A photograph of Shanghai

City guide · China

Shanghai

Shanghai’s visitor core spans both sides of the Huangpu River. The Bund, People’s Square and Nanjing Road anchor Puxi, while Lujiazui’s towers rise directly opp...

Photograph · King of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0

10,894 Places
Suggested stay
3–4 days
Getting around
Walking, metro, bus and ferry

Turn this list into a plan

Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.

Plan Shanghai

Editorial responsibility: Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Shanghai’s visitor core spans both sides of the Huangpu River. The Bund, People’s Square and Nanjing Road anchor Puxi, while Lujiazui’s towers rise directly opposite in Pudong. The former French Concession spreads southwest through tree-lined neighbourhoods, and older water towns or distant cultural sites require journeys beyond the central metro grid.

Checked 2026-08-26

Practical information

Language spoken
Standard Chinese; regional languages are widely used
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+86 mainland · +852 Hong Kong · +853 Macao
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Renminbi (CNY); HKD and MOP in the SARs
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
110 police · 120 medical on the mainland
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type A, C and I · 220 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No single verified statement covers mainland China and both SARs

Planning a visit

November · November has a mild 16.7°C mean high in Shanghai and 51.0 mm of precipitation over eight days.

  1. January: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  2. February: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  3. March: good time to visit
  4. April: best time to visit
  5. May: best time to visit
  6. June: good time to visit
  7. July: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  8. August: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  9. September: good time to visit
  10. October: best time to visit
  11. November: best time to visit — current month
  12. December: good time to visit

Sources

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Yu Garden Yu Garden
    02 1 hour

    Yu Garden

    豫园

    Yu Garden, written 豫园 and identified as way/40036584, is a classical Chinese garden in Shanghai’s historic old city. Its appeal lies in a carefully arranged sequence of pavilions, water, rockwork, bridges, walls and enclosed paths, rather than one isolated monument.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
  2. Oriental Pearl Radio and Television Tower Oriental Pearl Radio and Television Tower
    03 20 min

    Oriental Pearl Radio and Television Tower

    东方明珠广播电视塔

    The Oriental Pearl Radio and Television Tower is a landmark television tower in Shanghai, China. Its local name is 东方明珠广播电视塔. The tower stands in the Lujiazui area of Pudong district, opposite the Bund across the Huangpu River.

    • Must see
    • Viewpoint
  3. Shanghai Tower Shanghai Tower
    04 45 min

    Shanghai Tower

    上海中心大厦

    Shanghai Tower is a landmark skyscraper in the Lujiazui financial district of Pudong, Shanghai. It is among the tallest buildings in the world by architectural height.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  4. Shanghai Museum Shanghai Museum
    05 1 hr 30 min

    Shanghai Museum

    上海博物馆

    Shanghai Museum is the People’s Square museum of Chinese art in central Shanghai, identified here as way/161090899.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  5. Nanjing Road Nanjing Road
    06 2 hours

    Nanjing Road

    南京路

    Nanjing Road is a major commercial thoroughfare in Shanghai, widely recognised as one of China's premier shopping streets. The road stretches west from the Bund and divides into Nanjing Road East and Nanjing Road West.

    • Must see
    • Activity
  6. Former French Concession Former French Concession
    07 3 hours

    Former French Concession

    The Former French Concession is a large historic area of central Shanghai rather than a single preserved monument. France obtained the concession in 1849, and its boundaries expanded as Shanghai grew before the administration ended during the Second World War.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  7. Jade Buddha Temple Jade Buddha Temple
    08 30 min

    Jade Buddha Temple

    玉佛禅寺

    Jade Buddha Temple is one of the first ten publishable places in Shanghai’s current curated ranking. Its clearest visitor purpose is the active Buddhist temple complex and its devotional spaces.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
  8. City God Temple of Shanghai City God Temple of Shanghai
    09 30 min

    City God Temple of Shanghai

    上海城隍庙

    The Shanghai City God Temple, known locally as 上海城隍庙, is a historic Taoist temple complex located in Shanghai's old city district. It serves as a cultural and religious center dedicated to the city's protective deity.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
  9. Jing'an Temple Jing'an Temple
    10 30 min

    Jing'an Temple

    静安寺

    Jing'an Temple, known locally as 静安寺, is a historic Buddhist temple located in Shanghai's Jing'an District. The temple stands as one of Shanghai's most recognizable religious landmarks, situated in a prominent urban position amid modern commercial development.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
  10. Longhua Temple Longhua Temple
    11 30 min

    Longhua Temple

    龙华寺

    Longhua Temple, known in Chinese as 龙华寺, is a Buddhist temple and historic religious complex at 2853 Longhua Road in Shanghai’s Xuhui District.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
  11. Xintiandi Xintiandi
    12 1 hr 30 min

    Xintiandi

    Xintiandi is a pedestrianized entertainment and shopping district in central Shanghai. The area comprises restored traditional shikumen lane houses, a distinctive architectural form combining Western and Chinese elements that was prevalent in the city from the 1860s to the 1930s.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  12. Tianzifang Tianzifang
    13 45 min

    Tianzifang

    田子坊

    Tianzifang is a distinctive lane neighbourhood in Shanghai’s Huangpu District, entered at Lane 210 on Taikang Road and known for its close-grained mix of pedestrian passages, creative businesses and older urban surroundings.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  13. People's Square People's Square
    14 1 hour

    People's Square

    People's Square is a major public plaza in central Shanghai, covering approximately 140,000 square metres in the Huangpu District. Originally the site of the Shanghai racecourse, the area was redeveloped in the 1990s into an open civic space.

