China
Shanghai is the city where China's past and future share one river.
On the west bank of the Huangpu, the Bund's row of Art Deco banks faces the glass towers of Pudong, and behind it lie the Ming-era lanes of Yu Garden and the plane-tree streets of the Former French Concession. This guide books Shanghai properly: the Shanghai Tower's 118th-floor deck, a Huangpu River cruise after dark, Yu Garden with an entry ticket, a French Concession breakfast food tour, the ERA acrobatics show and a full day at Shanghai Disneyland, with day trips to the canal towns of Zhujiajiao and Zhouzhuang. It then matches you to a hotel, from the Peninsula and the Fairmont Peace Hotel on the Bund to a garden retreat in the French Concession and a budget base beside Yu Garden.
Shanghai Tower Observation Deck
The 632-metre Shanghai Tower is China's tallest building, and its observation deck on the 118th floor looks down on the Huangpu, the Bund and the whole Pudong skyline. A timed ticket and a clear day make for the city's best view.
Zhujiajiao Water Town
A canal town of stone bridges, tiled lanes and wooden boats about an hour from central Shanghai. It is the easiest water-town day trip, available as a half-day private tour with a boat ride or by metro on your own.
Shanghai Disneyland
China's first Disney resort, with the largest Disney castle in the world, the high-speed Tron coaster and the Zootopia land. Buy tickets directly through the resort's official site and plan a full day.
The Bund
Shanghai's grand riverfront promenade, a mile of colonial-era banks and Art Deco towers on one side and the glittering Pudong skyline across the Huangpu on the other. Free to walk at any hour, and the single best introduction to the city.
FreeShanghai's grand riverfront promenade, a mile of colonial-era banks and Art Deco towers on one side and the glittering Pudong skyline across the Huangpu on the other. Free to walk at any hour, and the single best introduction to the city.
A classical Ming-dynasty garden of pavilions, ponds and rockeries tucked into Shanghai's old city, beside the lantern-lit bazaar and the City God Temple. Book an entry ticket and arrive early before the tour groups.
The 632-metre Shanghai Tower is China's tallest building, and its observation deck on the 118th floor looks down on the Huangpu, the Bund and the whole Pudong skyline. A timed ticket and a clear day make for the city's best view.
Shanghai's leafiest district, with plane-tree-lined lanes, Art Deco villas, independent cafes and boutiques. It is the best neighbourhood to wander on foot, free, and the most relaxed side of the city.
A canal town of stone bridges, tiled lanes and wooden boats about an hour from central Shanghai. It is the easiest water-town day trip, available as a half-day private tour with a boat ride or by metro on your own.
Often called the first water town of China, Zhouzhuang is a larger and more atmospheric canal town just over the border in Jiangsu. It is a full-day trip from Shanghai, often combined with Suzhou.
See the Bund and the Pudong skyline from the water, ideally after dark when both banks are lit. A private evening cruise with a guide and hotel transfers makes it simple.
China's first Disney resort, with the largest Disney castle in the world, the high-speed Tron coaster and the Zootopia land. Buy tickets directly through the resort's official site and plan a full day.
Shanghai's best known acrobatics show, with contortionists, aerial artists and motorbikes in a steel sphere. A good evening with no language barrier, held at Shanghai Circus World.
A small-group morning walk through the Former French Concession, tasting local breakfast with a guide who explains the dishes. Highly rated, with hotel pickup, and a very good first morning in the city.
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
$$$$The Bund
A 5-star Art Deco landmark at the quiet northern end of the Bund, with river and skyline views, Michelin-starred dining and a spa. Shanghai's classic splurge for a special trip.
Rates on Expedia →
$$$$The Bund
A 1929 Art Deco icon on the Bund, once the Cathay Hotel, with a green pyramid roof, a legendary jazz bar and a central location. History and glamour at a luxury price.
Rates on Expedia →
$$$French Concession
A garden-set hotel in the heart of the French Concession, built around a historic 1920s club building with Japanese-style service. Quiet, central and perfect for walking the leafy streets.
Rates on Expedia →
$$Bund Area
A stylish boutique hotel on the Bund side of the city with design-led rooms, a lively atmosphere and views of the Huangpu River from upper floors. A mid-range alternative to the grand Bund hotels.
Rates on Expedia →Old City
A simple, clean budget hotel near Yu Garden and the old city, with metro access and the Bund within reach. A practical, low-cost base for sightseers.
Rates on Expedia →A first-timer guide to Shanghai: what to book ahead, how to get around on the metro, how many days to allow and where the Bund, Yu Garden, the Shanghai Tower and the water towns fit.
Choosing a Shanghai neighbourhood: the Bund for views and history, the French Concession for calm and cafes, and the old city for budget convenience, tied to five recommended hotels.
