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Lujiazui skyline, Shanghai, China, top 10 things to do (Wimup travel guide)
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Top 10AsiaChina

Top 10 Things To Do in Shanghai

Country
China
Best months
Oct · Nov · Apr
Population
24.9M
Language
Mandarin & Shanghainese
Budget / day
$90–160
Quick answer

The best things to do in Shanghai are walking the Bund at dusk, riding to the 118th floor of the Shanghai Tower, spending a free morning in the Shanghai Museum and eating your way through the former French Concession. Give the city three to four days, come in October or November for dry, mild weather, and set up a mobile wallet before you land: almost nothing here is paid for in cash.

Best of Shanghai

▶ Video guide

Shanghai reads as two skylines facing each other across the Huangpu. The west bank keeps the Bund: 1.5 kilometres of waterfront and 52 preserved banks and trading houses. The east bank answers with Lujiazui and the 632 metre Shanghai Tower. Between them run plane tree avenues, shikumen lanes and a museum circuit that costs nothing to enter.

The 10 best things to do in Shanghai

Walk the Bund at dusk, Shanghai, China
1

Walk the Bund at dusk

Landmark· Zhongshan East First Road, Huangpu District

The Bund runs 1.5 kilometres along the Huangpu, from Waibaidu Bridge to Yan'an East Road, and the 52 buildings behind it are why people call it a museum of architecture: Gothic, baroque, Renaissance and neoclassical, built when this was the financial centre of the International Settlement. The promenade is free. Walk it north to south as the Lujiazui towers switch on.

Time1–2 hrs
CostFree
Best atDusk
TipStart at Waibaidu Bridge
Map↗ Website
Ride to the 118th floor of the Shanghai Tower, Shanghai, China
2

Ride to the 118th floor of the Shanghai Tower

Landmark· 501 Middle Yincheng Road, Pudong New Area

At 632 metres this is the second tallest building in the world, and the lifts that reach the 546 metre observation deck took three Guinness records in 2016, including the fastest at 20.5 metres a second. The 118th floor deck is a triangular ring of floor-to-ceiling glass with the whole city under it. Doors open at 08:30.

Time1–2 hrs
Cost¥180 adult, 118F
Best atLate afternoon
TipBook a timed slot online
Map↗ Website
Spend a morning in the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai, China
3

Spend a morning in the Shanghai Museum

Museum· 201 People's Avenue, People's Square, Huangpu District

The bronzes, ceramics, painting and calligraphy galleries here are the reason to give People's Square a morning rather than a walk-through. Admission is free, the building opens 09:00 to 17:00 with no entry after 16:00, and it closes on Mondays outside national holidays. Since 1 September 2025 individual visitors simply walk in through the South Gate with photo ID.

Time2–3 hrs
CostFree
Best atOpening
TipBring your passport
Map↗ Website
See Yu Garden and the Yuyuan bazaar, Shanghai, China
4

See Yu Garden and the Yuyuan bazaar

Garden· Yu Garden, Anren Street, Huangpu District

A classical Ming garden of rockeries, ponds and halls, hemmed in on all sides by the bazaar that grew up around it. Entry is 40 yuan from April to June and September to November and 30 yuan the rest of the year, and the garden runs 09:00 to 16:30 with last entry at 16:00, closed Mondays. Come early: the bazaar outside is at its calmest before ten.

Time2 hrs
Cost¥30–40 by season
Best atEarly morning
TipGarden first, bazaar after
Map
Walk the former French Concession, Shanghai, China
5

Walk the former French Concession

Neighbourhood· Wukang Road, Xuhui District

Plane tree avenues, 1920s and 1930s villas and the densest run of original architecture in the city, centred on Wukang Road and the flatiron Wukang Mansion of 1924. This is a walking neighbourhood: the highlights sit ten to twenty minutes apart on foot, and the coffee, boutiques and small restaurants between them are the point as much as the buildings.

TimeHalf day
CostFree
Best atLate morning
TipStart at Changshu Road station
Map
Take in the Power Station of Art, Shanghai, China
6

Take in the Power Station of Art

Museum· 200 Huayuangang Road, Huangpu District

China's first state-run museum of contemporary art, in a converted riverside power station whose chimney still stands over the Huangpu. The permanent collection is free and the building runs Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 to 19:00. Some special exhibitions are ticketed separately, so check what is on before you cross the river.

