TRIP OVERVIEW
Day 1 – Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street · Shanghai Museum · Xintiandi · Shanghai Tower
Day 2 – Jing'an Temple · French Concession · Jade Buddha Temple
Day 3 – The Bund · Yuyuan Garden · Old Town · Oriental Pearl Tower
Day 4 – Tianzifang · Power Station of Art · M50 Art District
Day 5 – Train Day · Suzhou
Day 1
1. Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street~45 min
A 1.5 km pedestrian boulevard lined with department stores, flagship boutiques and street food stalls — the busiest shopping street in Asia and Shanghai's commercial heartbeat since the 1850s.
Open 24/7
2. Shanghai Museum~2 hr
One of China's great art museums — 140,000 artifacts across 11 permanent galleries including the country's finest collection of ancient bronzes, ceramics, jades and Ming furniture. Admission is free; timed entry required.
3. Xintiandi~1 hr 30 min
A lovingly restored block of 1920s shikumen stone-gate houses transformed into upscale restaurants, boutiques and cafés — and the site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party, preserved as a museum inside.
Open 24/7
4. Shanghai Tower~1 hr
The world's second-tallest skyscraper at 632 m spirals above Lujiazui in a glass double-skin. The 118th-floor observation deck at 546 m is Asia's highest — look straight down through curved glass onto the Oriental Pearl below.
Daily 10:00am - 10:00pm
Occasional maintenance closures — check the venue site before visiting.
Day 2
1. Jing'an Temple~45 min
A gilded Chan Buddhist temple rebuilt in the 1880s behind soaring red gates in the middle of Jing'an's gleaming commercial district — the contrast between ancient incense smoke and surrounding luxury towers is pure Shanghai.
Daily 7:30am - 5:00pm
2. French Concession~1 hr 30 min
The shaded boulevards of Shanghai's Former French Concession, centred on Wukang Road — a gentle curve of plane trees, art deco mansions, independent boutiques and café terraces that feel like Paris by way of the Yangtze.
Open 24/7
3. Jade Buddha Temple~1 hr
An active Chan Buddhist monastery founded in 1882 and rebuilt in 1918, housing two luminous jade Buddha statues shipped from Burma — a Reclining Buddha and a Seated Buddha rising nearly 2 m tall.
Day 3
1. The Bund~1 hr
A 1.5 km promenade of 52 colonial-era banks and trading houses facing the Huangpu River — with the Pudong skyline rising in perfect counterpoint across the water.
Open 24/7
2. Yuyuan Garden~1 hr 30 min
A 2-hectare Ming-dynasty garden built in 1559 — rockeries carved from Taihu Lake stone, lotus ponds, zigzag bridges and lacquered pavilions tucked behind whitewashed walls in the heart of Old Town.
Daily 9:00am - 5:00pm
3. Old Town~1 hr
The City God Temple and its surrounding Yuyuan Bazaar — a winding maze of antique-market stalls, snack vendors and traditional tiled architecture anchoring Shanghai's old city since the Ming dynasty.
4. Oriental Pearl Tower~1 hr 30 min
The 468 m lattice-and-sphere tower that defined Pudong's skyline for a generation. The Space Module at 263 m and the Top Sphere at 350 m offer the best Bund views in the city.
Daily 9:00am - 9:30pm
Day 4
1. Tianzifang~1 hr 30 min
A labyrinth of 1930s shikumen stone-gate laneways repurposed as galleries, studios, craft shops and cafés — the best-preserved example of Shanghai's longtang lane culture and a thriving creative village.
2. Power Station of Art~1 hr
Shanghai's largest contemporary art museum inside a repurposed power station on the South Bund — vast turbine halls given over to monumental installations and major international exhibitions. Free admission.
3. M50 Art District~2 hr
A campus of 1930s textile-factory warehouses on Suzhou Creek now home to 100+ galleries and studios spanning the full range of Chinese and international contemporary art. Entry to the grounds and most galleries is free.
Day 5
Shanghai Hongqiao → Suzhou · China Railway · 35 min
book at: China Railway
7:02am Shanghai Hongqiao → 7:37am Suzhou
7:19am Shanghai Hongqiao → 7:54am Suzhou
7:42am Shanghai Hongqiao → 8:20am Suzhou
1. Humble Administrator's Garden~2 hr
The finest and largest of Suzhou's nine UNESCO-listed classical gardens — designed in 1509 by the Ming-dynasty official Wang Xianchen as his retirement retreat. Thirty-one acres of lotus ponds, rock grottos and open pavilions linked by covered walkways, built around the Confucian idea of a simple life well lived.
Daily 7:30am - 5:30pm
2. Suzhou Museum~1 hr 30 min
I.M. Pei's final building, completed in 2006 in his ancestral hometown — whitewashed galleries, angular skylights and reflection pools that translate classical Suzhou garden geometry into contemporary architecture. Houses Song-to-Qing paintings and fine jade. Free; advance reservation via WeChat required.
