Shanghai In Depth
A proper guide to China\'s most international city — not just the Bund, but the French Concession backstreets, the 1930s lilong lanes, and where to eat soup dumplings.
3–4 Days
Enough time to go beyond the skyline — into the art deco lobbies and lilong lane houses.
Shanghai
China's most cosmopolitan city — the 1920s 'Paris of the East' meets the world's second-tallest building.
The Bund, French Concession, Soup Dumplings
Colonial grandeur, tree-lined backstreets, and the best xiaolongbao of your life.
The Journey
Shanghai is China\'s most cosmopolitan city — a 1920s \'Paris of the East\' that now hosts the world\'s second-tallest building. But the real Shanghai is in the details: art deco lobbies, lilong lane houses, and soup dumpling shops where the owner has been folding xiaolongbao for 40 years.
Day 1: The Bund & Pudong
Start at the Bund at golden hour — the colonial buildings on one side, Pudong's skyline on the other. Walk south to the Old City (Yu Garden, City God Temple). Evening: Dinner at Jia Jia Tang Bao for the best soup dumplings in Shanghai, then a drink at a rooftop bar on the Bund (Flair at Ritz-Carlton or Vue Bar at Hyatt on the Bund).
Local tip: Skip the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel — it's an overpriced 3-minute ride in a slow cart through a tunnel with coloured lights. Take the public ferry from Jinling East Road to Dongchang Road instead for the same river crossing with an open-air view.
Day 2: French Concession
Spend the morning walking Fuxing Road and Wukang Road — the French Concession at its best. Stop at Manner Coffee (China's answer to Blue Bottle), browse the boutiques on Anfu Road, and have lunch at Din Tai Fung or a local noodle shop. Afternoon: Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre (incredible collection of Mao-era posters) or the Power Station of Art in a converted power plant.
Local tip: Wukang Road and Anfu Road are influencer central on weekends — go on a weekday morning for a much calmer experience. The best buildings are Wukang Mansion (Normandie Apartments, 1924) and the Moller Villa.
Day 3: Water Town or Art
Option A: Day trip to Zhujiajiao Water Town — 1 hour by metro (Line 17). Canals, stone bridges, and a quieter side of Shanghai. Option B: Stay in the city — Long Museum (West Bund) for contemporary art, then the former Expo 2010 site along the Huangpu River. Evening: Cocktails at Speak Low (hidden bookshelf entrance, ranked among Asia's 50 Best Bars).
Local tip: Zhujiajiao is the most accessible water town from Shanghai. Go early (before 10am) to avoid the tour groups. A gondola ride through the canals is touristy but worth it for the photos.
This is a suggested itinerary. Every journey we design is tailored to your interests, pace, and budget.
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