Shanghai is China’s restless trendsetter: a port city that roared into global fame in the 1920s, then reinvented itself with a skyline that looks wired to the future. Art Deco facades along the Bund face off with glass-and-steel giants in Pudong, while the French Concession shelters cafés in shaded lilong lanes. The result is a city that excels at contradictions—and invites you to enjoy both.

Expect big-ticket sights (Yu Garden, Shanghai Tower, Oriental Pearl TV Tower), but also everyday pleasures: soup dumplings that burn your tongue in the best way, morning tai chi in Fuxing Park, and neon reflections on the Huangpu River at night. A half-day in a nearby water town adds quiet canals and stone bridges to the picture, rounding out your China experience without leaving the metro area.

Practical notes: the metro is clean, vast, and punctual; taxis are plentiful; and foreigners can now link international cards to Alipay/WeChat Pay for easy cashless purchases. Museums often close on Mondays; reserve free museum tickets in advance when required. Autumn brings prized hairy crab, summer is humid, and spring is glorious for plane-tree-lined strolls.

Shanghai

Shanghai dazzles with contrasts: the Bund’s 1930s grandeur, the Old City’s Ming-era motifs, and Lujiazui’s trio of towers—Jin Mao, SWFC, and 632-meter Shanghai Tower. Wander the French Concession’s residential lanes to glimpse everyday life: laundry flapping from balconies, mahjong at street level, and micro-bakeries hidden behind courtyard gates.

Top sights and neighborhoods to prioritize:

• The Bund and Nanjing Road: world-class riverfront promenade and a pedestrian artery lined with shops and historic architecture.
• Yu Garden & Old City God Temple area: classical pavilions, zigzag bridges, and snack stalls serving Nanxiang-style xiaolongbao.
• French Concession (Fuxing Park, Wukang Road, Tianzifang): leafy, low-rise charm, cafés, boutiques, and shikumen houses.
• Lujiazui (Pudong): observation decks, riverside parks, and skylines that glow after sunset.
• M50 Art District and Suzhou Creek: contemporary galleries in former factories; an easy add-on after a canal-town morning.

Getting in and around:

• Flights: Compare fares and times on Trip.com (Flights) or Kiwi.com. PVG is ~45–60 minutes by taxi to the Bund; the Maglev to Longyang Rd. takes ~8 minutes, then connect by metro.
• Trains (for DIY day trips): Bullet trains to Suzhou take ~25–35 minutes (~$6–12), and to Hangzhou ~45–70 minutes (~$10–20). Search schedules on Trip.com (Trains).
• Metro: Tap in with a rechargeable transit card or mobile payments; signage is bilingual and stations are air-conditioned.

Where to stay (handpicked by area and style):

• Iconic luxury on the Bund: The Peninsula Shanghai (river views, Art Deco glamour) and The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong (spectacular skyline, top-floor bar).
• Great-value central picks: Radisson Blu Hotel Shanghai New World (People’s Square) and Campanile Shanghai Bund Hotel (steps from the river).
• Boutique and budget: Shanghai Fish Inn Bund (cozy, walkable) and Shanghai Blue Mountain Bund Youth Hostel (social and central).
• Pudong convenience: Kerry Hotel Pudong / Kerry Hotel Pudong, Shanghai (wellness and family-friendly facilities).
• Browse more stays: Hotels.com — Shanghai or apartments on VRBO — Shanghai.

Day 1: Arrival, the Bund, and Night Lights on the Huangpu

Morning: In transit to Shanghai. If you land at PVG before noon, the Maglev to Longyang Rd. takes ~8 minutes; a taxi from there to the Bund is ~25–35 minutes. Taxis from PVG to central Shanghai run ~45–60 minutes depending on traffic; keep your hotel’s address in Chinese handy.

Afternoon: Check in and stretch your legs along the Bund promenade. Note the contrast: 1930s banks behind you and sci-fi Pudong ahead. For a pick-me-up, try Manner Coffee (local favorite with velvety flat whites) or Sumerian Coffee (Jing’an; great house roasts and cookies). Early dinner options: Jianguo 328 (clear, home-style Shanghainese like braised pork and scallion oil noodles) or Lost Heaven on the Bund (fragrant Yunnan curries, tea-smoked duck).

Evening: See Shanghai sparkle from the water on a VIP night cruise: Private Evening Tour: VIP Huangpu River Cruise and Shanghai Lights. Typical duration 3–4 hours with hotel pickup; expect Bund, Lujiazui, and illuminated bridges.

After the cruise, cap the night with a craft cocktail: Speak Low (multi-level speakeasy; inventive, balanced drinks) or Union Trading Company (neighborhood bar with award-winning classics).

Day 2: Old-and-New Shanghai in One Sweep (Guided)

Full day: Maximize your time with a door-to-door city tour: Private Full-Day Tour: Incredible Shanghai Highlights. In ~8 hours, hit the essentials through a local lens—Yu Garden and the Old City’s lanes, the Bund’s riverfront, Lujiazui’s observation decks, jade-and-incense calm at a temple, and the French Concession’s tree-lined streets. Guides tailor pacing and lunch stops; expect insights on history, architecture, and food.

Dinner back in town: Cheng Long Hang (Shanghainese crab—sensational in autumn but excellent year-round) or Grandma’s Home (comfort dishes like hongshao pork and stir-fried river shrimp). For dessert, hunt down Lillian Bakery’s Portuguese egg tarts—flaky, caramelized tops.