3. Tiger Hill~1 hr 30 min
Suzhou's oldest landmark — a hillside topped by the Yunyan Pagoda, built c. 961 AD and tilting 3° off vertical. China's oldest surviving multi-story stone pagoda; the hill marks the tomb of He Lü, founder of the Wu kingdom — ancient texts record 3000 of his swords buried beneath it.
Daily 7:30am - 6:00pm
Suzhou → Shanghai Hongqiao · China Railway · 30 min
book at: China Railway
12:07pm Suzhou → 12:45pm Shanghai Hongqiao
3:09pm Suzhou → 3:36pm Shanghai Hongqiao
7:28pm Suzhou → 7:50pm Shanghai Hongqiao
Weekly Closures
Museums & Galleries · Closed Monday
Tours
Viator
A 3.5-hr loop through downtown Shanghai with a local guide — history, culture, food and architecture from the city's origins to its global present. Tip-based; reserve your spot online.
3 hr 30 min · Max 4
3 hrs through the Former French Concession — celebrities, history and lane life of Paris-in-Shanghai. Tip-based; limited spots for an intimate experience.
3 hr · Max 4
3-hr morning walk through the French Concession tasting the neighbourhood's best breakfast bites — freshly made scallion pancakes, soy milk, steamed buns, and local cafés with a knowledgeable guide. Small group for an intimate pace.
3 hr · Max 10
ERA: Intersection of Time is Shanghai's headline acrobatics spectacular — gravity-defying stunts, dance, and theatrical storytelling fused into a 60-min world-class show at the iconic Shanghai Circus World arena.
1 hr · Open seating
GetYourGuide
Half-day small-group escape to Zhujiajiao — the "Venice of Shanghai" — with a canal boat ride, Ming-dynasty stone bridges, and a stroll through traditional markets. Max 6 for an intimate pace.
7 hr · ≤6
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2. Yu Garden · Old Street · Bund & Zhujiajiao Water Town Bus Tour · GetYourGuide · 4.7 · 385+ reviews
Full-day shared bus tour hitting Shanghai's four essential sights in one go — Yu Garden, the Old Street bazaar, the Bund waterfront, and Zhujiajiao water town — with a guide and all entry fees included.
8 hr · Group
TripAdvisor
1. Shanghai Circus World ERA2: Intersection of Time Acrobatics Show · TripAdvisor · 4.9 · 229+ reviews
ERA2: Intersection of Time is Shanghai Circus World's next-generation acrobatics spectacle — a 60-100 min fusion of jaw-dropping stunts, dance, and cinematic storytelling. Tuesday–Sunday; Sat/Sun matinee at 2:00pm.
60 min · Open seating
Tue–Sun · Sat/Sun also 2:00pm · closed Mon
3-hr morning food walk through the French Concession starting at 9:00am — freshly fried scallion pancakes, sweet soy milk, steamed buns, and tucked-away stalls the tourist crowds miss. Small-group, family-friendly.
3 hr · Small group
Cappuccino
Manner Coffee · 4.4 · 300+ reviews
Monday - Friday 7:30am - 9:00pm · Saturday - Sunday 8:00am - 9:00pm
The Press · 4.4 · 280+ reviews
S.Engine Coffee · 4.5 · 160+ reviews
Metal Hands Coffee · 4.5 · 120+ reviews
Monday - Friday 8:30am - 7:00pm · Saturday - Sunday 8:30am - 7:30pm
Antique Garden Coffee · 4.3 · 200+ reviews
Restaurants Near Hotel
Nanxiang Mantou Dian · 4.4 · 3000+ reviews
Xiaolongbao house in Yuyuan Bazaar — pork soup dumplings and crab roe buns.
Daily 7:00am - 9:00pm
Lü Bo Lang · 4.3 · 1200+ reviews
Shanghainese dim sum in a pavilion above Yuyuan's zigzag bridge.
Daily 11:00am - 2:00pm · Daily 5:00pm - 9:30pm
Songyue Lou · 4.2 · 600+ reviews
Century-old vegetarian house — fragrant buns, scallion cakes and noodle soups.
Daily 8:30am - 8:30pm
Huxin Ting Teahouse · 4.1 · 900+ reviews
1784 teahouse on Yuyuan's lake — dim sum and tea with a postcard setting.
Daily 8:30am - 9:00pm
Da Hu Chun · 4.4 · 800+ reviews
Sheng jian bao — pan-fried dumplings with crispy bottoms and hot pork broth.
Daily 6:30am - 8:30pm
Downtown Restaurants
Mr & Mrs Bund · 4.6 · 2000+ reviews
Bund 18 brasserie — river views, lemon tart and roast chicken by Paul Pairet.
Monday - Friday 6:00pm - 12:00am · Saturday - Sunday 11:30am - 12:00am
Lost Heaven on the Bund · 4.5 · 3000+ reviews
Yunnan minority cuisine on the Bund — tea-smoked ribs and coconut fish curries.
