Things to do in Shanghai: top sights and where to go
Shanghai splits across the Huangpu River: on the west bank, the Bund's 1920s banks and hotels; on the east, the Lujiazui skyline, where Shanghai Tower, the Oriental Pearl and the World Financial Center stand five minutes' walk apart. Spend the first day on the Bund, Nanjing Road, People's Square with the Shanghai Museum and Yu Garden in the Old City; keep the French Concession, Tianzifang and the Jade Buddha and Jing'an temples for a second day, or head out to the water town of Zhujiajiao or the gardens of Suzhou.
Sights
Shanghai itineraries
Shanghai travel guide
Before you go: the Bund and Pudong skyline, Yu Garden, the French Concession, water towns, the airports, paying and weather.
Shanghai on your own: the essentials
- How many days
- 3–4 days: city, Disney or a water town
- When to go
- April–May and October–November
- Visa
- Depends on your passport — many get 30 days visa-free
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Paying
- Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card
- Internet
- Google, WhatsApp, YouTube blocked — roaming eSIM
- Airports
- Pudong (PVG) ≈ 32 km, Hongqiao (SHA) ≈ 15 km
- Metro
- 3–14 yuan; tap a contactless card or Alipay QR
- Summer
- Hot and humid; June is the plum-rain season
- Passport
- Needed for museum, train and Disney tickets
- Time zone
- UTC+8 all year
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Key facts
Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Shanghai Tower”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Shanghai maglev train”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “Yu Garden”Sourcei
Wikipedia, “The Bund”Things to do in Shanghai
The top things to do in Shanghai are the Bund waterfront facing the Pudong skyline, Shanghai Tower and the Oriental Pearl Tower, Yu Garden and the old city, Nanjing Road, the Shanghai Museum and the streets of the French Concession. Beyond the centre are the water towns of Zhujiajiao and Xitang, the gardens of Suzhou and Shanghai Disneyland. Every place with its YesGo score is in the list above.
| The Bund | Waterfront, Huangpu cruise | evening |
|---|---|---|
| Pudong | Shanghai Tower, Pearl Tower | ½ day |
| Old city | Yu Garden, City God Temple | 2–3 h |
| Centre | Nanjing Road, museum | ½ day |
| French Concession | Wukang Road, Tianzifang | ½ day |
| Temples | Jing’an, Jade Buddha | 45 min each |
| Outskirts | Disneyland, Zhujiajiao | 1 day |
| Day trips | Suzhou, Xitang | 1 day |
Rather not plan it yourself? The list above has ready itineraries for 1–3 days, with places in a sensible order.
Shanghai airport to the city
Shanghai has two airports: most international flights land at Pudong (PVG), ≈ 32 km from the Bund, while domestic flights often use Hongqiao (SHA), ≈ 15 km away. From Pudong the fastest option is the maglev to Longyang Road in 7–8 minutes, then the metro; Metro Line 2 serves both airports and runs through the centre.
| Maglev + metro | Pudong — centre | ≈ 40–50 min |
|---|---|---|
| Metro Line 2 | Pudong — Nanjing Road | ≈ 1 h 15 min |
| Metro Line 2 or 10 | Hongqiao — centre | ≈ 30–40 min |
| DiDi taxi | Pudong — the Bund | ≈ 50 min – 1 h |
The maglev costs 50 yuan, or 40 with a same-day boarding pass. Book taxis with DiDi inside Alipay.
How to pay and get online in Shanghai
Almost everything in Shanghai is paid by QR code through Alipay or WeChat Pay, which accept most foreign Visa and Mastercard cards after passport verification. The metro also takes contactless bank cards. Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and YouTube are blocked — set up a roaming eSIM before you travel.
- Alipay — link a foreign card with your passport; DiDi and metro QR codes live inside it.
- Cash — must be accepted, but change can be short: carry 10–50 yuan notes.
- Maps — Google Maps doesn’t work well; use Amap or Apple Maps.
- Tickets — Disney and big museums sell tickets in your passport name.
Where to stay in Shanghai
For a first time in Shanghai, stay near People’s Square and Nanjing Road for the metro and the Bund, in the French Concession for leafy streets, cafés and nightlife, or in Pudong for river and skyline views. The city is huge: a metro station nearby matters most.
| People’s Square | First visit, metro, the Bund | Busy |
|---|---|---|
| The Bund | Pudong views, walks | Expensive |
| French Concession | Cafés, nightlife, quiet streets | ≈ 20 min to the Bund |
| Pudong, Lujiazui | River views, towers | Quiet at night |
Shanghai weather by month
The best time to visit Shanghai is April–May and October–November, with days around 18–25 °C. June brings the plum-rain season, July and August are ≈ 32 °C and humid with possible typhoons, and winters are damp and chilly at ≈ 8–11 °C by day.
°CiLong-term averages, °C: day and night air, sea water near the shore, rain — rainy days a month. Any given year can be warmer or cooler. Tap a month for details below. | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 8° | 10° | 14° | 20° | 25° | 28° | 32° | 32° | 28° | 23° | 17° | 11° |
| Night | 2° | 4° | 7° | 12° | 17° | 21° | 26° | 26° | 22° | 16° | 10° | 4° |
| Rain | 9 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
Warm — 20 °C and above by dayBest time to go: April–May and October–November
- day ≈ 8°
- night ≈ 2°
- rain 9 days
About 8°, damp and chilly.
- day ≈ 10°
- night ≈ 4°
- rain 9 days
About 10°, Lunar New Year.
- day ≈ 14°
- night ≈ 7°
- rain 11 days
About 14°, plum and magnolia blossom.
