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Top things to do in Shanghai

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Shanghai: the city's best neighborhoods

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About Shanghai

Including tips for the best time to visit Shanghai

While Shanghai’s skyline may portray a futuristic outlook, the Chinese city remains one of the oldest in the world. Situated on the famous Yangtze River, Shanghai is home to dynasty-era temples, waterways and a proud heritage that combines both Asian and Western cultures.

Dating back over 6,000 years, Shanghai has grown to become one of the world’s most populous and important financial cities. As a vital trading point between Europe and the Far East during the Song dynasty, the city experienced a golden age that continued throughout the 19th-century, through the Japanese occupation of WWll and into the present day, where the influences of such events can still be felt.

The futurist architecture of the Jin Mao and Oriental Pearl Tower offer breathtaking views of the city and nearby historical districts, while Shanghai’s heritage can be found at the Jade Buddha Temple. Take a boat tour along the Yangtze River to the Zhujiajiao Watertown to find traditional cuisine and markets or humour the children with a once in a lifetime trip to Shanghai Disneyland.

The diverse blend of eastern and western culture is present across Shanghai’s food scene, with many restaurants serving European staples. Head to popular chain restaurants like Din Tai Fung for hot soup dumplings and steamed crab or the Wujiang and Zaphu Road for market stalls selling Peking duck, rice bowls and pork.

Tonight

From $58 per night

This weekend

From $115 per night

Next weekend

From $115 per night

Most popular time to visit October-December
Cheapest time to visit January-March
Local currency CNY 10 = $1.37
Language Mandarin
Average weekend price $109 per night
Average weekday price $116 per night
Average stay 2 nights

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Shanghai reviews

What other travelers say about Shanghai

10

It was difficult to access the Shanghai Museum, in fact it...

September 22, 2023

It was difficult to access the Shanghai Museum, in fact it was impossible. Wechat login but would not accept our phone number. So no go. Shame because it should have been a highlight. It's easy to get around Shanghai, great metro easy to work.

Chapman
Chapman Australia
8.0

Very clean advance busy city.

September 16, 2023

Very clean advance busy city.. Convenient to go around the city. However some still not so friendly, especially towards tourist. Most smaller restaurant do not have English Menus and unable to communicate in English. Overall a beautiful clean advance city ..

WONG
WONG
10

Vibrant City full of life, entertainment and good food.

September 10, 2023

Vibrant City full of life, entertainment and good food. It feels also very safe and it’s easy to travel around. It captures the seamless harmony of the glorious past and the high-speed present of China.

Pietro
Pietro United Kingdom
8.0

Shanghai is a very interesting city to visit, with many...

August 5, 2023

Shanghai is a very interesting city to visit, with many authentic parts as well as modern sites to enjoy. It is a bit inaccessible for foreigners, especially because many food places don’t speak English. But we loved the friendliness and the authenticity of the many places we visited.

Pinar
Pinar United Kingdom
10

I loved the city.

July 5, 2023

I loved the city. A great place to be introduced to China. I thought it was a fascinating place and I was struct by the cleanliness of the whole place. The night lights of the city bring the whole place to come alive, everyone visiting the Bund and the pier to admire the lights of the other side of Shanghai beyond the Huangpu River, what an amazing site to have every night! So much to do, to see and to experience, I didn't have enough time to do it all! I wish I can go back soon!

Erika
Erika United Kingdom
8.0

Shanghai is a fantastic, enormous, sprawling urban...

July 1, 2023

Shanghai is a fantastic, enormous, sprawling urban playground. The underground metro is really easy to use and safer than taxis. The metro is also , incredibly cheap and very fast. The bund is a must see area in the city center with a beautiful skyline of modern skyscrapers and space shaped buildings. The view is stunning. it’s fantastic for photos really breathtaking. Depending on what you like to see and do five days to a week maximum is plenty of time for Shanghai. You should be able to see Disneyland, the city center and a few highlights like the Buddhist Jade temple and watery village zhujiajiao and of course the incredible nightlife for food and partying.

Joseph Marathon Runner
Joseph Marathon Runner Netherlands

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