Shanghai

Day Trips

Touch down in Shanghai and head straight to your riverside hotel in the Bund district to settle in and soak up the skyline views. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at a nearby café overlooking the Huangpu River. Feel the city’s pulse as ferries glide by and early risers jog along the promenade.

Embark on a walking tour along the Bund, admiring colonial-era buildings juxtaposed with modern skyscrapers. Stop at the Peace Hotel for tea and soak in the art deco interiors. Cross the Waibaidu Bridge for panoramic shots of both sides of the river.

Return to the riverside for a sunset cruise that illuminates the skyline in golden hues. Dine at a riverside restaurant featuring Shanghai specialties like xiaolongbao and braised pork. Cap off the night with cocktails at a rooftop bar gazing over Pudong’s towering silhouettes.

Stroll through the classical pavilions, koi ponds and rockeries of Yuyuan Garden as the morning mist drifts between pines. Explore the adjacent bazaar for traditional snacks like scallion pancakes and sesame balls. Watch local elders play mahjong under ancient archways.

Head to bustling Nanjing Road for an exhilarating shopping spree in malls and high-street boutiques. Stop at a street-side dumpling stall for a quick lunch of steamed buns and wonton noodles. Pause at People’s Park to observe calligraphy artists and tai chi practitioners.

Experience Nanjing Road’s transformation as neon signs flicker on and the crowds thicken. Enjoy dinner at a chic Cantonese or Sichuan restaurant hidden in a back alley. Wander into a speakeasy bar styled like 1920s Shanghai for live jazz and craft cocktails.

Lose yourself in the leafy boulevards of the French Concession, admiring tree-lined streets and pastel villas. Sip a single-origin coffee at a boutique café and browse local bookstores. Peek into art studios showing contemporary Shanghai painting.

Venture to Tianzifang’s labyrinth of alleys, packed with artisan shops, galleries and design studios. Sample artisanal chocolates and fragrant tea in a hidden courtyard tearoom. Watch potters at work in a ceramic workshop and try your hand at wheel-throwing.

Return to the French Concession for dinner at a bistro serving fusion cuisine. Wander under fairy lights strung between trees, stopping for a crepe or gelato from a street-side vendor. End the night at a laid-back wine bar featuring organic vintages and tapas plates.

Spend a contemplative morning at Shanghai Museum, exploring centuries of Chinese art, jade carvings and Ming dynasty furniture. Join an impromptu tour to learn about each dynasty’s signature styles. Relax in the museum café overlooking People’s Square’s fountains.

Walk across the vast plaza to Urban Planning Exhibition Center and marvel at the scale model of modern Shanghai. Grab a light lunch at a nearby dumpling house, tasting varieties from Shanghainese to Shanxi. Snap photos of the contrasting architectures encircling the square.

Dine at a modern Shanghainese restaurant featuring seasonal produce and river fish. Then catch a performance at the Shanghai Grand Theatre, ranging from Peking opera to contemporary dance. Cap the night with a moonlit stroll across the array of fountains in People’s Park.

Take a day trip to Zhujiajiao, a centuries-old water town on Shanghai’s outskirts. Wander over arched stone bridges and along narrow canals lined with white-washed houses. Enjoy a riverside breakfast of rice porridge and steamed buns at a local family-run eatery.

Board a small wooden boat for a guided canal cruise through the town’s waterways. Visit an old teahouse to sample jasmine and oolong teas brewed in traditional gaiwan pots. Explore historic temples and a colorful flower market on foot.

Return to Shanghai for dinner at a riverside restaurant back in the city. Savor fresh seafood from local catches paired with crisp Chinese beer. Unwind at your hotel spa with a foot massage after a day of exploration.

Start your day in the tranquil gardens of Fuxing Park, watching locals practice tai chi and dance to nostalgic tunes. Grab a freshly baked baguette from a French-style bakery nearby for breakfast in the shade of plane trees. Strike up a conversation with calligraphers practicing brush strokes on water-soaked pavement.

Head to the nearby Propaganda Poster Art Centre to view Chinese posters from the 20th century. Continue onward to M50 Art District, discovering contemporary galleries housed in repurposed factories. Pause for a light lunch at a minimalist café run by local artists.

Venture into the Jing’an neighborhood for dinner wrapped in neon reflections and craft beer pubs. Try regional specialties like spicy Sichuan hot pot or Hunan crispy fish. Conclude the night at a local jazz club showcasing emerging Chinese talent.

Rise early and make your way to Shanghai Disney Resort to beat the queues at popular attractions. Begin your adventure in Tomorrowland on TRON Lightcycle Power Run for a futuristic thrill. Refuel with Mickey-shaped waffles and fresh fruit at a themed food cart.

Explore Fantasyland’s storybook castles and parade floats, stopping for character meet-and-greets and a leisurely ride on the enchanted carousel. Grab a quick lunch of grilled skewers and ice-cold lemonade at the Royal Banquet Hall. Venture into Adventure Isle for rope bridges and hidden waterfalls.

Secure a spot for the nightly fireworks spectacular over the Enchanted Storybook Castle. Feast on dim sum or international fare at Disneytown’s riverside dining district. Stroll along the boardwalk to enjoy live street performances and artisanal dessert stalls.

Cross to Pudong and ascend the Shanghai Tower’s observation deck for dizzying 360-degree city views. Learn about Shanghai’s rapid rise at the interactive exhibits. Enjoy brunch at the sky-high café, sipping green tea panna cotta while gazing down at the Golden Bund.

Visit the nearby Oriental Pearl Tower and its glass-floored skywalk for picture-perfect panoramas. Have lunch at a revolving restaurant in the upper sphere, sampling dim sum with a bird’s-eye perspective. Explore the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium in the tower’s base for marine life encounters.

Walk along Lujiazui’s illuminated riverside promenade as skyscraper lights dance off the water. Dine at an upscale Cantonese restaurant inside a luxury hotel, indulging in abalone and roast goose. Finish with a nightcap at a swanky lounge where bartenders spin glowing cocktails beneath neon beams.

Wander the tranquil halls of Jade Buddha Temple to admire its serene white jade statues and intricate carvings. Light incense at dawn and listen to gentle chants echoing through oak beams. Grab a vegetarian breakfast of lotus root congee at the temple’s canteen.

Explore the narrow lilong lanes of historic Shanghai neighborhoods, discovering hidden cafés and street murals around every corner. Pop into a family-run bookbindery preserved since the 1930s. Stop for Shanghainese rice cakes and cucumber salad at a sidewalk stall.

Return to the Bund for dinner on the western bank, sampling innovative tasting menus that fuse East and West. Watch the river lights shimmer as you dine. Conclude with a rickshaw ride through old alleyways, hearing tales of Shanghai’s golden era from your guide.

Spend your final hours browsing local markets like Tianzifang or Xiangyang Market for souvenirs and tea leaves. Enjoy a leisurely dim sum brunch at a hidden gem favored by locals. Reflect on your journey over jasmine tea and honey cakes.

Fit in any last visits to your favorite spots: a final Bund photo, a quick museum stop or a coffee in the French Concession. Have a comforting bowl of noodles at a hole-in-the-wall joint recommended by newfound friends. Return to your hotel to pack and prepare for departure.

Savor one last Shanghai specialty dinner—perhaps Hong shao rou or drunken chicken—at a landmark restaurant. Raise a toast to your immersive adventure with a final glass of baijiu or local craft beer. Head to the airport or train station enriched by a tapestry of memories and flavors.