Shanghai Travel Guide: Best Things to Do, Eat & See

The skyline arrives before you do. From the window of the maglev train leaving Pudong International Airport — at 268 miles per hour, the fastest commercial rail ride on earth — Shanghai stacks itself against the clouds: the Oriental Pearl Tower, the needle-slim Shanghai Tower, and a glittering wall of glass that looks less like a city and more like a promise. It is an overwhelming first impression, and a true one. But Shanghai's genius is that it rewards every kind of traveler: the history lover, the food obsessive, the art seeker, and the one who simply wants to wander. Give it three or four days and you will leave understanding why so many visitors call it the most magnetic city in China.

Begin by learning the city's mental map. Most first-timers base themselves near People's Square, a convenient midpoint, but Shanghai is really a collection of distinct neighborhoods, each with its own personality. The historic Bund faces the futuristic Pudong skyline across the Huangpu River. The French Concession offers shaded lanes, boutiques, and cafés. The Old City hides temples and teahouses behind centuries of winding streets. Best of all, the metro — one of the largest systems in the world, with English signage throughout — makes hopping between them feel almost effortless.

Start where the postcards start: the Bund. This riverside promenade of stately 1920s bank buildings was once Shanghai's Wall Street, and at dusk it becomes one of the world's great free shows as the lights of Pudong blink on across the water. Cross over the next day and ride an elevator up the 632-meter Shanghai Tower, the second-tallest building on earth, for a view that explains better than any map how this city is still building its future at full speed.

For Shanghai before the skyscrapers, wind through the Old City to Yu Garden, a 400-year-old Ming-dynasty retreat of koi ponds, carved rockeries, and zigzag bridges. It sits beside the City God Temple bazaar, where the air smells of sesame and sugar and vendors hawk everything from jade trinkets to paper lanterns. Come early on a weekday to enjoy the garden at a wanderer's pace — and come hungry, because the surrounding lanes are a delicious, chaotic education in classic Shanghai snacks.

No itinerary feels complete without an afternoon lost in the French Concession. Beneath plane trees planted a century ago, art-deco apartments and ivy-covered villas now hide independent bookshops, vintage stores, and some of the city's best coffee. Stroll Wukang Road, wander the leafy lanes off Fuxing Road, and pause outside the former residences of writers and revolutionaries. This is a quieter Shanghai, one where the city's relentless pulse slows to a pleasant, human rhythm.

Shanghai is also a world-class cultural destination. The Shanghai Museum holds one of the finest collections of ancient bronzes and ceramics in the country, while art lovers should head west to the West Bund, a riverside stretch of contemporary galleries anchored by the stunning Tank Shanghai museum, built from repurposed aviation fuel tanks. In the evening, book tickets for the celebrated Shanghai Acrobats or catch a show at the historic Majestic Theatre — and check listings well in advance, because seats for the best performances vanish quickly.

Then there is the food, which alone is worth the trip. Shanghai's signature xiaolongbao — delicate soup dumplings that must be nibbled carefully, or they will bite back — are a rite of passage. Seek out shengjianbao, pan-fried buns with crisp golden bottoms and hot broth, from street-side windows where locals queue without hesitation. For a fuller introduction to Shanghainese home cooking, try red-braised pork, sweet-and-sour river shrimp, and scallion-oil noodles, then leave room for the sugar-dusted dessert shops that line the old lanes.

A few practical notes. The best seasons to visit are spring and autumn, when the humidity lifts and the plane-tree avenues glow. Download Alipay or WeChat Pay before you arrive, because almost everything in Shanghai — metro tickets, museum entries, market stalls — runs cashless. English signage is widespread, and travelers from many countries now qualify for China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy, which makes a Shanghai stopover remarkably easy. Still, plan ahead: marquee attractions require booking with your passport, especially during peak season.

When you are ready, one more reward awaits: Shanghai sits at the heart of the Yangtze delta, and a single day can carry you to the canal town of Zhujiajiao or, by high-speed rail, to Hangzhou's West Lake or Suzhou's classical gardens. Our ChinaMira travel designers can weave these escapes into an itinerary tuned to your pace and handle every detail — permits, tickets, and trusted local guides — so you spend your trip looking up at the skyline instead of down at your phone. Where will Shanghai take you first?