City guide

Shanghai

Old lanes, ambitious architecture and a waterfront made for wandering.

Shanghai at a glance

Shanghai sits at the mouth of the Yangtze on China's eastern coast and is a major center for finance, trade, shipping and technology. Its rise from a Jiangnan port town to an international port left two very different skylines facing each other across the Huangpu: the Bund's historic facades in Puxi and the towers of Lujiazui in Pudong. Old lilong lanes and neighborhood markets survive between them. Two international airports, high-speed rail and a dense metro network connect Shanghai with China and the wider world, giving the city its fast, outward-looking rhythm.

Landmarks worth making time for

Famous sights and everyday places, balanced for a first visit to Shanghai.

The Bund

Walk Shanghai's two timelines along the west bank of the Huangpu: historic Bund buildings behind you and Lujiazui's towers across the water. Arrive before dusk to catch sunset and the evening lights in one route.

Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street

Walk east from People's Square to the Bund past historic department stores, food shops, pedestrian streets, and newer pop-culture retail, ending with the riverfront skyline.

Yu Garden

Yu Garden and the surrounding Yuyuan Bazaar are two different visits. Buy a ticket for the classical garden by day, then stay in the open commercial lanes for shops and evening lights.

Lujiazui

See Lujiazui once from street level and once from above. Walk between the towers, choose one observation deck, then look back across the river to the Bund's lower historic skyline.

Shanghai Museum

Choose between two Shanghai Museum venues: the East Museum presents the fuller ancient Chinese art collection, while the People's Square building focuses increasingly on world civilisations and major exhibitions.

Shanghai Disneyland

Shanghai Disneyland needs a full day and a short priority list. Choose the rides and shows that matter most, then use the official app for current times; the named ticket, matching ID and trip home matter more than completing everything.