Shanghai Top Things to Do

Written by Matteo Updated Mar. 7, 2025

Shanghai's attractions combine historical relics and modern architectural sites. Here we list the top 10 attractions in Shanghai based on the popularity and our customer's feedback. The historical sites include the Bund, Chenghuang Temple, French Concession Region, Nanjing Road, Yuyuan Garden, Shanghai History Museum, and Zhujiajiao Water Town which witness the glorious past of the city. The modern sites of The World Financial Center, Xintiandi, and the Oriental Pearl TV Tower well present the modern face of Shanghai.

1. The Bund

The Bund is a landmark and a must-see place in Shanghai. For first-times having no time to explore Shanghai when stopover in Shanghai, at least do not miss the bund lying along the western bank of Huangpu River. Stroll along the bund with a length of 1.5 km, one can enjoy the architecture along the bund in Western style. They are honored as "World Architecture fair". Meanwhile, Pudong New District is right opposite the bund, which is on the other side of the river. The great contrast between the vintage Shanghai and modern Shanghai add to more charms.

With a history of over 400 years, Yuyuan Garden was first built in the Ming Dynasty by Pan Yunduan. He wished to bring happiness and pleasure to his family through this garden. Now it has been a famous garden for the public. It is a classical private Chinese garden. If not having enough time to explore the gardens in Suzhou, this one won't disappoint you.

The 468-meter-high tower, which is the highest in Asia and the third highest in the world, was put into construction on July 30th, 1991, and completed on October 1st, 1994. it faces the bund across the Huangpu River. With eleven steel spheres in various sizes Hanging from the blue sky to the green grassland, the body of the tower creates an admirable image, which is described in an ancient Chinese verse as: large and small pearls dropping on a plate of jade.

Jade Buddha Monastery is one of the most famous Buddha religious temples in Shanghai. There are a lot of religious events hosted by the temple. The main and popular structures of the temple are the great Devajara Hall, Mahavira Hall, the Jade Buddha Tower, the Kwan-yin Hall, Amitabh Hall, Tang Hall, and Recumbent Buddha Hall... Shanghai World Financial Center

The Shanghai World Financial Center is a super-tall skyscraper. It is a mixed-use skyscraper, which will consist of offices, hotels, conference rooms, observation decks, and shopping malls on the lower floors. The hotel component has 175 rooms and suites and goes by the name: The Park Hyatt, Shanghai. On September 14, 2007, the skyscraper reached 492.3 meters (1,615.2 ft) and became the tallest structure in mainland China.

2. Xintiandi

Xintiandi is located downtown nestled between the towering skyscrapers. It is one of the busiest urban tourist attractions and is imbued with the city's historical and cultural legacies. Shanghai Xintiandi's Shikumen building was created by converting residential blocks into a multifunctional dining, retail, and entertainment center flowing with restaurants, boutiques, cafes, and bars of an international standard.

3. Nanjing Road

Nanjing Road is one of the most important commercial and tourist streets in Shanghai, which stretches from The Bund to The People's Park. There is an ambitious project underway to make century-old Nanjing Road into a world-class commercial pedestrian street, like the Champs-Elysees in Paris and Fifth Avenue in New York. About 18 billion yuan or 2.65 billion US dollars of Shanghai investment was estimated to be required for the project from 2000 to 2010.

4. French Concession

The French Concession is an area of Shanghai once designated for the French colonialists and consists of today's Luwan and Xuhui Districts. It is said that the charm of Shanghai lies in the old streets and neighborhoods that make up the former French Concession. It is a great area to explore, from the old European buildings in shady avenues to the cafes and restaurants and the upmarket shopping area in Huaihu Road. You will find fashionable boutiques selling everything from designer handbags to pricey silks.

5. Zhujiajiao

Zhujiajiao is the best-preserved ancient water town among the four ancient towns in Shanghai with a history of 1700 years. In the period of the Three Kingdoms, there were already country fairs in Zhujiajiao and the business prospered in the Ming Dynasty. Now Zhujiajiao is a graceful and quiet town. walking on the zigzag stone pathway and the winding long lanes, you would feel like walking in an elegant and fresh painting.

