Cities
Shanghai in 3 days: an itinerary for first-time visitors
The Bund, Yu Garden, the former French Concession, the Pudong skyline, and a canal-town day trip, in a 3-day plan with transport tips.
Shanghai is China’s easiest city for first-time visitors: plenty of English signage, an excellent metro, and a mix of colonial architecture, futuristic skyline, and old neighbourhoods. Three days covers the highlights at a comfortable pace.
Arriving
- From Pudong Airport (PVG): the Maglev train reaches Longyang Road station in about 8 minutes, at over 300 km/h. Change there to Metro Line 2. Or take Metro Line 2 directly, which is slower but needs no change.
- From Hongqiao (airport or railway station): Metro Lines 2 and 10 go straight into the centre.
- Late at night or with heavy bags, use DiDi or book an airport transfer.
Day 1: the Bund, Yu Garden, and the Pudong skyline
- Morning: Yu Garden, a classical Chinese garden from the Ming dynasty, and the busy City God Temple bazaar around it. Go early, before the tour groups arrive. Try xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) nearby.
- Afternoon: walk Nanjing Road East, the pedestrian shopping street, down to the Bund, the riverside promenade lined with 1920s and 1930s buildings.
- Evening: stay on the Bund at dusk, when the Pudong skyline across the river lights up. Then cross over (the metro is one stop) and go up the Shanghai Tower for the view from the top. You can book tickets in advance.
Day 2: the former French Concession
- Morning: walk the tree-lined streets of the former French Concession: Wukang Road and its famous Wukang Mansion, Anfu Road, and the lanes around them. It’s Shanghai’s best area for wandering, with cafés and boutiques.
- Afternoon: Tianzifang, a maze of alleys full of small shops, then Xintiandi, restored shikumen (stone-gate) houses with restaurants.
- Evening: Jing’an Temple, a golden Buddhist temple surrounded by skyscrapers, then dinner in Jing’an.
Day 3: a canal-town day trip, or Disneyland
- Zhujiajiao water town: stone bridges, canals, and old houses about an hour from the centre on Metro Line 17. Take a boat ride on the canals. Go on a weekday if you can. Further afield, the canal towns of Zhouzhuang and Wuzhen are popular day trips.
- Or Shanghai Disneyland: it’s on Metro Line 11. Book tickets ahead for weekends and holidays.
Where to stay
- Huangpu (near the Bund or People’s Square): central, walkable, and best for a first visit.
- Jing’an: smart hotels, good restaurants, and easy metro links.
- Former French Concession: boutique hotels on quieter streets.
Make sure your hotel accepts foreign guests, and compare prices on Trip.com or Agoda.
Next stop
Shanghai is 4.5 hours from Beijing by high-speed train, and under 2 hours from Hangzhou and Suzhou. See how to book trains and our Beijing itinerary.
