While living in Shanghai, I considered myself half a tourist, always trying to explore the city as much as possible. There’s so much to see and do, from classic landmarks to vibrant nightlife, chill hangout spots, and amazing art events.
It’s impossible to fit everything into this article, but here are some of the best things to do if you’re visiting the city.
Popular Spots
1. The Bund (外灘) — 🚇 East Nanjing Road Station (Lines 2 & 10)
Famous riverfront with amazing skyline views, best at night.
2. Nanjing East Road (南京東路) — 🚇 East Nanjing Road Station (Lines 2 & 10)
Popular walking street for shopping and food.
3. People’s Square (人民廣場) — 🚇 People’s Square Station (Lines 1, 2 & 8)
Central hub with parks, museums, and lots of shopping.
4. Rockbund / Waitanyuan (外灘源) — 🚇 Tiantong Road Station (Lines 10 & 12) / East Nanjing Road Station (Lines 2 & 10)
Art galleries and historic architecture.
5. Lujiazui (陸家嘴) — 🚇 Lujiazui Station (Line 2)
Get close-up views of Oriental Pearl Tower (東方明珠) and the three towers: Shanghai Tower, Jin Mao Tower, and SWFC.
6. Yu Garden (豫園) & City God Temple (城隍廟) — 🚇 Yuyuan Garden Station (Line 10)
Traditional Chinese garden and temple. The surrounding area is full of souvenir shops and food stalls.
7. Xintiandi (新天地) — 🚇 Xintiandi Station (Lines 10 & 13)
Historic Shikumen neighborhood with modern restaurants and shops (they are not so Chinese though).
8. Tianzifang (田子坊) — 🚇 Dapuqiao Station (Line 9)
An old neighborhood with cute boutiques and bars. A good place for local souvenirs.
9. French Concession (法租界) — 🚇 Jiaotong University Station (Lines 10 & 11) / Shanghai Library Station (Line 10)
Beautiful streets lined with sycamore trees, old houses, cafés, and art shops. The iconic Wukang building is also located here.
10. Nanjing West Road (南京西路) — 🚇 West Nanjing Road Station (Lines 2, 12 & 13)
Lots of shops, cafés, and restaurants, also the biggest Starbucks in the world. Check out Zhangyuan (張園), a restored Shikumen-style neighborhood.
11. Jing’an Temple (静安寺) — 🚇 Jing’an Temple Station (Lines 2 & 7)
Beautiful temple surrounded by big malls in the city center.
12. Longhua Temple (龍華寺) — 🚇 Longhua Station (Line 11 & 12)
One of the oldest temples in Shanghai, with nice vegetarian food nearby.
13. Yuyuan Road (愚園路) — 🚇 Jiangsu Road Station (Lines 2 & 11)
Lesser-known but really cool old neighborhood with trendy boutiques.
14. Shanghai Disneyland — 🚇 Disney Resort Station (Line 11)
If you like theme parks and the magical world…
Nightlife
A. Jiaozhou Road (膠州路) & Wuding Road (武定路) & Yanping Road (延平路) — 🚇 Wuding Road Station (Line 13)
Bars, clubs, and late-night food.
B. South Shaanxi Road (陝西南路) & Jinxian Road (進賢路) — 🚇 South Shaanxi Road Station (Lines 1 & 10)
Bars, wine spots, and cozy nightlife vibes.
C. Found 158 — 🚇 Huaihai Middle Road Station (Line 1)
Foreign restaurants, bars and clubs after 11pm.
D. INS — 🚇 Huaihai Middle Road Station (Line 1)
A trendy spot with various clubs in one building.
Museums
α. Shanghai Natural History Museum (上海自然博物館) — 🚇 Shanghai Natural History Museum Station (Line 13)
Exhibits on animals, fossils, and science.
𝝱. Shanghai Museum (上海博物館) — 🚇 People’s Square Station (Lines 1, 2 & 8)
Chinese art museum in People’s Square, known for ceramics, calligraphy, and jade.
𝝲. Museum of Art Pudong (浦東美術館) — 🚇 Lujiazui Station (Line 2)
Modern museum by the river with international shows and great views of The Bund.
ε. China Art Palace (中華藝術宮) — 🚇 China Art Museum Station (Line 8)
Modern Chinese art museum in the 2010 Expo China Pavilion. The building itself is pretty cool.
θ. Long Museum (龍美術館) — 🚇 Middle Longhua Road Station (Lines 7 & 12)
Contemporary art museum by the Huangpu River with Chinese and international works.
λ. Shanghai Contemporary Art Museum (上海當代藝術博物館) — 🚇 Xizang South Road Station (Lines 4 & 8)
Contemporary art in a former power plant; edgy and creative space.
π. Tank Shanghai (油罐藝術中心) — 🚇 Yunjin Road Station (Line 11)
Art center built in old oil tanks, right by the river; cool mix of art and architecture.
What to Do
I. Suzhou River Citywalk —
Walk from Xinzha Road Station to the Bund along the Suzhou River. Beautiful river views and interesting architecture along the way.
II. Hengshan Road Citywalk —
From Xujiahui Station to Hengshan Road Station, this area used to be a Western district, with lots of western-style houses, churches, and restaurants.
III. Huaihai Middle Road Citywalk —
Starting from South Shaanxi Road Station and heading east, this street is lined with malls, designer shops, cafés, and hidden historic buildings.
IV. Huangpu River Boat Ride —
Boat ride along the river with great views of both the Bund and Lujiazui. Best at night when the city is lit up.
V. Huangpu River Bike Ride —
From Long Museum to Gate M. Nice river views and cool art spaces, including the museum itself and The Tank.
Whether it’s your first visit or your tenth, there’s always something new to discover in Shanghai. Let the city surprise you.
Happy exploring!