Travel guide · China
Shanghai travel guide
Art Deco riverfront, plane-tree lanes and a skyline across the Huangpu
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: xiquinhosilva, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
Shanghai splits along the Huangpu River: on the west bank, the 1920s and 1930s banks and hotels of the Bund, the Old City around Yu Garden and the plane-tree streets of the former French Concession; on the east bank, the Lujiazui towers led by the 632-metre Shanghai Tower. A large Metro network links both airports and the Hongqiao high-speed rail hub, so first-timers can see the headline sights in three days and add Suzhou or Hangzhou by train. The city is at its best for walking, eating soup dumplings and watching the skyline light up after dark. Plan 4 days for a first visit; the best months are April–May and October–November.
Key facts
- Country
- China
- Best time to visit
- April–May and October–November
- Ideal stay
- 4 days
- Main airports
- PVG, SHA
- Mid-range daily budget
- $130–$250 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- The Bund, Pudong skyline, Xiaolongbao and Art Deco architecture
Why visit Shanghai
- The Bund promenade faces the Lujiazui skyline across the Huangpu, one of Asia's most photographed city views and free to walk day or night.
- The former French Concession around Wukang Road, Anfu Road and Fuxing Park is a walkable grid of villas, lane houses and independent cafés.
- Shanghai's food runs from 15-yuan baskets of xiaolongbao and pan-fried shengjian bao to sweet, soy-braised benbang dishes and autumn hairy crab.
- The Shanghai Museum, the Power Station of Art and the West Bund galleries give the city a serious art and antiquities scene.
- Suzhou's classical gardens, Hangzhou's West Lake and canal towns such as Zhujiajiao are easy day trips by high-speed train or Metro.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 19 things to do.
Waterfront · The Bund and People's Square
The Bund
The riverside promenade along Zhongshan Road East is lined with more than 50 early-20th-century buildings, including the domed former HSBC building and the green-roofed Fairmont Peace Hotel.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- After dark
- Architecture
- Photo spot
- Couples
Garden · Old City (Yuyuan)
Yu Garden
A Ming-dynasty private garden begun in 1559, Yu Garden packs rockeries, carp ponds, pavilions and the Exquisite Jade Rock into about two hectares.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
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Viewpoint · Lujiazui (Pudong)
Shanghai Tower
China's tallest building rises 632 metres in a twisting glass spiral.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Landmark · Lujiazui (Pudong)
Oriental Pearl Tower
The 468-metre TV tower with its pink spheres opened in 1994 and became the symbol of Pudong's rise.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- Kids
- After dark
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Street · The Bund and People's Square
Nanjing Road
Nanjing Road East is a pedestrian shopping street of about 1.2 km running from the Bund to People's Square, lined with department stores, food halls and neon signs.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- After dark
- Iconic
Experience · The Bund and People's Square
Huangpu River cruise
Sightseeing boats leave from piers on the Bund and in Lujiazui for loops of about 40–60 minutes past the Bund's heritage façades and the Pudong towers.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- After dark
- Views
- Couples
- Kids
- Iconic
Where to stay
The Bund and People's Square is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 8 areas.
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, luxury, couples and shopping
The Bund and People's Square
Riverfront heritage buildings, Nanjing Road East and the main museums in Huangpu District
$$$ · Best for couples, food lovers, nightlife, solo travellers and culture
Former French Concession
Plane-tree streets, lane houses, cafés and boutiques in Xuhui and Huangpu
$$$$ · Best for shopping, luxury, first-timers and families
Jing'an
Golden temple roofs, West Nanjing Road malls and serviced apartments
$$$$ · Best for luxury, families and first-timers
Lujiazui (Pudong)
Skyscrapers, observation decks and riverside promenades on the east bank
What to eat
- Soup dumplings — Thin-skinned pork dumplings filled with hot broth, steamed in bamboo baskets of eight or ten and eaten with black vinegar and ginger.
- Pan-fried pork buns — Thick-skinned buns filled with pork and broth, fried in wide iron pans until the bottoms are crisp, then scattered with sesame and scallions.
