Shanghai walking tour & city guide

The Bund and Pudong

The Bund is a riverside promenade lined with grand buildings from the early 20th century, when Shanghai was a major trading port with foreign concessions. At night, the view across the river to the illuminated skyline of Pudong, with the Oriental Pearl Tower and the Shanghai Tower, the second tallest building in the world, is unforgettable.

Nanjing Road, one of the busiest shopping streets in the world, runs from the Bund to People's Square, glowing with neon signs at night. In Pudong, observation decks in the Shanghai Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center offer views from more than 500 meters up.

Old Shanghai

The Yu Garden, a classical Chinese garden from the Ming dynasty, sits in the old city, surrounded by a bazaar of traditional-style buildings and the famous zigzag bridge to the Huxinting teahouse.

The former French Concession is a district of tree-lined avenues, Art Deco villas and shikumen, stone-gate houses arranged in lanes. Tianzifang and Xintiandi have turned these lanes into shopping and dining areas. Jing'an Temple, a golden Buddhist temple, stands among the skyscrapers.

Visiting tips

The metro is excellent and easy to use. Maglev trains link Pudong airport to the city at over 300 km/h. The water towns of Zhujiajiao, Zhouzhuang and Suzhou are easy day trips. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons.