Shanghai

Few city views in Asia land like the Huangpu riverfront: a solid wall of 1920s bank facades on one bank, the 632 m Shanghai Tower and its neighbors glittering on the other. Shanghai is China's largest city and its easiest for first-time visitors, with a metro signed in English, food from every province, and enough layers (Ming garden, jazz-age Bund, hypermodern Pudong) to fill three days without repeating a mood.

The Bund and Lujiazui: one river, two skylines

Walk the Bund (Waitan) at dusk, when the heritage facades glow and the Pudong towers switch on across the water. Then cross the river to Lujiazui for the view back: the Oriental Pearl Tower, the 492 m Shanghai World Financial Center and the spiralling Shanghai Tower, the tallest building in China, with an observation deck on the 118th floor. Deck tickets are timed; sunset slots go first, so book ahead (Klook sells them in English, as does the ticket office at the base). A Huangpu River night cruise gets you both skylines at once.

Old Shanghai: Yu Garden and the French Concession

Yu Garden (Yuyuan) is a Ming-dynasty maze of rockeries, carp ponds and pavilions ringed by a busy bazaar. One quirk trips people up: the garden itself closes on Mondays (except public holidays), while the bazaar and the teahouse by the zig-zag bridge stay open, so a Monday visit gets you the crowds but not the garden. For a slower afternoon, wander the plane-tree avenues of the former French Concession around Wukang Road and Anfu Road, cafe and boutique territory, then finish under the neon of Nanjing Road.

Landing at Pudong: Maglev, metro or Airport Link Line

Shanghai has two airports. Pudong (PVG) takes most long-haul flights; Hongqiao (SHA) is mostly domestic and sits beside the main high-speed rail station. From Pudong there are three ways in: the Maglev to Longyang Road in about 8 minutes (transfer to Metro Line 2 there), Metro Line 2 the whole way (cheapest, slowest), or a taxi from the official rank. Since late 2024 the Airport Link Line also connects Pudong and Hongqiao directly in about 40 minutes, handy when you land at PVG and leave the same day by bullet train.

Getting around and out

The metro reaches nearly every sight; pay with a rechargeable transport card or Alipay/WeChat transit QR codes. From Hongqiao railway station, high-speed trains reach Suzhou in under half an hour, Hangzhou in about an hour and Beijing in 4.5 to 6 hours. Book on the official 12306 site (no markup) or through Trip.com for English booking and painless refunds.

When to go and entry rules

Spring (March to May) and autumn (October to November) bring mild days and the clearest skyline views; July and August are hot and muggy, winter damp but rarely freezing. Skip National Day Golden Week (October 1 to 7) if crowds bother you. As of mid-2026, citizens of dozens of countries can enter China visa-free for stays of up to 30 days, and more qualify for 240-hour visa-free transit; the lists keep growing and changing, so confirm the current rules for your passport shortly before you fly.