- day ≈ 20°
- night ≈ 12°
- rain 10 days
About 20° — a great time.
- day ≈ 25°
- night ≈ 17°
- rain 10 days
About 25°, warm.
- day ≈ 28°
- night ≈ 21°
- rain 13 days
Plum-rain season.
- day ≈ 32°
- night ≈ 26°
- rain 11 days
Heat ≈ 32°, humid.
- day ≈ 32°
- night ≈ 26°
- rain 11 days
Hot; typhoons possible.
- day ≈ 28°
- night ≈ 22°
- rain 9 days
About 28°, easing.
- day ≈ 23°
- night ≈ 16°
- rain 6 days
About 23° — the best month.
- day ≈ 17°
- night ≈ 10°
- rain 7 days
About 17°, dry.
- day ≈ 11°
- night ≈ 4°
- rain 6 days
About 11°, cool.
Early May and early October are national holiday weeks — the city is packed with domestic tourists.
What to eat in Shanghai
Shanghai food is mild and slightly sweet. Try soup dumplings (xiaolongbao), pan-fried shengjianbao buns and red-braised pork. The best-value meals are in small eateries near metro stations and in the old city.
- Xiaolongbao — soup dumplings, with vinegar and ginger.
- Shengjianbao — buns fried crisp on the bottom, a breakfast classic.
- Hongshao rou — pork braised in soy sauce and sugar.
- Hairy crab — an autumn delicacy in October and November.
Shanghai ticket prices
The Bund, Nanjing Road, the French Concession, the old city and Xintiandi are free. You pay for the Shanghai Tower, Oriental Pearl and Jin Mao viewpoints, Yu Garden, temples, the Huangpu cruise and Disneyland.
| Shanghai Tower | 58 | 1 h 30 min | ¥180; students and 60+ ¥120 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai World Financial Center | 50 | 1 h 15 min | CNY 180, seasonal |
| Oriental Pearl Tower | 49 | 1 h 30 min | ¥199 — two spheres |
| Jin Mao Tower | 48 | 1 h | ¥120; Skywalk from ¥288 |
| Shanghai Maglev | 46 | 30 min | ¥50, ¥40 with a same-day flight |
| Yu Garden | 46 | 1 h 15 min | ¥30–40 by season |
| Shanghai Museum | 43 | 2 h | ¥148 show; Museum East free |
| Bund Sightseeing Tunnel | 40 | 20 min | ≈ ¥50 one way, ¥70 return |
| Huangpu River cruise | 39 | 1 h | ≈ ¥120–150; ferry ¥2 |
| City God Temple | 38 | 30 min | ≈ ¥10 (one guide says free) |
| Suzhou | 36 | 4 h | Train ≈ ¥30–45, garden ¥70–80 |
| Jing'an Temple | 36 | 40 min | ≈ ¥50 |
| Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum | 36 | 1 h | CNY 20; students 10, 60+ 15 |
| Shanghai Disneyland | 30 | 4 h | ¥475–799, priced by date |
| Longhua Temple | 29 | 45 min | ≈ ¥10 (one guide says free) |
| Shanghai Wild Animal Park | 16 | 4 h | ≈ ¥190, kids under 1.3 m free |
| Xitang | 16 | 4 h | ≈ ¥95 by day, free in the evening |
Free — 13 places: The Bund, Lujiazui, Nanjing Road, People's Square, People's Park, Shanghai Old City, Xintiandi, Tianzifang and more.
Tips
- See the Bund twice: by day for the waterfront buildings, after dark for the Pudong lights.
- Set up Alipay with a linked card and an eSIM at home — without them paying and hailing taxis is hard.
- Crossing the river is one stop on Metro Line 2, East Nanjing Road to Lujiazui.
- Carry your passport: museum, train and Disney tickets are sold in your name.
FAQ
Is Shanghai worth visiting?
Yes, for the Bund and Pudong skyline, old gardens and temples, great food and easy day trips to Suzhou and the water towns.
Do I need a visa for Shanghai?
It depends on your passport: many nationalities can visit China visa-free for up to 30 days, and others can use 240-hour transit rules. Check the official rules for your passport.
What to do in Shanghai at night?
Walk the Bund for the Pudong lights, take a Huangpu River cruise, go up Shanghai Tower, or eat out in Xintiandi and the French Concession.
What to do in Shanghai with kids?
Shanghai Disneyland, the Wild Animal Park, the Oriental Pearl Tower’s glass floor and a river cruise.
How do I pay in Shanghai as a tourist?
With Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to a foreign card, or tap a contactless card in the metro. Carry some cash for small shops.
How do I get from Pudong Airport to the city?
By maglev to Longyang Road in 7–8 minutes, then the metro — 40–50 minutes in all — or Metro Line 2 direct in about 1 hour 15.
What is the weather like in Shanghai in December?
About 11 °C by day and 4 °C at night, damp — bring a warm coat.
Where should I stay in Shanghai for the first time?
Near People’s Square or Nanjing Road for the metro and the Bund; the French Concession if you want quieter streets.
What day trips can I take from Shanghai by bullet train?
Suzhou’s gardens in about 30 minutes and Hangzhou’s West Lake in about an hour; water towns like Zhujiajiao are reached by bus or car.
Does Google work in China?
No — Google, WhatsApp and many Western apps are blocked. Roaming eSIMs route around this; set one up before you go.
Sources and fact-check
- Wikipedia, “Shanghai”; “Shanghai Tower”; “Shanghai maglev train”; “Yu Garden”; “The Bund”; Shanghai climate (1991–2020 normals)
- Shanghai Municipal Government — english.shanghai.gov.cn (visa-free entry)
- Shanghai Metro — official website