6. Chenghuang Temple

The Chenghuang temple is a Taoist temple, also called Yi temple, which is composed of many halls such as the Grand Hall, Bedroom Palace, Star Gods Hall, Yama Palace, and Xuzhen God Hall. The Chenghuang temple had an area of more than 10,000 square meters including two gardens: the west garden (Yuyuan Garden) and the east garden and has a great influence on the residents of Shanghai.

7. Shanghai Museum and People’s Square

Shanghai Museum is one of the four most famous museums in China, along with the Palace Museum, Shaanxi Provincial Historical Museum, and Nanjing Museum. It has 12 display halls and over 120,000 valuable relics representing bronze wares, porcelain, pottery, paintings, calligraphy, and minority ethnic crafts.

As it is so large with so many works, we would recommend you pick a few and concentrate on them. Bronzeware is extremely brilliant. Audio guiding devices in different languages are available for rent and may help you get a better understanding through your visit.

The appearance of the museum itself is special and looks like a huge bronze price from a distance and is a good photo opportunity. This fabulous museum is free of charge and its opening hours are from 9:00-17:00.

The People's Square where the museum is located is the city center and many important buildings are around it.

8. Oriental Pearl TV Tower

Oriental Pearl TV tower became a symbol of Shanghai's development and modernization. It is famous for its height (468 m/1535 feet), it is the 4th tallest tower in Asia and its shape. The tower consists of pearl-shaped balls mounted on its base. Each one offers a sightseeing platform. The tower also houses the Oriental Pearl Science Fantasy World and the Shanghai Municipal History Museum. There is an additional charge to visit these attractions.

The Aerial Sightseeing Corridor is the best place to enjoy a bird's view of Shanghai city center. Visitors could look down on the world under their feet through the transparent glass floor. The day needs to be clear as you can see nothing on a rainy or foggy day. The Revolving restaurant in the 2nd biggest ball is also a good place to see the night view of Shanghai. It revolves once every 2 hours.

9. Yuyuan Garden

Yuyuan Garden is located in the Temple of City God (Chenghuang Temple) and is surrounded by many shops selling local food and souvenirs. The garden is an oasis amongst the hustle and bustle. If you are interested in Chinese architecture and art, don't miss this place.

The Garden was created by Pan Yunduan, a Government Officer, for his family and was completed in 1577 during the Ming Dynasty. It is a classical southern Chinese garden with halls, stone lions, pavilions, corridors, ponds, rockeries, and an ancient stage. Each corner opens a surprising new space.

Besides the architecture, there are also many valuable artworks in the garden. They include brick carving, stone carving, furniture, clay sculpture, and wood engraving. Each one tells a story. Calligraphy is sa pecialty in the garden since as famous calligraphers have written inscriptions over the years.

The inscription on the big stone at the entrance says 海上名园（A famous garden in a seaside city） and was inscribed by Chairman Jiang Zemin in 1999 when the garden celebrated its 440 anniversary.

10. Night Cruise on the Huangpu River

Huangpu River is the blood of Shanghai. It is now not only for transportation but for sightseeing cruises of the Odern Pudong District and the classic beauty of the Bund. A night Cruise on the Huangpu River will provide a platform to enjoy the essence of Shanghai by night.

The cruise ships are operated by 3 companies and have different routes and prices but all include the essentials. The average cost is CNY100/person for the cruise only. The regular route starts from the Bund and passes the Oriental Pearl TV & Radio Tower, Binjiang Avenue, and then makes its return after reaching Yangpu Bridge. The night scenery is a contrast of modern skyscrapers and colonial architecture along the Bund with lights and music adding to the scene. Cruises run from 10:00 am until 9:00 pm but after 6:00 pm is the most popular.

11. Night Show on Shanghai Circus World

There is no shortage of shows in Shanghai but the Shanghai Circus World is highly recommended because it is an excellent show but at a very fair price. At CNY200-CNY280 /person the show provides a spectacular event with skills far beyond any ordinary person. This 1 1/2 hour show has 9 parts from classic acrobatics to contortionist and comic sketches. All seats are good due to the good theater design; no seats have an interrupted view.