- Red-braised pork belly — Cubes of pork belly slow-braised in soy sauce, rice wine and rock sugar until glossy and soft, the signature of Shanghai's sweet-savoury benbang cooking.
- Scallion oil noodles — Thin wheat noodles tossed with soy sauce and oil in which scallions have been fried until dark and crisp.
- Hairy crab — Freshwater mitten crabs, prized for their golden roe and eaten steamed with ginger vinegar and warm yellow wine.
- Sticky rice roll — Glutinous rice pressed around a piece of fried dough stick, pickled vegetables and pork floss, rolled tight and eaten on the go.
When to go
The best times to visit Shanghai are April to May and late September to November, when days are mild and mostly dry. Avoid the first week of October and 1–5 May if you can, when national holidays crowd the Bund and Yu Garden. Mid-June to early July brings the plum rains, and July–August are hot and humid with typhoon risk, while winter is cold and damp but quiet.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Blossom in parks, mild temperatures and comfortable walking, with drizzly spells in March and busy national holidays in early April and early May. |
| Summer | June–August | Plum rains in June, then heat and humidity with highs often above 32°C and occasional typhoons; plan indoor sights for midday. |
| Autumn | September–November | The most settled season: clear skies, hairy crab season and golden plane trees, apart from the very crowded Golden Week in early October. |
| Winter | December–February | Cold, damp and grey with nights near freezing, few tourists and lower prices outside the Lunar New Year rush. |
Getting there and around
Pudong Airport is about 40 km east of the centre: the Maglev reaches Longyang Road Metro station in about eight minutes, and Metro line 2 runs directly into the city in about an hour. Hongqiao Airport, used for most domestic and some regional flights, is next to Hongqiao Railway Station and about 30–40 minutes from People's Square on Metro lines 2 or 10.
Shanghai's Metro is one of the world's largest networks, with about 20 lines covering the centre, both airports and Hongqiao Railway Station, and stations signed in English. Taxis and ride-hailing are inexpensive, and the central districts are pleasant to walk.
Plan your days
Three days covers the Bund, Yu Garden, Lujiazui, the Shanghai Museum and a French Concession walk. A fourth day adds galleries on the West Bund or a day trip to Suzhou or Zhujiajiao; a week lets you add Hangzhou and a night in a canal town.
Practical information
- Currency
- CNY
- Language
- Mandarin Chinese and Shanghainese
- Plugs
- Type A, C and I sockets, 220 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Do not drink tap water; bottled water is cheap and hotels provide it or boiled water.
- Emergency number
- 110 police, 120 ambulance, 119 fire
- Tipping
- Tipping is not expected in restaurants, taxis or most hotels.
Shanghai is generally safe for visitors, but tea-house and bar overcharging scams target tourists around Nanjing Road East and the Bund. Watch for pickpockets in crowds during holidays, and cross roads carefully, as electric scooters often ride silently on pavements and through red lights.
Flights to Shanghai
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Shanghai?
Three days covers the Bund, Yu Garden, Lujiazui, the Shanghai Museum and a French Concession walk. A fourth day adds galleries on the West Bund or a day trip to Suzhou or Zhujiajiao; a week lets you add Hangzhou and a night in a canal town. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Shanghai?
The best times to visit Shanghai are April to May and late September to November, when days are mild and mostly dry. Avoid the first week of October and 1–5 May if you can, when national holidays crowd the Bund and Yu Garden. Mid-June to early July brings the plum rains, and July–August are hot and humid with typhoon risk, while winter is cold and damp but quiet.
+What is Shanghai known for?
The Bund, Pudong skyline, Xiaolongbao, Art Deco architecture, Yu Garden, Former French Concession and Shanghai Tower. The Bund promenade faces the Lujiazui skyline across the Huangpu, one of Asia's most photographed city views and free to walk day or night.
+Is Shanghai expensive?
Shanghai is moderately priced for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $130–$250 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Shanghai?
No. Driving in Shanghai is slow and foreign licences are not valid for driving in mainland China; use the Metro, taxis and high-speed trains.