Shanghai City Guide — Attractions, Food & Tips

Shanghai City GuideChina's most cosmopolitan metropolis, where Art Deco mansions line the Bund across from Pudong's futuristic skyline, ancient gardens hide behind neon-lit avenues, and the world's fastest train connects an airport to a city perpetually reinventing itself.Key Facts

Country: China

Currency: CNY (Chinese Yuan)

Language: Mandarin / Shanghainese

Time Zone: UTC+8

Best Time to Visit: October–November & March–May

Top Places to Visit

The Bund (Waitan) — The 1.5 km Bund promenade showcases 52 buildings in neoclassical, Art Deco, and beaux-arts styles from Shanghai's 1920s golden age. Across the river, Pudong's futuristic skyline creates one of the world's greatest urban panoramas.

Yu Garden (Yuyuan) — A exquisite Ming Dynasty garden with rockeries, pavilions, dragon walls, and koi ponds spanning 2 hectares. The surrounding Yu Garden Bazaar has traditional architecture, tea houses, and Shanghai's best xiaolongbao.

Pudong Skyline — Home to the Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower (632m, China's tallest), Shanghai World Financial Center, and Jin Mao Tower. The Lujiazui skyline, viewed from the Bund, defines modern Shanghai.

French Concession — Shanghai's most charming neighbourhood with plane tree-lined streets, 1920s Art Deco villas, independent boutiques, craft coffee shops, and hidden speakeasies. Walk Wukang Road, Anfu Road, and Yongkang Road.

Nanjing Road — A 5.5 km pedestrian boulevard stretching from the Bund to Jing'an Temple. East Nanjing Road is a neon-lit shopping bonanza; West Nanjing Road is more upscale with luxury malls.

Local Food

Xiaolongbao — Shanghai's iconic soup dumplings — thin-skinned parcels filled with minced pork and hot, savoury broth. Bite a corner, sip the soup, then dip in vinegar and ginger. Din Tai Fung and Jia Jia Tang Bao are legendary.

Scallion Oil Noodles — Deceptively simple Shanghai noodles tossed with slow-cooked scallion oil and soy sauce. The caramelised scallions give a sweet, smoky depth. A breakfast staple available at most neighbourhood noodle shops.

Red-Braised Pork (Hongshaorou) — Meltingly tender pork belly braised slowly in soy sauce, sugar, Shaoxing wine, and star anise until lacquered and caramelised. The quintessential Shanghainese home-cooked dish.

Shengjianbao — Pan-fried soup buns — thicker-skinned cousins of xiaolongbao, pan-fried until the bottoms are crispy golden and the tops are sprinkled with sesame and spring onion. Juicier and heartier.

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