(This guide has been written by the creator of the China online travel guide, YenKid In China, who last visited Shanghai in August 2024. It covers the central districts of Shanghai).

Key Contents: attractions + activities + itinerary + directions + where to stay + what to eat + where to eat

Introduction

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 2025 - 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 liked particularly about Shanghai 👍🏻

The skyline is breathtaking and unique. Each of the 4 towers has an unforgettable design. The tallest quadruplet in the world by average height.
Diverse range of historic architecture styles, both Chinese and Western styles.
The nighttime vibe is incredible thanks to the bustling energy of the city.

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

Taking a classic skyline photo on the Bund promenade
Seeing the city from high up from one of the world’s highest observation decks - Shanghai Tower
Grabbing a snapshot of the iconic red China Pavilion

3 Things To Do 🚶🏻

Strolling through the classical gardens and bazaar of Yu Garden
Walking the main pedestrian street of Nanjing Lu, with endless restaurants, cafes, and shops
Embarking on a cruise along the Huangpu River at night

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
Taking a day trip to Zhujiajiao water town for a scenic experience of traditional buildings, canals, and bridges

Points of Interest / Attractions to Visit 🌆

Pudong skyline - one of the most iconic skylines in the world. See below 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.
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!

General 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 2025. Observation decks at 351m, 263m and 259m.
Shanghai Tower, 上海中心 - 3rd tallest skyscraper in the world in 2025 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

My Suggested Itinerary

Day 1 - Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street ➡️ The Bund promenade ➡️ Pudong skyline ➡️ Lujiazui ➡️ Shanghai Tower/Oriental Pearl Tower ➡️ Yu Garden
Day 2 - Jing’an Temple ➡️ Shanghai Museum ➡️ China Art Museum ➡️ Tianzifang ➡️ Xintiandi
Day 3 - Wukang Mansion ➡️ Zhujiaojiao Water Town

Summary of Attractions 🎟️

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 | 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 park’s website | Line 11, Disney Resort, any exit
Shanghai Circus World | starting from 380rmb | Line 1, Shanghai Circus World, exit 3

Note: most museums closed on Mondays. Even if the attraction is free, it is likely to require online booking. Please check the official museum mini-program for info.

(Information last checked in Sept 2025)

Recommended Days in Shanghai 📅

2-3 days, additional days if you want to visit resort parks.

Best Time to Visit ☀️

April to June + September to November for the most comfortable temperatures.
Temperatures can rise to high 30s in the summer months and drop to below 0C in the winter months
See my Weather Dashboard for temperature ranges by month.

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.

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.

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.
Check out these articles if you’re stuck:
How to Ride the Metro in China: Ultimate Guide to Getting Around the City (2025)
How to Hail a DiDi Driver in China (2025 Guide)

Where Should You Stay 🛏️

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
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.
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.

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 China here. 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 - the main pedestrian street and side streets lined with restaurants
Wujiang Lu - a food street at Nanjingxi Lu
Chenghuangmiao Laojie - plenty of local snacks
Xintiandi - a lot of restaurants packed into a small area with a different vibe
Shankangli - a mix of local and international cuisine

You can use Dianping to find restaurants and check out the food and reviews. Check out my article How to Find Great Restaurants in China - A Simplified Guide to Dianping and RedNote.