Do not miss top attractions in Shanghai

Shanghai, a vigorous and energetic international metropolis, welcomes people from all over the world to enjoy its special atmosphere. This modern metropolis with its rich heritage of ancient Chinese culture has much to see and do.

The Bund

The Bund may be a common sight for people who live in Shanghai, but for visitors, it is one of the first things you must do when entering the city. On the left bank of the waterfront promenade are the old European buildings from Shanghai’s colonial days, and on the right are the skyscrapers that have come to represent Shanghai on postcards and stamps around the world. For a peak Bund experience visit at sunrise, when pensioners practise tai chi and fly kites in front of the skyline.

Yu Garden

To the northeast of the old town and laid out in 1559, the splendid Yu Garden (Yù Yuán), also known as the Garden of Happiness, covers an area of more than 20,000 square meters and consists of an outer and an inner garden. The oldest section is the Outer Garden, with further changes being made in the 18th century when Sansui Tang, the park's main hall, was added (the building is notable for its lovely roof ornaments, figurative representations in bas-reliefs, and window openings, as well as its dragon-adorned walls).

The best-known building is the Hall of Spring where the Company of the Little Swords (Xiaodao Hui) had its headquarters between 1853 and 1855 when it ruled Shanghai. Of great historical importance are the artificial rocks in this part of the garden, the only work of the master garden designer Zhang Nanyang that has been preserved. The newer and much smaller Inner Garden dates from 1709 and includes features typical of a classical Chinese writer's garden: attractive little pavilions, decorative stones and miniature mountain ranges, dividing walls and small ponds, and even a richly decorated theatrical stage.

Jade Buddha Temple

It is one of the most famous Buddhist shrines in the city. The White Jade Buddhas were brought here from Burma in the nineteenth century. One is seated while the other is in the recumbent position of Sakyamuni symbolizing the Buddha's attainment of enlightenment or nirvana. The temple also has some impressive images of the Heavenly Kings. Although many people come to worship each day and burn incense at this very holy and active shrine, visitors are welcome.

Qibao

Surrounding Shanghai are eight ancient water towns, which make for a once-in-a-lifetime road trip. If you don’t have time to visit them all, Qibao is the perfect place to stop. Located within the city limits, Qibao is known for its delicious street food and its beautiful canal views. Just a few streets long, Qibao is like a mini-town. It is best enjoyed during the week, as it can get packed with tourists at the weekend. Highlights include the cheap shopping and the Qibao Winery.

People's Square

Built on what was once the city's racecourse, the People's Square (Rénmín Guangchang) has been transformed over the years into Shanghai's premier public space. Home to the new Shanghai City Hall, the Shanghai Museum, and the state-of-the-art Grand Theatre, it is a perfect spot from which to begin touring the city. Be sure to spend time visiting the excellent Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, where you will find superb displays and models - even a 360-degree movie theater - showing both existing and planned-for buildings (be sure to view this massive scale-model from the upper galleries for a fascinating bird's-eye perspective of this modern metropolis).

M50

Short for Moganshan 50, M50 is an ultra-hip contemporary art district on Moganshan Road that is home to some of the city’s best art galleries and museums. Located in an industrial area along Suzhou creek, M50 is often compared to Beijing’s 798 Art District or New York’s SoHo. The district embraces its grittiness and sports some very photogenic graffiti.

Xujiahui Cathedral and the Sheshan Basilica

Built in 1911 in Neo-Romanesque style, Xujiahui Cathedral - also known as St. Ignatius Cathedral - is another splendid reminder of Shanghai's rich multi-national heritage. In the southern city district of Xujiahui, it's the largest place of Roman Catholic worship in Shanghai, and in addition to its splendid park-like setting is worth visiting for its twin 50-meter-high bell-towers and restored interior with fine stained glass windows. Another important religious site is the Sheshan Basilica (the National Shrine and Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Sheshan).

This fine old Roman Catholic church stands on the western peak of the hill after which it is named. Like so many other religious sites, it was heavily damaged during the Chinese Cultural Revolution but in recent years has undergone extensive renovations and remains an important pilgrimage site. A highlight of a visit is following the 14 Stations of the Cross, which zigzag up the hill to the church, along with the many splendid views along the way.

Read more: Visit 7 local markets in Shanghai, China

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Explore the attractions in Shanghai, China

Shanghai is a vibrant high-paced city of bright lights from its colonial period, bustling markets, and creative energy.  As one of China’s largest cities, there are many things to explore here.

From iconic landmarks to floating towns, museums teaching the culture and history of Shanghai, beautiful green spaces and local hangouts, you will find something worth visiting around every corner of China’s biggest city.

The Bund

The Bund is Shanghai’s waterfront boulevard, lined in the heritage buildings that showcase the city’s pre-1949 past and across the river from the Pudong skyscrapers of its future. Along the Bund, Shanghai’s street life is in full force. It is bustling even at dawn, with local ballroom dancing, exercising, and practicing tai chi and qi gong. Day and night, Chinese tourists, foreigners, and Shanghai locals walk the Bund, snapping photos of each other backed by the skyscrapers. At night, the towers are lit with flashing neon lights reflected in the Huangpu River.

Oriental Pearl Tower

The Oriental Pearl Tower is a Shanghai landmark as it towers over the Huangpu River in Pudong New Area. At 468 meters (1,535 feet) tall, it was the highest building in Shanghai when it was built in the early 1990s. Looking like a cross between the Eiffel Tower and Seattle’s Space Needle, the world’s sixth largest radio and TV tower has 15 observation decks with a revolving restaurant at the 264-meter (867-foot) level.

Eleven spheres are strung vertically through the tower, a scene that is suggestive of dragons playing with pearls. The glass floor of the outdoor viewing platform is probably one of the most thrilling attractions in Shanghai.

Yu Garden

While the area around Yu Garden is commercialized and the garden itself not as impressive as the classical gardens of Suzhou, it is one of the few old sights left in Shanghai, and a valuable piece of the city’s rapidly disappearing past. Commissioned in 1559 by Ming Dynasty official Pan Yunduan, the garden was built over nearly two decades by the renowned architect Zhang Nanyang.

After you walk around carp-filled ponds and through the rock gardens and bamboo groves, you can visit the small museum dedicated to the Society of Small Swords rebellion.

Fuxing Park

Once the largest park in Shanghai, Fuxing Park is the quintessential Chinese senior-hangout spot. Find sprightly adults dancing their favourite ballroom steps, playing cards or mahjong or writing ephemeral poetry with giant calligraphy brushes. Located in the French Concession, Fuxing Park is also a great escape from the city that surrounds it. Here, there is plenty of green space and vegetation to renew your body and soul.

Shanghai Museum

Paris has its Louvre, Amsterdam the Rijksmuseum and Shanghai has its own world-class museum in the Shanghai Museum. Located in a modern building on People’s Square, the Shanghai Museum has five floors containing the best in ancient Chinese history: old coins, priceless paintings and ceramics, intricately carved traditional lacquer furniture, and ancient bronze and jade artifacts. All told, the museum has more than 120,000 pieces divided among 11 galleries. Even the building itself is a work of art, with the round dome representing heaven and the square base, land. Best of all, the museum offers free admission to 8,000 people every day.

Read more: The best contemporary art museums you should visit in Shanghai

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