Time2 hrs
CostFree
Best atWeekday afternoon
TipClosed on Mondays
Map↗ Website
Ride Line 17 out to Zhujiajiao, Shanghai, China
7

Ride Line 17 out to Zhujiajiao

Day trip· Zhujiajiao Ancient Town, Qingpu District

A canal town of stone bridges and Ming and Qing lanes, and the easiest one to reach: Metro Line 17 from Hongqiao takes about an hour, then a fifteen minute walk to the old town. Entry to the town is free, and individual sites charge separately. A boat holds six people and runs 80 to 150 yuan for fifteen to twenty minutes.

TimeHalf day
CostFree entry
Best atWeekday morning
TipPrice the boat, not the seat
Map
Look in at Jing'an Temple, Shanghai, China
8

Look in at Jing'an Temple

Temple· 1686 West Nanjing Road, Jing'an District

Gold roofs and a Burmese jade Buddha, wedged between the malls and office towers of West Nanjing Road, which is exactly what makes it worth the stop: no other temple in the city sits this deep in the commercial centre. Entry is 50 yuan on ordinary days and doubles over public holidays. Doors open at 07:30 and close at 17:00.

Time45 min
Cost¥50 ordinary days
Best atMorning
TipMetro Line 2 stops outside
Map
Give a day to Shanghai Disneyland, Shanghai, China
9

Give a day to Shanghai Disneyland

Theme park· Shanghai Disney Resort, Chuansha New Town, Pudong New Area

The park opens at 08:30 and runs to somewhere between 20:30 and 22:30 depending on the date, and one-day tickets are priced by demand: from 475 yuan on low-season weekdays, 599 on regular days and 719 at weekends, through summer and over Chinese public holidays. Weekend and holiday dates sell out, so book before you travel.

TimeFull day
CostFrom ¥475
Best atLow-season weekday
TipBook the date in advance
Map↗ Website
Take the Maglev in from Pudong, Shanghai, China
10

Take the Maglev in from Pudong

Transport· Pudong International Airport Maglev Station, Pudong New Area

The airport line covers the 30 kilometres to Longyang Road in about eight minutes, which makes the ride itself the attraction. A standard single is 50 yuan, or 40 with a same-day flight ticket, and a combined single plus 24 hours of unlimited metro is 55. Longyang Road connects straight onto Metro Lines 2, 7, 16 and 18.

Time8 min
Cost¥50
Best atOn arrival
TipShow your boarding pass
Map

All 10, mapped

Shanghai · 10 spots
AllLandmarksMuseumsFoodFree

Shanghai travel FAQ

How many days do you need in Shanghai?+
Three to four days. That covers the Bund and Lujiazui, two museums, Yu Garden, a long walk through the former French Concession and one half day out at a water town. Two days works if you drop the day trip.
What is the best time of year to visit Shanghai?+
October and November. Autumn is short here, and it brings mild temperatures around 20°C, lower humidity and the year's clearest air. March to May is the other good window, with cherry blossom from late March. July and August are hot, humid and wet.
Do you need a visa for China?+
Often not, for a short stay. Citizens of 55 countries can transit visa-free for up to 240 hours through 65 ports, Shanghai included, provided they hold a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region. Separate visa-free entry agreements cover other nationalities. Check your own passport against the current rules before booking.
How do you pay for things in Shanghai?+
With your phone. Alipay and WeChat Pay run almost everything and both now accept foreign cards, so set one up before you arrive. Cash is still legal tender and still refused in practice by plenty of small shops.
Is Shanghai expensive?+
Less than its skyline suggests. Hotels, cocktails and Michelin tables are priced like any global city, but transport and everyday food are not: metro fares start at 3 yuan, a basket of soup dumplings costs less than a coffee, and four of the museums worth your time charge nothing.
Where to eat

Best restaurants in Shanghai

Shanghainese classics, soup dumplings and the tables worth booking ahead.
All 6 restaurants →
Taian Table
Three stars
Changning

Taian Table

Modern European · $$$$

Shanghai's only three Michelin star restaurant, and the fifth year running it has held them. Stefan Stiller cooks one set menu for one small room, so book weeks out.

Map
Two stars
Changning

Fu He Hui

Vegetarian · $$$$

Two Michelin stars for Chinese vegetarian cooking, on Yuyuan Road. Tasting menus only, and worth the seat whether or not you normally eat meat.

Map↗ Website
One star
Changning

Fu 1088

Shanghainese · $$$

A one-star kitchen in a 1930s villa on Zhenning Road, served in private rooms rather than a dining room. The place to eat the local repertoire properly.

