What to See in Shanghai: 10 Places Worth the Trip

Shanghai rewards a first visit with a single walk, and the reward is the contrast. The Bund is a row of 1920s colonial buildings facing a skyline of glass towers across the river, and the whole city makes sense from that one vantage point. Everything else — the classical gardens, the canal lanes of the Old Town, the bars in a converted shikumen house — is a different Shanghai, and each is worth a few hours.

Which Shanghai sights should you plan around?

The Bund is the one to start with: a waterfront promenade of colonial-era buildings with the modern Pudong skyline directly opposite. The contrast is the point, and it is best seen after dark, when the towers are illuminated and the whole riverfront reflects back.

The Oriental Pearl Tower and the Shanghai Tower are the two you can climb. The Pearl is the older of the two, with observation spheres at 263 and 351 metres and restaurants in them; tickets are cheaper on weekdays. The Shanghai Tower is the second tallest building in the world at 632 metres, and its deck on the 118th floor gives a 360-degree view over the whole city — including the rooftops you cannot see from the Bund. Book both in advance.

Yu Garden is the classical Chinese garden, with rockeries, pavilions and koi ponds, in the Old Town. Arrive early to avoid the crowds, and do not leave without walking the streets around it.

Nanjing Road is the pedestrian shopping street running from People’s Square to the Bund. The western end is modern malls, the eastern end traditional shops, and it is as good for people-watching as for shopping.

The French Concession is the former concession area: tree-lined streets, small boutiques, European-style cafés and the architecture is worth looking at. It is the best district for wandering without a plan.

Xintiandi is a district of restored shikumen stone-gate houses turned into bars, restaurants and galleries. It comes alive after dark and is the nightlife option.

People’s Square is the centre of the city, with People’s Park, museums and the metro interchange underneath. The underground shopping mall is large enough to spend an hour in and is the answer when it is too hot or too wet to be outside.

The Jade Buddha Temple is an active Buddhist temple, with two jade Buddha statues brought from Burma and monks and worshippers still in use. It is noticeably quieter than the tourist sites around it.

What are the ten main sights in Shanghai?

The Bund is a waterfront promenade of colonial-era buildings — the old international banks and hotels from when Shanghai was the treaty port that traded on the Huangpu. Facing them across the water is the entire modern skyline at once.

The Oriental Pearl Tower is the older of the two towers, with observation spheres at 263 and 351 metres and restaurants inside them. The sphere restaurants are decent and the view is panoramic, and tickets cost less on weekdays.

Yu Garden is a classical Chinese garden in the Old City, with rockeries, pavilions and koi ponds. Arrive early, and eat xiaolongbao in the streets outside.

Nanjing Road runs from People’s Square to the Bund. The western section is modern malls, the eastern section traditional shops, and it is as good for the people-watching as for the shopping.

The Shanghai Tower is the second tallest building in the world at 632 metres, with a glass facade that changes colour through the day. The deck on the 118th floor gives the 360-degree view.

The French Concession is the former concession area: tree-lined streets, small shops and European-style cafés, with architecture worth looking at properly.

Xintiandi is shikumen stone-gate houses from the 1920s, restored and turned into bars, restaurants and galleries. It comes alive after dark.

People’s Square is the centre of the city, with the park, the museums and the metro underneath. The underground shopping mall is enormous, and it is the place to be when it rains.

The Jade Buddha Temple is an active Buddhist temple with two jade Buddha statues brought from Burma. It is quiet compared with everything around it.

The Maglev is the fastest commercial train in the world at 431 km/h, and the seven-minute ride from Pudong Airport to Longyang Road is an experience in itself. No booking: buy a ticket and board.

How much do the Shanghai sights cost?

The Bund is free, and so are the streets of the Old Town, the French Concession and Xintiandi. Yu Garden charges an entrance fee that is worth paying, and the observation decks are where the money goes: the Oriental Pearl Tower is the cheapest of the three, the Shanghai Tower deck the most expensive. Book the tower tickets in advance — the walk-up price is higher and the sunset slots sell out.

When should I go to the Shanghai sights?

Come at sunset and again after dark. The Bund faces west, so the towers light up against the darkening sky and the riverfront becomes a mirror. It is also the busiest moment, so for quiet come at seven in the morning, when the buildings are lit but the river is empty.

Group the two sides of the river. Walk the Bund in the late afternoon, cross on the ferry for about ¥2, and do the towers from Pudong once it is dark. The ferry itself gives you the view of the skyline that most people come for, and it costs less than the metro.

Give Yu Garden the morning. The garden opens early, the Old Town around it fills with tour groups by mid-morning, and the food stalls around the gate are at their best before the crowds.

Once you know which side of the river you are staying on, the Shanghai eSIM plans show the live catalog for the city and for the country as a whole, with the coverage each one covers.

One thing to plan around: your phone needs to work. The maps, the ticket apps and the ride-hailing apps are all on it, and the queue for a tower ticket is easier to skip when you can book on the phone on the way. Install the eSIM before you fly and activate it when you land, and the route from the Bund to the ferry to Pudong is ten minutes of walking.