Local Activities - Get A Local Taste of Your Shanghai Stay

In Shanghai, there are some activities, which are authentic Chinese experiences. It makes you know more about Shanghai and China.

1. Chinese Mandarin Learning

Shanghai Highlights provides different types of the Chinese language learning experience. From easy-level courses to professional courses, choose according to your needs.

Learning Chinese can be fun as well as interesting at the start of a China tour. It’s a great way to start to understand Chinese culture. In this 1.5 hours’ course, a teacher from South and North Mandarin language schools will teach some basic Chinese. Contents include numbers, greetings, salutation, and self-introduction. Please tell your travel advisor, if you want to learn something in particular in the short course.

After the Chinese course, a performance of Chinese calligraphy or traditional Chinese painting will be presented. Would you like to try it? A SN exclusive Chinese learning material and a souvenir will be offered as gifts at last.

2. 10hrs Street Chinese Courses

The Street Chinese Courses is designed for people, who have a strong interest in learning Chinese. In this 10-hour course, a teacher from South and North Mandarin language will help people master seven Chinese daily communication functions, including salutation, greeting, introduction, talking about families, numbers, time, asking directions, and shopping and bargaining. The course will be conducted on the South and North Mandarin Hongkou Campus.

After the class, a performance of Chinese calligraphy or traditional Chinese painting will be presented. A SN exclusive Chinese learning material and a souvenir will be offered as gifts at last.

3. Standard Chinese Mandarin Courses

Standard Chinese Mandarin Courses is designed for people, who stay in Shanghai for more than 10 days and have an interest in Chinese learning and Chinese culture. The course is divided into Comprehensive Chinese, Business Chinese, Calligraphy Chinese Culture, and Writing. Each course usually takes 2-3 hours each day. The course will be conducted at the South and North Mandarin Shanghai Campus. An exclusive Chinese learning material and a souvenir will be offered as gifts at last.

4. Shanghai Tai Chi Experience

Tai Chi is an internal martial art system that emphasizes the development and control of Chi (Consciousness) energy within the body. You will be able to practice Tai Chi in the morning under the guidance of your teacher at Shanghai Shangcheng Tai Chi School.

In the class, you will experience:

5. Chinese Cooking Class in French Concession Region

This Chinese Cooking class is in the French concession region. The 1 1/2 hour lesson allows time to learn two or three dishes and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Seven-day reservation is required. Tuesday Class: 10:30 am - 12:00 noon; Saturday Class: 10:30 am - 12:00 noon Note: Minimum group size of 6 adults. A RMB40-120 cancellation fee is required if canceled within 24 hours of the class.

6. An In-Depth Visit to Shanghai Old Alleys

Experience the real life of the Shanghainese. Enjoy tea and chat with locals in their homes. Visit the local market and even learn how to speak Shanghainese. Visiting the old alleys of Shanghai is a great way to discover the authentic culture of this city.

7. Try Local Food at Din Tai Fung in Xintiandi

When you visit Shanghai, don't miss trying the local food. Din Tai Fung is an excellent place to experiment in a good environment. Din Tai Fung is a traditional Chinese food restaurant famous for Xiaolongbao with different fillings (light dumplings with soup inside). This type of dish is comfort food for the locals. There are also many other dishes to tempt including braised beef noodles, chicken soup, and dumplings. The prices are moderate at $10-$15/person.

The environment is quite good but you may need to make a reservation or wait for about 10-15 minutes to get a seat. Takeaway food is available also. Diners can make a reservation and wander around Xintiandi to kill time or take a leisurely walk after dining.

8. Shop in a Local Specialty Market

Shanghai is considered a shopping paradise in mainland China with every taste being catered for from top-end malls to specialty street markets. Visitors wishing to take some local specialty home could consider silk. South Bund Soft Spinning Material Market is a local silk market specializing in tailor-making clothes to fit most budgets.

Create My Trip