Map↗ Website
Xiaolongbao
Huangpu

Jia Jia Tang Bao

Soup dumplings · $

A 1986 dumpling shop near Huanghe Road that grew into a small chain without losing the original. Crab roe when it is in season, plain pork when it is not.

Map
Since 1900
Yu Garden

Nanxiang Mantou Dian

Soup dumplings · $

The Yuyuan bazaar branch of a shop trading since 1900, open 07:30 to 21:00. The queue is long and the ground floor counter moves fastest.

Map
Set piece
Xuhui

Yongfoo Elite

Shanghainese · $$$$

Classic Shanghai cooking in a former consulate compound on Yongfu Road, furnished like a private collection. Come for the rooms as much as the menu.

Map
Where to drink

Best rooftop bars in Shanghai

Four terraces still open, each with a different angle on the river.
All 4 rooftop bars →
58th floor
Lujiazui

FLAIR

Rooftop · $$$$

Fifty eight floors up at the Ritz-Carlton Pudong, level with the Oriental Pearl and looking straight back across the water at the Bund.

Map
Peninsula
The Bund

Sir Elly's Terrace

Rooftop · $$$$

The Peninsula's terrace at the quiet north end of the Bund, with the Huangpu on one side and the old International Settlement rooftops on the other.

Map
Open to midnight
Hongkou

TALES

Rooftop · $$$

A wide terrace on the Hongkou stretch of the river at 19 Gongping Road, north of the crowds, open daily from 14:30 to midnight.

Map↗ Website
ROOF
Garden terrace
Huangpu

ROOF

Rooftop · $$$

An ivy-trellised garden terrace on the 29th floor of The Shanghai EDITION at 199 East Nanjing Road, a block back from the water and the least formal of the four.

Map↗ Website
Art and collections

Best art museums in Shanghai

Six museums, four of them free, from state bronzes to a hangar full of installations.
All 6 art museums →
Power Station of Art
Free
Huangpu

Power Station of Art

Contemporary · Free

China's first state-run contemporary art museum, in a converted power station on the Huangpu. Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 to 19:00.

Map↗ Website
Shanghai Museum East
Free
Pudong

Shanghai Museum East

Antiquities · Free

Opened in Pudong in February 2024 at roughly 113,000 square metres, three times the People's Square building, with over twenty galleries. Free.

Map↗ Website
West Bund Museum
Pompidou
Xuhui

West Bund Museum

Modern art · ¥40–80

David Chipperfield's riverside building at 2600 Longteng Avenue, running three exhibitions a year from the Centre Pompidou collection. Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 17:00.

Map↗ Website
Long Museum West Bund
Concrete vaults
Xuhui

Long Museum West Bund

Private collection · ¥50–100

Around 33,000 square metres of raw concrete vaults on Longteng Avenue, holding one of the largest private collections in China.

Map
Yuz Museum
Aircraft hangar
Xuhui

Yuz Museum

Contemporary · Ticketed

A converted aircraft hangar on the same West Bund strip, which is why it can take installations almost nothing else in the city can hold.

Map
M50 Creative Park
Free
Putuo

M50 Creative Park

Galleries · Free

A former textile mill at 50 Moganshan Road, now a cluster of independent galleries and studios. The park and most galleries cost nothing to enter.

Map
Gardens and temples

Best gardens and temples in Shanghai

Four places to slow the day down, none of them more than 50 yuan.
All 4 gardens and temples →
Yu Garden
Ming garden
Huangpu

Yu Garden

Classical garden · ¥30–40

Rockeries, ponds and pavilions behind a wall in the middle of the old city. 40 yuan April to June and September to November, 30 the rest of the year, closed Mondays.

Map
Jing'an Temple
City centre
Jing'an

Jing'an Temple

Buddhist temple · ¥50

Gold roofs and a jade Buddha at 1686 West Nanjing Road, ringed by malls. Open 07:30 to 17:00; the 50 yuan ticket doubles on public holidays.

Map
Longhua Temple
Oldest in the city
Xuhui

Longhua Temple

Buddhist temple · ¥10

The oldest and largest temple complex in Shanghai, with its pagoda beside it. Ten yuan to enter, and the bronze bell is struck 108 times at New Year.