Daily 11:30am - 2:30pm · Daily 5:30pm - 11:00pm
Ye Shanghai · 4.4 · 1500+ reviews
Shanghainese in Xintiandi — hong shao rou, drunken chicken and seasonal crab.
Daily 11:30am - 2:30pm · Daily 5:30pm - 11:00pm
Polux Shanghai · 4.5 · 600+ reviews
French bistro in the Waldorf Astoria on the Bund — steak tartare and soufflés.
Daily 12:00pm - 2:30pm · Daily 6:00pm - 10:30pm
Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant Bund · 4.3 · 400+ reviews
Xiaolongbao institution on the Bund — same soup dumplings with a river view.
Daily 10:00am - 9:00pm
Dining Areas
French Concession
Pingjiang Road · Suzhou
Local Tastes
Xiao Long Bao
Shanghai's signature soup dumpling — a pleated parcel of pork and hot broth steamed in bamboo baskets. Bite a small hole and sip the broth first. Nanxiang Mantou Dian in Yuyuan is the original house.
Sheng Jian Bao
Pan-fried dumplings with a crispy sesame-studded base and a soft steamed top, filled with pork and hot broth. Cooked in a flat iron pan and eaten with vinegar and ginger. Da Hu Chun is the old master.
Hong Shao Rou
Red-braised pork belly slow-cooked in soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, rock sugar and star anise until meltingly tender and lacquered in a dark glaze — the defining dish of Shanghainese home cooking.
Cong You Ban Mian
Scallion oil noodles tossed with rendered scallion oil, soy sauce and crispy fried scallions — supremely simple and unmistakably Shanghainese. A ten-second dish that takes an hour of slow frying to perfect.
Tang Bao
A giant soup dumpling the size of a small balloon, served with a straw to drink the pork or crab broth through before eating the wrapper. A theatrical Shanghai specialty unique to this city.
Da Zha Xie
Hairy crab from Yangcheng Lake — a short-season delicacy eaten steamed with ginger vinegar. Females peak in October and males in November. If visiting in autumn, this is the dish.
Food Delivery
Meituan
Foreign number: not accepted — use the Meituan mini-program inside Alipay or WeChat instead.
China's largest food delivery platform operating across all of Shanghai's main districts; restaurant selection covers local street food, regional cuisines and international options. Foreign phone numbers are blocked at direct sign-up — the WeChat or Alipay mini-program gives full access without a Chinese number.
Ele.me
Foreign number: not accepted — use the Ele.me mini-program inside Alipay instead.
Alibaba's food delivery platform with wide restaurant coverage across Shanghai's central districts; competitive delivery times and a broad selection of local and international menus. Foreign phone numbers are blocked at direct registration — the Alipay mini-program provides full access without a Chinese number.
Shows, Performances & Concerts
Shanghai Grand Theatre
Shanghai's flagship state performing-arts venue — opera, ballet, symphony and touring classical productions including major European orchestra residencies.
Shanghai Oriental Art Center
Pudong's premier concert hall — a five-petal flower designed by Paul Andreu and home of the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra.
Getting Around
DiDi
Foreign number: accepted — DiDi International; foreign numbers and cards verified via the official DiDi International sign-up.
China's dominant ride-hailing app with extensive coverage across all of Shanghai's main districts; the DiDi International version accepts foreign phone numbers and major international credit cards including Visa and Mastercard. Download the DiDi app — fare estimates are shown in advance.
Train Stations Near Hotel
Shanghai Railway Station
Regional and intercity trains to Beijing · Nanjing · Suzhou · Hangzhou and all major Chinese cities.
Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station
Main HSR hub — Hangzhou 50 min · Nanjing 70 min · Beijing 4 hr 30 min · Suzhou 30 min.
Day Trips by Train
Hangzhou · 50 min
West Lake — ranked among China's most beautiful landscapes for a thousand years — pagodas, causeways, tea plantations and the Lingyin Temple in a city Marco Polo called the finest in the world.
book at: China Railway
Michelin Restaurants
Taian Table
Modern European tasting menu — 10 courses changing entirely with the seasons.
Ji Pin Court
Cantonese — precise dim sum, double-boiled soups and wok classics.
Da Vittorio Shanghai
Italian — handmade tagliolini and a 2000-label wine cellar with river views.
8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana
Italian — handmade pasta, black truffle and an extraordinary Italian wine list.
Fu He Hui
Vegetarian tasting menu — seasonal ingredients, classical Chinese technique.
Worth Knowing
Shanghai in Two Directions
Shanghai is the rare city that holds two worlds in a single glance: stand on the Bund at dusk and the 52 colonial facades of old trading empires glow in the last light while, across 400 metres of brown river, the futurist towers of Pudong flicker to life. The city has been reinventing itself at speed for 200 years — swallowing fishing village, treaty port, jazz age, revolution and megacity in rapid succession — and somehow it never loses its appetite for what comes next.
Eat a sheng jian bao for breakfast, a hairy crab in autumn and xiao long bao whenever the queue is short enough. Follow Wukang Road until you find a doorway worth stopping at. There will always be one.
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