👑 Curated by a veteran Shanghai travel enthusiast | 📊 10M+ reads | 🆕 2026 Latest Rankings
🥇 #1: The Bund (Exposition of World Architecture)
The undisputed champion. The Bund stretches along Zhongshan Dong Yi Road, facing the Huangpu River with Lujiazui in the distance. A whole row of buildings in every imaginable style from the former concession era —Baroque, Romanesque, Neoclassical, Gothic, Renaissance —earning it the name “Exposition of World Architecture.”
🚶 My route: Walk south along the Bund to Jinling Road Pier, spend 楼2 on a ferry to the opposite bank’s riverside promenade —affordable AND a great river experience! 🚇 Metro: Line 2, East Nanjing Road Station →?walk along Nanjing Road to the Peace Hotel →?start your Bund journey
- 📸 Must-photo: Waibaidu Bridge (100+ years of history, classic Shanghai Bund scene)
- 🌃 Night view: Lights on daily, off at 22:00
🥈 #2: Wukang Road
The surprise mega-hit in recent years! French Concession vibes, historic villas, a green tunnel of plane trees (in autumn the golden fallen leaves are even more beautiful!), plus trendy caf茅s opening one after another —this street is pure romance.
📸 The Wukang Building is the landmark —a ship-shaped building at a crossroads that looks straight out of a movie 鈽?Walk Wukang →?Anfu →?Wuyuan Road. Every corner is a photo op.
🥉 #3: Lujiazui Skyscrapers
Lujiazui is Shanghai’s financial center —over a hundred towers, one of the world’s densest concentrations of super-tall buildings. The four giants:
| Rank | Tower | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shanghai Tower | 632m |
| 2 | SWFC (World Financial Center) | 492m |
| 3 | Jin Mao Tower | 420m |
| 4 | Oriental Pearl Tower | 468m |
💡 If you don’t want to go sky-high, check out the Shanghai History Museum at the base of the Oriental Pearl —wax figures and models trace the city’s development.
#4: Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street
The street that best captures Shanghai’s “Ten-Mile Foreign Settlement” vibe, with over a century of history. The four great department stores of the 1930s (Sincere, Wing On, Sun Sun, Da Sun) started the commercial boom here. Now it’s been upgraded to “version 3.0” —century-old shops + classic department stores + flagship brands + anime & 2D culture malls + Miniso Land!
🚶 My route: Start at People’s Square and walk east. You’ll hit the Peace Hotel at the end, connecting to the Bund. 🚇 Metro: Lines 1/2/8, People’s Square Station, Exit 7
#5: Shanghai Disneyland
Nine themed lands: Mickey Avenue, Gardens of Imagination, Adventure Isle, Treasure Cove, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Toy Story Land, Fantasy Fairy Tale Castle, and Zootopia (world’s first!)
- 🎫 Tickets: 楼399 weekdays, 楼699 peak days
- 🏰 Highlights: World’s largest Disney castle, TRON Lightcycle Power Run, Soaring Over the Horizon
- 🎆 Fireworks: nightly at 20:00
- 💡 Must-read: Check out my full Shanghai Disney guide —all the details in one place!
#6: Yu Garden
“The most Chinese place in all of Shanghai.” Yu Garden is a Ming Dynasty manor house with rock gardens, carved beams, and classic Jiangnan garden features. Highlights include the Dianchun Hall (site of the Small Sword Society Uprising) and the Exquisite Jade Rock —one of the three legendary rocks of Jiangnan. The Old Chenghuang Temple dates back to the Ming Dynasty’s Yongle era —“one temple, two city gods” is rare nationwide.
🍜 Food: Nanxiang Steamed Bun, Green Wave Gallery, Da Hu Chun 🚇 Metro: Lines 10/14, Yuyuan Station, Exit 7
#7: Xujiahui Cathedral
“The greatest cathedral in the Far East.” Construction began in 1905, completed in 1910. Its solemn Gothic exterior is so beautiful it’s been featured in countless TV dramas and movies (including Fated to Love You and Empire of the Sun).