Map
Jade Buddha Temple
Burmese jade
Putuo

Jade Buddha Temple

Buddhist temple · ¥20

Two jade Buddhas brought from Burma, at 170 Anyuan Road. Twenty yuan to enter and ten more to see the statues themselves; open 08:00 to 16:30.

Map
Where to walk

Best neighborhoods in Shanghai

Five districts that each answer the question of what Shanghai is differently.
All 5 neighborhoods →
Former French Concession
On foot
Xuhui

Former French Concession

Villas & plane trees

The most atmospheric quarter in the city, across western Huangpu and eastern Xuhui. Wukang Road holds the densest 1920s architecture.

Map
Xintiandi
Restored lanes
Huangpu

Xintiandi

Shikumen & dining

Shikumen stone-gate houses restored into a dining and shopping quarter in 2001, and the site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

Map
Tianzifang
Free
Huangpu

Tianzifang

Craft lanes · Free

A grid of narrow shikumen lanes off Taikang Road, packed with craft shops, studios and small bars. Free to wander, and most shops run until around 22:00.

Map
Lujiazui
Skyline
Pudong

Lujiazui

Towers & riverfront

The finance district across the water, where the Shanghai Tower, the World Financial Center, Jin Mao Tower and the Oriental Pearl stand within a few blocks of each other.

Map
West Bund
Riverside
Xuhui

West Bund

Museum mile

A reclaimed industrial waterfront in Xuhui that now runs a line of museums along Longteng Avenue, and hosts the city's biggest art fair every November.

Map↗ Website
Where to shop

Best shopping in Shanghai

From a 600-shop pedestrian street to three floors of tailors.
All 5 shopping →
East Nanjing Road
600+ shops
Huangpu

East Nanjing Road

Pedestrian street

The pedestrianised run between People's Square and the Bund, lined with more than 600 shops and food counters. The street itself never closes.

Map
Plaza 66
Nanjing West Road
Jing'an

Plaza 66

Luxury mall

Around 54,000 square metres and more than a hundred luxury labels at 1266 West Nanjing Road, at the top of the city's luxury pecking order. Roughly 10:00 to 22:00 daily.

Map
HKRI Taikoo Hui
250 brands
Jing'an

HKRI Taikoo Hui

Mall & food halls

A newer mixed-use complex at 789 West Nanjing Road carrying some 250 brands, plus two office towers and The Middle House hotel. Open 10:00 to 22:00.

Map
South Bund Fabric Market
Bespoke
Huangpu

South Bund Fabric Market

Tailoring · $$

Three floors of tailors and fabric sellers at 399 Lujiabang Road. Allow a fitting and several days for anything made to measure.

Map
Yuyuan Bazaar
By the garden
Huangpu

Yuyuan Bazaar

Souvenirs & snacks

The lantern-hung lanes wrapped around Yu Garden, best treated as a place to eat rather than to shop seriously. Come before ten to see any of it.

Map
Out of town

Best day trips in Shanghai

Four trips, all reachable and back inside a day on public transport.
All 4 day trips →
Zhujiajiao
Metro Line 17
Qingpu

Zhujiajiao

Water town · 1 hr

Canals, stone bridges and Ming and Qing lanes, an hour out on Line 17 from Hongqiao Railway Station. Entry to the town is free; boats run 80 to 150 yuan per boat.

Map
Metro Line 9
Minhang

Qibao

Water town · 30 min

A thousand-year-old canal town inside the city limits, five minutes from Qibao station on Line 9. Free, and doable in half a morning.

Map
Suzhou
High-speed rail
Jiangsu

Suzhou

Classical gardens · 30 min

Thirty minutes from Hongqiao by high-speed train, and the classical gardens are the reason to go. The Humble Administrator's Garden is the largest of them.

Map
Hangzhou
High-speed rail
Zhejiang

Hangzhou

West Lake · 45 min

West Lake is 45 minutes away on the fastest G trains. Metro Line 1 from Hangzhou East puts you on the eastern shore at Longxiangqiao.

Map
What's on

Festivals & annual events in Shanghai (2026)

Time your trip around the city's biggest dates.
Jan or Feb

Yuyuan Lantern Festival

The bazaar around Yu Garden is hung with zodiac lanterns for about five weeks around Spring Festival, into early March.

Mid-Mar

Chinese Grand Prix

Formula 1 at the Shanghai International Circuit in Jiading, over a weekend in March.

Late Mar

Cherry blossom season

Two to three weeks from late March into early April. Gucun Park in Baoshan holds the biggest planting in the city.

