Shanghai 7-day itinerary

Walk the Bund before crowds — 52 heritage buildings from Shanghai's colonial era face Pudong's futuristic skyline across the Huangpu River. The HSBC Building, Peace Hotel, and Customs House are architectural masterpieces. This is Shanghai's defining image — a city caught between its glamorous past and its even more ambitious future. Early morning tai chi practitioners add atmosphere.

Metro to Yu Garden (¥40) — a 16th-century classical garden with rockeries, koi ponds, and intricate pavilions. The surrounding bazaar is touristy but atmospheric. Lunch at Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant — the original xiaolongbao shop since 1900. Walk through the narrow lanes of the Old City for pre-modern Shanghai. Try guotie (pot stickers) from a street vendor (¥8–12).

Shanghai Tower observation deck (¥180, 118th floor) for staggering city views. Return to the Bund at night — colonial buildings and Pudong towers dramatically illuminated. Walk the full 1.5km promenade slowly. For drinks, Bar Rouge or Vue Bar have Bund-facing terraces with cocktails from ¥80. The nighttime Bund walk is free and one of Asia's greatest urban experiences.

Tree-lined boulevards shaded by plane trees, Art Deco apartments, independent coffee shops. Start on Wukang Road with the iconic Wukang Mansion. Walk through Fuxing Park where locals do tai chi and play cards. Breakfast at a jianbing cart (savory crepe, ¥8–15) — egg, cilantro, scallions, and crispy wonton in a wheat crepe. The French Concession is Shanghai's most walkable neighborhood.

Metro to M50 on Moganshan Road — a converted industrial complex with 100+ contemporary galleries (free entry). ShanghART and Vanguard Gallery are standouts. Shanghai's art scene is globally significant and M50 is its epicenter. Lunch at a local noodle shop — scallion oil noodles (cong you ban mian, ¥15–25) are Shanghai's signature simple dish, deceptively addictive.

Jing'an Temple (¥50) at dusk — a golden Buddhist temple against surrounding skyscrapers. The contrast is pure Shanghai. Walk to the Kerry Centre area for dinner. Shanghai's cocktail scene is world-class — Speak Low (speakeasy behind a cocktail shop, from ¥90), El Coctel, and Union Trading Company are all excellent. Late-night street food around Shouning Road — crayfish and beer culture peaks in summer.

Shanghai Museum (free, reservation required) at People's Square has world-class collections of bronze, ceramics, calligraphy, and jade. The ancient bronze collection is among the finest anywhere. Allow 2–3 hours. On weekends, People's Park hosts the Marriage Market where parents post their children's resumes — a fascinating cultural phenomenon.

Walk Nanjing Road East, then turn into side streets for authentic food. Yang's Fried Dumplings (shengjianbao, ¥10–15 for 4) is unmissable — crispy bottom, juicy filling. Power Station of Art (free) is Shanghai's contemporary art museum in a converted power plant with rotating exhibitions and river views from the top floor.

Xintiandi — restored shikumen neighborhood turned dining district. Shanghainese cuisine at Ye Shanghai or Jesse Restaurant — hongshao rou (red-braised pork belly), smoked fish, and lion's head meatballs. Dinner for two with drinks: ¥300–500. Walk off dinner through the illuminated lanes and end at a craft beer bar nearby.

Bus from Shanghai Stadium (¥12, 90 minutes) to Zhujiajiao — a 1,700-year-old canal town with arched stone bridges, willow-lined waterways, and traditional wooden houses. The entrance fee covers the town (¥60 for combined attractions). Cross the Fangsheng Bridge (1571), the largest five-arch stone bridge in Shanghai. The narrow lanes are atmospheric and photogenic at every turn.

Take a gondola ride through the canals (¥80 per boat, fits 4–6 people) for a different perspective. The town's food specialties are zongzi (sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves, ¥5–10) and braised pork knuckle (¥25–40). Visit the rice wine brewery, the traditional post office, and the shadow puppet theater. The handicraft shops sell genuine local products at reasonable prices.

Return to Shanghai by late afternoon. Explore Tianzifang on Taikang Road — a labyrinth of narrow shikumen lanes converted into galleries, cafes, and design shops. The atmosphere is intimate and creative. Dinner at one of the hidden restaurants inside — Commune Social by Jason Atherton does excellent modern Asian tapas (¥200–300 per person). Or find a local noodle shop and eat for ¥20.

Metro Line 2 to the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum (¥45) — impressive interactive exhibits covering robotics, space, and nature. The adjacent AP Plaza underground market has cheap electronics and accessories (haggle hard). Walk to Century Park (¥10) — Shanghai's largest park with a lake, boat rentals, and quiet paths. A peaceful morning before the urban intensity.

Walk through Lujiazui — Shanghai's Manhattan. The Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, and World Financial Center create a jaw-dropping skyline you can walk among. The Shanghai Ocean Aquarium (¥180) has the world's longest underwater tunnel. The IFC Mall has high-end shopping and dining. Lunch at Lujiazui Food Court for affordable options (¥25–50) surrounded by billionaires.

Take an evening Huangpu River cruise (¥100–150, 1 hour) — the boat passes between the illuminated Bund and Pudong skylines, offering views impossible from either shore. The cheap cruises are just as good as luxury ones — it's the same river. Return to Puxi for dinner at a local Shanghainese restaurant — try drunken chicken (zuiji), pork and crab xiaolongbao, and mapo tofu.

Visit the Jade Buddha Temple (¥20) — one of Shanghai's most active Buddhist temples, built in 1882 to house two jade Buddha statues brought from Burma. The larger sitting Buddha is 1.9 meters tall and carved from a single piece of white jade. The temple is a working monastery with incense smoke, chanting monks, and devout worshippers. The atmosphere is genuinely spiritual amid the commercial city.

Walk through less-touristy Zhabei and Hongkou districts — the former Japanese Concession has its own architectural character and the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum (¥30) tells the remarkable story of 20,000 Jewish refugees who found sanctuary in Shanghai during WWII. Lunch at a local canteen — Shanghai-style wonton soup (¥12), braised noodles with pork chop (¥18), or a full set meal (¥25–35).

Shouning Road night food street — Shanghai's crayfish capital. In season (May–October), the street fills with plastic tables and mountains of spicy garlic crayfish (¥60–100 per kg). Add cold beer (¥8–15), edamame, and grilled skewers for a proper local evening out. The atmosphere is rowdy, messy, and gloriously Chinese. Even outside crayfish season, the night food stalls serve excellent late-night fare.

Browse Dongtai Road antiques market — Mao memorabilia, vintage propaganda posters, jade carvings, and old coins. Most items are reproductions but charming and cheap (¥10–100). Haggle to 30–40% of the asking price. Then relax in Fuxing Park — the most European park in Shanghai with morning tai chi, ballroom dancing, and card games under the plane trees.

For quality souvenirs, visit the Shanghai Museum gift shop (excellent reproductions), Spin Ceramics in the French Concession for modern Chinese pottery, or the tea shops along Fangbang Road for quality Chinese teas with tasting. Silk fans and embroidery from Yu Garden area make beautiful gifts (¥30–100). Don Quijote-style snack shopping at Lawson or FamilyMart for Chinese snack packs.

For your final Shanghai meal, splurge on Shanghainese cuisine at Fu 1088 (a restored mansion) or keep it budget at a local restaurant. Must-order classics: xiaolongbao, hongshao rou, drunken chicken, shengjianbao, and smoked fish. One last walk along the Bund at night — let the illuminated skyline on both sides of the river be your final Shanghai memory. This city stays with you.