Shanghai

Highlights

• The Bund waterfront promenade
• Yu Garden and Old Town bazaar
• Pudong skyline (Oriental Pearl, Shanghai Tower)
• French Concession tree-lined streets
• Tianzifang arts and crafts lanes
• Shanghai Museum (ancient bronzes and jade)
• Xintiandi heritage shopping district

Getting Around

Pudong International Airport (PVG) handles most long-haul international flights, while Hongqiao Airport (SHA) serves domestic routes and some regional Asian connections. The Maglev train links Pudong Airport to Longyang Road metro station in 8 minutes at up to 431 km/h. High-speed G-trains connect Shanghai to Beijing in 4.5 hours, Hangzhou in 45 minutes, and Nanjing in under an hour.

Food

Shanghainese cuisine centres on the technique of "red-braising" — slow-cooking pork belly, crab, or tofu in a sweet soy and Shaoxing wine sauce. Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) from Din Tai Fung or Jia Jia Tang Bao are essential eating. For street food, scallion pancakes (congyoubing) and raw-fried buns (shengjian) sold from pavement griddles make the ideal breakfast. Xintiandi and the Former French Concession offer refined local bistros and international kitchens side by side.

Stay

The Former French Concession (Xuhui and Jing'an districts) is the most atmospheric base — boutique hotels occupy converted lane houses shaded by plane trees. The Bund area suits visitors who want to photograph the waterfront at golden hour from their window; rates are higher but the views justify them. Budget travellers find solid hostels and affordable chain hotels around People's Square, well-connected by metro to all major sights.

Budget