Day 3: Yu Garden Early, French Concession Flair, and Tianzifang

Morning: Beat the crowds at Yu Garden right after opening to savor rockeries, koi ponds, and carved latticework. Snack at Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant nearby—order classic xiaolongbao (pork) or crab roe versions. Stroll the Old City God Temple precinct for incense-scented courtyards and photo-ready eaves.

Afternoon: Shift to the French Concession: wander Fuxing Park (elderly pairs waltz under plane trees), then amble Wukang Road for 1920s villas and shikumen lanes. Coffee ideas: Seesaw Coffee (single-origin Chinese beans) or Ratio Roasters (precise extractions). Explore Tianzifang’s maze of ateliers and studios—look for calligraphy-paper shops and hand-cut papercraft.

Evening: Dinner at Lost Heaven (Gaoyou Rd) for lemongrass-laced Yunnan fare or Jianguo 328 for a focused Shanghainese lineup (try smoked fish, bean curd with hairy crab roe in season). Post-dinner, bar-hop the Bund: Bar Rouge for a terrace view across the river, or The ROOF at The Shanghai EDITION for skyline selfies and chilled spritzes.

Day 4: Canal Lanes of Zhujiajiao + Suzhou Creek’s Contemporary Edge

Morning: Escape to a historic canal town with stone bridges and willow-lined waterways on a half-day guided trip: Shanghai Private Tour: Zhujiajiao Water Town and Boat Ride. Typically 4–5 hours with hotel pickup; includes a tranquil sampan ride, alleyway snacks, and photogenic teahouses.

DIY option: Metro Line 17 to Zhujiajiao Station (~1 hour) then a 15-minute walk.

Afternoon: Return to town and explore M50 Art District along Suzhou Creek—former textile mills now holding galleries and studios. Browse contemporary works, murals, and pop-up installations; grab an espresso at an indie roastery nearby. If shopping calls, head to Nanjing West Road’s department stores for design-forward Chinese brands.

Evening: Hot pot night: Hai Di Lao for cheerful service and tomato/mala broths, or try a local Sichuan spot for peppercorn buzz. Prefer seafood? Book a table at a Huangpu old-school spot for river fish steamed with ginger, then walk the revamped Suhe Bay riverside path for reflective city views.

Day 5: Pudong Sky High—Museums, River Parks, and the Top of Shanghai

Morning: Cross to Pudong’s Lujiazui. If it’s not a Monday, start at the Shanghai History Museum (beneath the Pearl Tower) to frame the city’s story from treaty-port days to modern finance. Families may prefer the Science & Technology Museum’s hands-on halls. Coffee stop: Manner at IFC for a flat white and a pastry.

Afternoon: Circle the Lujiazui Skywalk to appreciate the urban canyon, then decompress at Binjiang Park, a riverside greenbelt with stellar photo angles back to the Bund. Lunch ideas: Jin Xuan at The Ritz-Carlton Pudong (refined Cantonese; dim sum lunch with skyline views) or Crystal Jade in IFC (dependable noodles, roast meats, and dumplings).

Evening: Time your ascent for sunset with pre-booked tickets: Shanghai Tower (The Top of Shanghai) Ticket Booking. Expect cloud-brushing views from Floor 118—and weather-dependent scenes that stretch to the river’s bends.

Toast the night at FLAIR (Ritz-Carlton Pudong) for open-air cocktails facing the Pearl Tower, or take the ferry across for a late Bund stroll.

Day 6: Last Bites, Temples, and Departure

Morning: Choose serenity at the Jade Buddha Temple—two luminous Burmese jade Buddhas draw pilgrims and quiet contemplation. Dress modestly and mind incense etiquette. Breakfast nearby can be simple and satisfying: scallion pancakes from a neighborhood stall or soy milk with youtiao (fried dough) from a traditional shop.

Afternoon (departure day): Squeeze in a final food fix: Yang’s Fried Dumpling for shengjianbao (crisp-bottomed soup buns), or Wei Xiang Zhai for nutty, sesame-paste noodles. If you’re airport-bound, allow 45–60 minutes by taxi to PVG (longer at rush hour); the Maglev + metro combo is ~35–50 minutes depending on connections. For flight options and times, check Trip.com (Flights) or Kiwi.com.

Evening: If your flight is later, stroll People’s Square or duck into a tea shop for a take-home oolong or jasmine blend. Pick up pineapple cakes or White Rabbit candies as playful souvenirs for friends back home.

Optional swaps and tips

• Foodies: Swap Day 3 dinner for a tasting-menu splurge at Ultraviolet (book months ahead) or pick a refined Shanghainese banquet closer to your hotel.
• Day trip by rail: If you prefer DIY over guided tours, use Trip.com (Trains) to reach Suzhou’s classical gardens (~30 min) or Hangzhou’s West Lake (~1 hour). Leave early and return before dinner.
• Museum Mondays: Many cultural sites close on Mondays; shuffle Days 2–3 if needed to access Yu Garden and museums.
• Payments: Link your foreign card inside Alipay/WeChat Pay apps before you go; keep some cash for small stalls.

Bookend your week with the Bund’s stately facades and Pudong’s futuristic glow, then fill the center with dumplings, gardens, parks, and one serene water-town escape. This 6-day Shanghai itinerary balances icons and local color so you leave with both postcard views and personal favorites.