Jun

Shanghai International Film Festival

The 28th edition ran in June 2026, drawing entries from more than a hundred countries. Public tickets sell fast.

Sep

Shanghai Tourism Festival

The classic season runs 1 September to 6 October, opening with the float parade down Huaihai Road.

Early Nov

China International Import Expo

The ninth edition takes 200,000 square metres of the convention centre in November 2026. Hotel rates near Hongqiao double.

Mid-Nov

West Bund Art & Design

The city's biggest art fair, spread over five venues in Xuhui, with every gallery in Shanghai timing an opening around it.

Early Dec

Shanghai Marathon

A course that starts on the Bund and runs west through the former French Concession. Places are drawn by ballot.

Getting around

Shanghai transport & airports

How to arrive and move around the city.
PVG

Pudong International

Thirty kilometres east and the hub for long-haul flights. Metro Line 2 runs into town from Terminals 1 and 2, and the Maglev covers 30 km to Longyang Road in about eight minutes.

Map↗ Website
SHA

Hongqiao International

Closer in on the western edge, mostly domestic and regional, and joined to Hongqiao Railway Station under one roof. Line 2 links it to Pudong in about ninety minutes.

Map↗ Website
Metro

Metro

Signed in English throughout and the fastest way across the city. Fares are distance-based: 3 yuan for the first 6 km, then 1 yuan for every 10 km. Pay by card or mobile wallet.

Map↗ Website
Rail

High-speed rail

Hongqiao Railway Station puts Suzhou about 30 minutes away and Hangzhou about 45, with hundreds of departures a day. Bring the passport you booked with: it is your ticket.

Map
Traditional food

Must-try dishes in Shanghai, China

The classics to order before you leave.
Xiaolongbao, Shanghai (Wimup travel guide)

Xiaolongbao

Pleated dumplings holding pork and hot broth under a thin skin. Eat them where the baskets are steamed.

Shengjianbao, Shanghai (Wimup travel guide)

Shengjianbao

Pan-fried buns with a thicker wrapper: crisp underneath, soft on top, finished with sesame and spring onion.

Hongshao rou, Shanghai (Wimup travel guide)

Hongshao rou

Pork belly braised slowly in soy, sugar and Shaoxing wine until it turns glossy and dark.

Scallion oil noodles, Shanghai (Wimup travel guide)

Scallion oil noodles

Congyou banmian: noodles tossed through oil infused with slowly caramelised spring onion and soy.

Hairy crab, Shanghai (Wimup travel guide)

Hairy crab

Steamed Yangcheng Lake crab eaten with ginger and vinegar, prized for the roe.

Youtiao and soy milk, Shanghai (Wimup travel guide)

Youtiao and soy milk

A fried dough stick with hot soy milk, sweet or savoury. One of the four staples of the breakfast counter.

Cifantuan, Shanghai (Wimup travel guide)

Cifantuan

Glutinous rice packed around a youtiao with pork floss and pickles, wrapped tight and eaten walking.

Smoked fish, Shanghai (Wimup travel guide)

Smoked fish

Xun yu. Grass carp marinated with scallion, ginger, wine and sugar, then fried and glazed.

Shanghai fact sheet

Shanghai at a glance

The essentials worth knowing before you go.
Country
China
Region
Yangtze River Delta, East China
Population
24.85 million (2025, permanent residents)
Founded
Shanghai County approved under the Yuan in 1292
Nickname
Shen
Language
Mandarin, with Shanghainese spoken locally
Currency
Chinese yuan renminbi (CNY)
Time zone
UTC+8, no daylight saving
Calling code
+86 21
Airports
Pudong International (PVG), Hongqiao International (SHA)
Power
220V, Types A, C and I
Emergency
110 police, 120 ambulance, 119 fire
Ideal length
3–4 days
Getting around
Metro, Maglev & taxis
Tourism board
Official site

Interesting facts

  • Shanghai covers 6,340.5 square kilometres and held 24.85 million permanent residents in 2025.
  • The Shanghai Tower rises 632 metres, and its lifts took three Guinness records in 2016 including the world's fastest.
  • The Yuan government approved the creation of Shanghai County in 1292, which is generally taken as the start of the city.
  • The Bund's 1.5 kilometres of waterfront carry 52 preserved buildings in Gothic, baroque, Renaissance and neoclassical styles.
  • Shanghai Museum East opened in Pudong in February 2024 at about 113,000 square metres, three times the size of the original.

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