    • Must see
    • Activity
  14. Jin Mao Tower Jin Mao Tower
    15 20 min

    Jin Mao Tower

    金茂大厦

    Jin Mao Tower is a landmark skyscraper in the Lujiazui financial district of Shanghai's Pudong area. The building stands among the tallest structures in the city and has become an identifiable element of the skyline.

    • Must see
    • Viewpoint
  15. Shanghai World Financial Center Shanghai World Financial Center
    16 45 min

    Shanghai World Financial Center

    上海环球金融中心

    Shanghai World Financial Center is a 492-metre, 101-storey skyscraper in Lujiazui, Pudong, completed in 2008 and designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  16. Bund Sightseeing Tunnel
    17 1 hour

    Bund Sightseeing Tunnel

    The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel runs under the Huangpu River between the Bund and Pudong and houses a cable-hauled passenger line 646.7 metres long, with a station at each end.

    • Notable
    • Art and culture venue
  17. Zhujiajiao Ancient Town Zhujiajiao Ancient Town
    18 45 min

    Zhujiajiao Ancient Town

    朱家角古镇旅游区

    Zhujiajiao Ancient Town is a historic water town located in the Qingpu District of Shanghai municipality. The settlement dates to the Yuan dynasty period and developed as a trading hub along the Dianshan Lake watershed.

    • Must see
    • Historic site
  18. Shanghai Disneyland Park Shanghai Disneyland Park
    19 2 hours

    Shanghai Disneyland Park

    上海迪士尼乐园

    Shanghai Disney Resort is a major theme park destination in Pudong, Shanghai, operated by a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and Shanghai Shendi Group.

    • Must see
    • Entertainment venue
  19. Qibao Old Town
    20 45 min

    Qibao Old Town

    七宝古镇

    Qibao Old Town (Qibao Old Street) is the historic core of Qibao in Shanghai's Minhang District, south of Qingnian Road by the Puhui River.

    • High
    • Historic site
  20. Former Residence of Soong Chingling
    21 45 min

    Former Residence of Soong Chingling

    宋庆龄故居

    The Soong Ching Ling Memorial Residence at 1843 Middle Huaihai Road, Xuhui District, was the Shanghai home from 1948 to 1963 of Soong Ching-ling, wife of Sun Yat-sen and later Vice-President and Honorary President of China.

    • High
    • Historic site
  21. Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center
    22 1 hr 30 min

    Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center

    上海城市规划展示馆

    Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center is a civic museum devoted to explaining how Shanghai has developed as a city.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  22. China Art Museum China Art Museum
    23 1 hr 30 min

    China Art Museum

    中华艺术宫

    China Art Museum, known locally as 中华艺术宫, is a dedicated art-museum stop at 205 Shangnan Road in Shanghai’s Pudong New Area. Its visitor purpose is a focused encounter with Chinese art exhibitions rather than a brief landmark photograph.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  23. Shanghai Natural History Museum Shanghai Natural History Museum
    24 1 hr 30 min

    Shanghai Natural History Museum

    上海自然博物馆

    Shanghai Natural History Museum is a science-focused museum at 510 West Beijing Road, inside Jing’an Sculpture Park in central Shanghai.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  24. Shanghai Science and Technology Museum Shanghai Science and Technology Museum
    25 1 hr 30 min

    Shanghai Science and Technology Museum

    上海科技馆

    Shanghai Science and Technology Museum is a major public science museum located in Shanghai, China. Its local name is 上海科技馆. The museum serves as a prominent cultural and educational institution within the city, dedicated to science popularization and technological exhibition.

    • Must see
    • Museum

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

How the city is laid out

Walk the Bund and Nanjing Road as one Puxi route, with People’s Square and its museums nearby. Cross by metro or ferry for Lujiazui rather than treating it as the same walking cluster. Yu Garden and the old city form another compact zone, while the former French Concession rewards a separate route through several neighbourhoods.

Checked 2026-08-26

Getting around

The municipal guide describes the metro as an efficient way to cross Shanghai’s large urban area. Use it between Puxi, Pudong and the former French Concession, then walk locally. Single tickets, transport cards and supported contactless options are available under current rules. Ferries can make useful river crossings, while suburban water towns need additional rail or road planning.

Checked 2026-08-26

More city guides

More places to explore in Shanghai

Common questions

How many days should I spend in Shanghai?

Suggested stay for a first visit: 3–4 days. Build the visit around the Bund, People’s Square, Lujiazui and the former French Concession, then add water towns and suburban districts only when the available time supports a separate journey.

What is the best way to organise sightseeing in Shanghai?

Group places by district instead of crossing the city repeatedly. Start with the Bund, People’s Square, Lujiazui and the former French Concession; treat water towns and suburban districts as separate routes with their own travel allowance.

How do I get around Shanghai?

Use Walking, metro, bus and ferry. Walk within compact clusters and consult the linked official transport information before making longer transfers or relying on a particular route.

Can I explore Shanghai mainly on foot?

Only within individual neighbourhood clusters. The main visitor areas are separated by distances, waterways, major roads or regional approaches, so longer links normally need public transport or a licensed vehicle.

Which Shanghai sights need separate transport planning?

Plan water towns and suburban districts separately from the Bund, People’s Square, Lujiazui and the former French Concession. Check the current route, return connection and any access requirements on the official source before departure.