Shanghai
Shanghai rewards both structured sightseeing and aimless wandering. The key sights are unmissable — but the city's best moments are often found between them.
The Bund is Shanghai's most iconic view — a riverfront promenade lined with 1920s colonial architecture facing the futuristic Pudong skyline across the Huangpu River. Walk it in the morning for fewer crowds, return at night for the light show. The best elevated view of both sides is from the Pearl Tower or Shanghai Tower observation decks.
The former French colonial area is now Shanghai's most characterful neighbourhood — a mix of art deco architecture, independent cafes, boutiques, and restaurants. Walk Wukang Road for its famous tree canopy and heritage buildings. Tianzifang is a tourist-friendly maze of alleyways worth a wander, especially for shopping and snacks.
Yu Garden (Yuyuan Garden) is a classical Ming Dynasty garden surrounded by a bazaar of souvenir shops and traditional food stalls. It gets crowded — visit early or on a weekday. The nearby City God Temple and Old Town lanes give a sense of pre-modern Shanghai that contrasts sharply with the rest of the city.
Zhujiajiao Water Town is a well-preserved canal town about an hour from central Shanghai — a half-day trip worth making if you're in the city for three or more days. Suzhou and Hangzhou are both under two hours by high-speed train and offer classical gardens, temples, and a very different pace from Shanghai's intensity.
Go Deeper
Transit shortcuts, apps that work especially well in Shanghai, and small things that improve every visit.