📚 The adjacent Xujiahui Academy was designed by David Chipperfield Architects —the latest Instagram hotspot 🚇 Metro: Lines 1/9/11, Xujiahui Station, Exit 3
#8: Suzhou Creek Riverside Walk
Walk along the Suzhou Creek waterfront and you’ll be greeted by historic building after historic building: Du Yuesheng’s private granary, the former Fuxin Flour Mill, Sihang Warehouse, the Embankment Building, Shanghai Postal Museum, Waibaidu Bridge, China Securities Museum—There are even dedicated sightseeing boats on the creek now!
#9: Longhua Temple & Jade Buddha Temple
- Longhua Temple: Its history stretches back to the Three Kingdoms (247 AD) —a thousand-year-old temple. With the new metro line, the whole area got a facelift —now you can pray AND visit a mega shopping mall. The temple grounds have many friendly cats 🐱
- Jade Buddha Temple: In the late Qing Dynasty, Master Huigen brought jade Buddhas back from Myanmar —one seated, one reclining —and built this temple to house them.
🕖 Longhua Temple hours: 07:00-16:30 🚇 Metro: Lines 11/12, Longhua Station, Exit 1
#10: Xintiandi
A landmark that blends shikumen (stone-gate) architecture with modern commerce. The brick-and-tile exteriors of the old lane houses have been preserved, while the interiors have been given a contemporary makeover. After dark, themed bars offer live performances, and the international crowd makes Xintiandi feel like a European street.
🍺 Grab a beer on the outdoor terrace and soak up Shanghai’s nightlife! 🏛Next door, the “Site of the First CPC National Congress” is open for free with ID
#11: North Bund (🆕 New for 2026)
A fresh hotspot with fantastic photo angles! Bailian Plaza observation deck + North Bund Raffles City + Tilanqiao Station’s rich history. Way fewer crowds than the Bund, with equally stunning night views.
#12: Sinan Road
My personal favorite weekend strolling street. Along the way: Sun Yat-sen’s former residence, Sinan Mansions, Zhou Enlai’s former residence, St. Nicholas Church. I suggest entering from Middle Huaihai Road —grab a bite at Auntie Nian’s noodle shop or a coffee at Antique Garden —then wander south.
🚶 Walk Sinan Road all the way south to Tianzifang —pair them together! 🚇 Metro: Line 13, Middle Huaihai Road Station, Exit 1
#13: Shanghai Songcheng (Eternal Love Show)
A massive show! Multimedia, lasers, lights, and smoke create stunning stage effects. The “Time Travel Street” recreates the Shanghai of the concession era and is a favorite photo spot for tourists. The whole venue is packed with content —you can easily spend a full day.
🎫 Tickets: from about 楼300 🚇 Metro: Expo Avenue Station
#14: Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center
I strongly recommend every visitor to Shanghai start their trip here. It’s not just for tourists —foreign heads of state and diplomats visit this place as their gateway to Shanghai. In 20 years, it’s hosted 7.22 million visitors.
鈽?The “Vision 100” caf茅 on the 5th floor costs about 楼30 and gives you the best view of People’s Square!
#15: Shanghai Astronomy Museum (Dishui Lake)
🌍 The world’s largest planetarium! Rich content, highly interactive, and the exhibitions set the standard for museums worldwide. The surrounding Dishui Lake area has many more attractions —you could easily spend 2-3 days exploring.
🚇 Metro: Line 16 to the end —Dishui Lake Station
📊 Recommended Routes
| Days | Itinerary |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Urban Planning Museum →?Nanjing Road →?The Bund |
| Day 2 | Wukang Road →?Sinan Road →?Xintiandi |
| Day 3 | Yu Garden →?Lujiazui skyscrapers →?Huangpu River Cruise |
| Day 4 | Disneyland (full day) |
| Day 5 | Suzhou Creek walk →?Longhua Temple →?Astronomy Museum |
🎫 Book Discounted Tickets
- 🏰 Shanghai Disney: Klook / KKday / Trip.com (cheaper than at the gate)
- 🗼 Oriental Pearl: book online to skip queues
- 🚢 Huangpu River Cruise: dinner buffet packages available
- 🏢 Jin Mao/Shanghai Tower/SWFC observation decks: available on all platforms
- 🎭 Shanghai Songcheng (Eternal Love): KKday / Klook / Trip.com