yuan!).
Just go to Jīnlíng Dōnglù Lúndù Zhàn 金陵东路轮渡站 terminal on the Bund.
Or take the night-time cruise from Shiliupu Pier for the full experience!
➡️ If you’re interested in futuristic skylines, check out my article 5 Skylines You Must See in China

My Suggested Itinerary

Day 1 - Jing’an Temple ➡️ Lujiazui skyline ➡️ Shanghai Tower/Oriental Pearl Tower observation deck ➡️ Yu Garden ➡️ Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street ➡️ The Bund promenade ➡️ Huangpu River Cruise
Day 2 - Wukang Mansion ➡️ Shanghai Museum/China Art Museum ➡️ Tianzifang ➡️ Xintiandi ➡️ Shanghai Circus World
Day 3 - Zhujiajiao Water Town
For itineraries including Shanghai and nearby cities
➡️ Best Shanghai + East China Itineraries: 3 Days, 7 Days, 10 Days

Ticket Prices + Directions 🎟️

Attraction | Ticket Price | Metro Station Exit

Shanghai Tower observation deck | starting at 180rmb | Line 2/14, Lujiazui, Exit 8/9A
Oriental Pearl observation deck | starting at 199rmb | Line 2/14, Lujiazui, Exit 1
Yu Garden 豫园 | 30-40rmb | Line 10/14, Yuyuan Garden, Exit 1/7
Jing’an Temple | 50rmb | Line 2/7/14, Jing’an Temple, Exit 1
Shanghai Museum | free | Line 1/2/8, People’s Square, Exit 1
China Art Museum | free | Line 8, China Art Museum, Exit 3
Propaganda Poster Art Centre | ∼25rmb | Line 2/11, Jiangsu Road, Exit 4
Zhujiajiao Water Town | free to enter | Line 17, Zhujiajiao, Exit 1
Shanghai Disneyland | see website | Line 11, Disney Resort, any exit
Shanghai Circus World | starting from 380rmb | Line 1, Shanghai Circus World, exit 3

👉 Book your ticket on Trip or the official museum WeChat mini-program for info.

Note: most museums closed on Mondays. Even if the attraction is free, it is likely to require online booking.

(Information last checked in Apr 2026) 👉 check out my article How to Buy Tickets to Attractions in China

⬇️

📲 Save my guide to your homescreen so you have it handy when you’re in China!

How to Get There ✈️

By air:

Land at Shanghai Pudong International Airport
OR
Land at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport if your city has direct flights to this airport. This airport is closer to the centre of the city.
👉 check out my article The 9 Best Airports To Fly Into China in 2026 - Pros and Cons to help you decide!

By land:

Take the high speed train to Shanghai Hongqiao or Shanghai South station. Shanghai is around 4-5hrs from Beijing and 6-7hrs from Xi’an.

Airport Transfer to Hotel

I booked an airport transfer on Trip, which saved me a lot of time and hassle.
The driver was brilliant, we had a nice chat about his personal recommendations for Shanghai and his life story.

How to Get Around 🚇

Shanghai Metro is the 2nd longest metro network in the world. You can reach most tourist spots using the metro.
In the central districts, you will almost always find a metro station within 1km of any location.
City taxis or DiDi are widely available.
I recommend using the Amap app to navigate around the city.
There’s an English version + you can type in English for major attractions.
For most places, you will have to type the pinyin or the Chinese characters of the place (e.g. restaurant, cafe).
Double check the photos to confirm it’s the result you’re looking for.
Check out these articles if you’re stuck:
How to Ride the Metro in China: Ultimate Guide to Getting Around the City
How to Hail a DiDi Driver in China

Where Should You Stay 🛏️

Check out this hotel and this one with views of the Pudong skyline from different locations. Remember to book rooms with a skyline view!
Huangpu district - if you want quick access to majority of attractions. Some hotels will views of the Huangpu River, the Bund, or the Pudong skyline
Jingan district - if you want to be close to Jing’an Temple and a combination of both local and international restaurants
Pudong district - if you want to stay near the skyscraper cluster

Check Prices

If you’re looking at a mid or upper range hotel and want quick access to Suzhou, take a look at Harbour Plaza Metropolitan in Putuo District.
It might look pretty far away from the centre, but is actually only 20 minutes away from Yu Garden using Shanghai Metro Line 14.
I paid 390rmb (∼55US$) per night for what was essentially a 4 star hotel. It’s also a 15 minute walk to Shanghai West railway station, which has regular trains to Suzhou.
I recommend you use Trip, since it is the top hotel booking platform in China and has the bigger range of hotels. Always cheaper for me as well.
Check out my articles👇🏻
How to Get The Best Deal For Hotels in China and
Things To Consider When Booking a Hotel in China.
⬇️

What Should You Eat 🥢

Shanghai has a very diverse food scene, since many of its residents are from all over China.
The city has a strong influence from neighbouring Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces with many overlapping dishes.
Major Shanghai specialties are:
- steamed soup dumplings | xiǎo lóng bāo | 小笼包
- pan-fried pork buns | shēng jiān bāo | 生煎包
- scallion oil noodles | cōng yóu bàn miàn | 葱油拌面
- Shanghai fried noodles | shàng hǎi chǎo miàn | 上海炒面
- spring noodle soup | yáng chūn miàn | 阳春面
Check out my list of 60 dishes to eat in Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou. Don’t forget to try cuisines from other provinces in China such as Cantonese food! Look for regional restaurants.

Where Should I Eat 🧑🏻‍🍳

Nanjing Lu 南京路 - the main pedestrian street and side streets lined with restaurants
Wujiang Lu 吴江路 - a food street at Nanjingxi Lu with lots of delicious local dishes
Chenghuangmiao Laojie 城隍庙老街 - plenty of local snacks
Xintiandi 新天地 - a lot of restaurants packed into a small area with a different vibe
Shankangli 陕康里 - a mix of local and international cuisine

You can use Dianping to find restaurants and check out the food and reviews. You can also join a food tour.

Check out my articles 👇🏻

How to Find Great Restaurants in China - A Simplified Guide to Dianping and RedNote.

How to Order Food and Drink in China? A Mini-Guide with Key Phrases

How to Order Food Delivery in China - A Simplified Guide