For couples · Shanghai · China
Romantic things to do in Shanghai
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Shanghai's romance is in its skyline at night, its Art Deco hotel bars and its leafy lanes. Evenings on the Bund and quiet mornings in the French Concession are when the city is at its most atmospheric. Couples tend to stay in The Bund and People's Square.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 5
- Couple-friendly sights
- 4
- Area for couples
- The Bund and People's Square
- Best months
- November
Romantic ideas
1.Bund rooftop at dusk
Watch the Lujiazui towers light up from a rooftop bar in one of the heritage buildings on the Bund.
2.Evening Huangpu cruise
A short river cruise after dark passes both illuminated riverbanks.
3.French Concession stroll
Walk Wukang Road and Anfu Road under the plane trees, with coffee and pastries along the way.
4.Jazz at the Fairmont Peace Hotel
The hotel's Jazz Bar has kept a veteran house band playing old Shanghai standards for decades.
5.Night in a water town
Stay overnight in Wuzhen's West Scenic Zone to see the canals lit up after the day visitors leave.
Sights couples love
Waterfront · The Bund and People's Square
The Bund
Come twice: at sunrise, when locals practise tai chi on the promenade, and after dark for the lit-up skyline.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- After dark
- Architecture
- Photo spot
- Couples
Experience · The Bund and People's Square
Huangpu River cruise
For a cheap version, take the public ferry between the Bund side and Lujiazui; it crosses in a few minutes for a couple of yuan.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- After dark
- Views
- Couples
- Kids
- Iconic
Neighbourhood · Former French Concession
Former French Concession walk
Start at Wukang Mansion and finish at Fuxing Park; autumn, when the plane trees turn yellow, is the best season.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Couples
- Food
- Photo spot
Neighbourhood · Xintiandi and Tianzifang
Xintiandi
Visit in the early evening for a drink on a terrace, then walk 15 minutes south to Tianzifang.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- Food
- After dark
- Couples
- Free
Where couples should stay
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, luxury, couples and shopping
The Bund and People's Square
The Bund's line of former banks, trading houses and hotels runs for about 1.5 km along Zhongshan Road East, with Nanjing Road East's pedestrian shopping street leading west to People's Square and the Shanghai Museum. It is the most convenient base for first-timers, with Metro lines 1, 2 and 8 meeting at People's Square and the skyline view a short walk away.
- Good
- Walk to the Bund, Yu Garden and People's Square; Excellent Metro links; Riverview hotel rooms
- Watch out
- Very crowded on holidays and weekend evenings; Touts on Nanjing Road East
- Nearby
- The Bund, Nanjing Road, Shanghai Museum, Yu Garden
Romantic day trips
- Suzhou (About 30 minutes by high-speed train) — Suzhou's UNESCO-listed classical gardens, including the Humble Administrator's Garden and the Lingering Garden, are masterpieces of rockery, water and pavilions.
- Hangzhou and West Lake (About 1 hour by high-speed train) — West Lake's causeways, pagodas and willow-lined shores are a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the nearby hills grow Longjing green tea.
- Zhujiajiao (About 1 hour by Metro) — A canal town within Shanghai's Qingpu district, with stone bridges, including the five-arched Fangsheng Bridge, waterside teahouses and boat rides.
- Wuzhen (About 2 hours by bus or train and taxi) — Wuzhen is a carefully restored water town split into the residential East Scenic Zone and the more polished West Scenic Zone, which is beautiful when lit up at night.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Soup dumplings, Red-braised pork belly and Scallion oil noodles. Popular dumpling shops have high turnover; queuing is usually quick and worth it.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Shanghai romantic?
Shanghai's romance is in its skyline at night, its Art Deco hotel bars and its leafy lanes. Evenings on the Bund and quiet mornings in the French Concession are when the city is at its most atmospheric.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Shanghai?
Bund rooftop at dusk: Watch the Lujiazui towers light up from a rooftop bar in one of the heritage buildings on the Bund.
+Where should couples stay in Shanghai?
The Bund and People's Square: Riverfront heritage buildings, Nanjing Road East and the main museums in Huangpu District.