City guide · China
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
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.
Reviewed by 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
September · September cools Shanghai to a 27.2°C mean high, although precipitation peaks at 156.0 mm over 12 days.
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
9 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
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.
武康大楼
Wukang Mansion, known locally as 武康大楼, is a historic apartment building located in Shanghai's former French Concession area. The building stands at the intersection of multiple streets, creating a distinctive triangular footprint.
新场古镇
Xinchang Ancient Town, known locally as 新场古镇, is a historic water town located in the Pudong New Area of Shanghai, China. It represents a preserved example of traditional Jiangnan architecture and canal-town settlement patterns.
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
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
A fixed stay length is not recorded. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
