At a glance
- Best time
- March–May and October–November
- How long
- 3–4 days
- Getting there
- Pudong (PVG) / Hongqiao (SHA) + Hongqiao railway station
- Getting around
- Metro 1/2/10 covers the centre; maglev from the airport takes 8 minutes; ferries cost CNY 2
What to see and do
The Bund & Lujiazui
Fifty-two historic facades on one bank, Lujiazui's glass skyline on the other — two eras across a single river.
Tip The public ferry to the east bank costs CNY 2 and beats the sightseeing tunnel; the North Bund is quieter with a wider view.
Cost Free
Wukang Road & the former French Concession
Plane trees, old villas, coffee and independent shops packed into one kilometre — Shanghai's most pleasant walk.
Tip Come on a weekday afternoon; weekends are shoulder-to-shoulder. Look for the ship-prow corner of the Normandie Apartments.
Cost Free
Yu Garden & the old town
A Ming-dynasty garden, the zigzag bridge and City God Temple snack stalls sit together, next to shikumen lanes rebuilt as Xintiandi.
Tip Enter before 9am to miss the crush; eat Nanxiang dumplings upstairs where the queue is far shorter.
Cost Yu Garden CNY 40
Zhujiajiao or Disneyland
A day out of the city: Zhujiajiao's stone bridge and canal lanes, or the largest Disney castle in the world.
Tip Disney is half as busy midweek; Zhujiajiao is on metro line 17, no tour needed.
Cost Disney from CNY 475
What to eat
- Shengjian bao Crisp-bottomed pork buns full of soup — bite a small hole first
- Xiaolongbao Nanxiang and Jiajia both have fans; dip in vinegar with ginger
- Benbang cuisine Red-braised pork, flash-fried shrimp and scallion-oil noodles — dark, sweet, rich
Common questions
Do I need a reservation for the Shanghai Museum?
For the permanent exhibitions, no — they are now reservation-free. Special exhibitions require a reservation and a ticket. It is a two-venue setup: the East Building in Pudong plus the People’s Square Building, so check which venue the exhibition you want is at. The official channels are the museum’s own site and mini program.
How many days for Shanghai, and when is the weather best?
Three to four days, in March to May or October to November.
Booking & tickets
🏺 Shanghai Museum
Two-venue setup: the East Building (Pudong) plus the People's Square Building. The permanent exhibitions are now reservation-free; special exhibitions require reservation and a ticket. Official channels = the Shanghai Museum website / mini program.
What you need to know
- East Building (1952 Century Avenue): open 10:00–18:00, last entry 17:00, closed Tuesdays (except public holidays); permanent exhibitions need no reservation
- People's Square Building (201 People's Avenue): open 9:00–17:00, last entry 15:00, closed Mondays (except public holidays); permanent exhibitions need no reservation
- Special exhibitions require reservation and a ticket (e.g. mega world-civilization exhibitions); group visits need a group reservation
- Passports are accepted for online reservations; an assisted counter is available on site
How to book
-
Shanghai Museum official website shanghaimuseum.net (Visit Reservation)
Passport accepted
On the website's reservation page, pick the venue and date and register with your passport number
-
WeChat mini program 「上海博物馆」 (Shanghai Museum mini program)
Passport accepted
Reserve and buy special-exhibition tickets inside the mini program
Sources
🌆 Yu Garden & the Bund
Yu Garden requires a ticket (online or on site); the Bund's public open areas need no reservation — only the observation decks up in the buildings are ticketed.
What you need to know
- Yu Garden: buy via the official Yu Garden mini program or at the on-site ticket booths; in peak season buy online ahead to skip the queues
- The Bund: the riverside promenade is free and open all day; ticketed spots such as the observation deck and the History Museum charge separately
- On weekend and holiday nights the Bund runs crowd controls, and some metro exits may be closed temporarily
How to book
-
WeChat mini program 「豫园」 (Yu Garden mini program)
Passport accepted
Pick a date and buy the ticket; show the QR code at the gate, and passport details can be added afterwards
Sources
ℹ️ Shanghai: General Booking Rules
Shanghai's top sights are generally easier to book than Beijing's: most venues are reservation-free or sell on site, with special exhibitions the main exception.
What you need to know
- For two-venue museums, watch the different closing days (East Building: Tuesdays; People's Square Building: Mondays)
- Free venues (Shanghai Museum permanent exhibitions / Shanghai History Museum) are still best booked online to skip the queues
- Passports are accepted on official channels; English-language service is best covered at Shanghai's major attractions