Shanghai
Shanghai is worth 2–3 days and is genuinely the easiest Chinese city to land in first — more English signage, a walkable French Concession, and one of the most photographed skylines on Earth along the Bund. Split your time between the colonial-era Bund/Nanjing Road side and Pudong's futuristic towers across the river, then spend an afternoon getting pleasantly lost in the tree-lined French Concession. Budget roughly $35–65/day per person before accommodation.
If Beijing is China's history, Shanghai is its future — or at least the version of the future China was building a decade ago and has now mostly finished. It's polished, walkable, genuinely cosmopolitan, and the single easiest Chinese city for a nervous first-timer to land in.
How many days in Shanghai?
Two to three days covers it well. One evening for the Bund at dusk (when the Pudong skyline lights up — this is the single most iconic view in China), one day for the French Concession's tree-lined streets and cafes, and a half-day for either Yu Garden's old town or a rooftop view from one of Pudong's towers.
The Bund vs. Pudong — see both
| Side | What it is | Best time |
|---|---|---|
| The Bund (Puxi side) | Colonial-era stone buildings along the river promenade | Sunset, for the golden-hour light on the old facades |
| Pudong (across the river) | The futuristic skyline — Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, Jin Mao Tower | After dark, when the whole skyline lights up |
Walk the Bund at dusk facing east toward Pudong, then cross via the tourist tunnel or a short taxi/metro ride to stand in Pudong looking back — you get both iconic views of the same skyline from opposite sides, and neither costs anything but a bit of walking.
What's actually worth seeing
- The Bund — the riverside promenade lined with early-20th-century European-style buildings, Shanghai's most photographed strip.
- The French Concession — leafy former French colonial streets (Wukang Road, Anfu Road, Tianzifang) packed with cafes, boutiques, and genuinely pleasant aimless wandering.
- Yu Garden and the Old City — a classical Chinese garden and surrounding bazaar streets, a useful contrast to the skyscrapers everywhere else.
- A Pudong observation deck — the Shanghai Tower's or Jin Mao Tower's observation deck gives you the classic postcard shot of the Bund from above.
Day trips from Shanghai
Suzhou (classical gardens, canals, about 25-30 minutes by high-speed rail) and Hangzhou (West Lake, about 45 minutes by high-speed rail) are both easy, worthwhile day trips if you have a spare day — both feel like a genuine change of pace from Shanghai's density, and both have their own full guides (see our Suzhou guide and Hangzhou guide) if you want the details.
Mistakes worth avoiding
- Skipping the Bund at night thinking you've 'seen enough skyline photos' — the in-person view genuinely outperforms any photo.
- Assuming your Western credit card works everywhere — set up Alipay's international mode before you land; small restaurants and street vendors run on mobile payment almost exclusively.
- Not testing your VPN before arrival — most Western apps and sites are blocked, and VPN provider sites are themselves inaccessible once you're already in China.
What it costs
| Item | Approx. cost |
|---|---|
| Mid-range hotel, per night | $60-120 |
| Metro single ride | $0.40-0.85 |
| Casual restaurant meal | $6-15 |
| Pudong observation deck (Shanghai Tower or Jin Mao Tower) | $20-30 |
Where to stay in Shanghai — hotels
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