Shanghai in 3 days: a first-timer's walking itinerary (2026)
This is the route we would hand a friend visiting Shanghai for the first time. Each day is eight stops in walking order, timed so the busy places come before the tour groups and the viewpoints land near sunset. Prices were checked in November 2026; where a price is older or not published, we say so.
Open the interactive 3D route →Day 1 · Old City & the Bund: Yu Garden to the Bund at sunset
Eight stops, mostly on foot. Yu Garden when it opens, xiaolongbao in the old bazaar, People's Square and Nanjing Road in the afternoon, the Bund for sunset as Lujiazui lights up across the river, and a night cruise on the Huangpu to finish.
Yu Garden
A Ming-dynasty private garden of rockeries, ponds, carp and dragon-topped walls, much calmer in the first hour after opening.
Price: ¥40 adult (Sep–Nov) · ¥30 Dec–Mar · Hours: Tue–Sun 9:30am–4:30pm (last entry 4pm) · closed Mondays
Tip: Book online the day before with your passport number and scan in. Find the Exquisite Jade Rock and the dragon wall before the tour groups arrive.
Yuyuan Bazaar & Zigzag Bridge
Upturned eaves, the nine-turn bridge and the Huxinting tea house on the pond, with snack stalls all around.
Price: Free · pay per snack · Hours: Shops roughly 9am–9pm
Tip: Walk the zigzag bridge first, then queue at a dumpling shop before noon to beat the lunch rush.
People's Square
The city's centre, with the round-topped Shanghai Museum, the Grand Theatre and People's Park side by side.
Price: Free · Hours: Square open all day · Shanghai Museum Tue–Sun 9am–5pm, closed Mondays
Tip: The museum needs real-name booking in advance and its big special exhibition is ticketed; if you want to go in, book before the trip and give it 2 hours.
Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street
China's most famous shopping street, a straight walk from People's Square to the river past old department stores and neon signs.
Price: Free · Hours: Shops roughly 10am–10pm
Tip: Stop at Shanghai No. 1 Food Store for snacks to take home; ignore anyone who invites you to a 'tea ceremony'.
Garden Bridge & Suzhou Creek
The 1907 steel bridge where Suzhou Creek meets the Huangpu, with the brick buildings of the Rockbund behind it.
Price: Free · Hours: Open all day
Tip: Cross the bridge and look back south: the whole curve of the Bund lines up in front of you.
The Bund at sunset
Sunset is around 5pm in November: the old banks glow gold on one side while the Lujiazui towers switch on across the river.
Price: Free · Hours: Open all day · building lights usually from dusk to about 10pm
Tip: Go up to the raised promenade near Chen Yi Square. Weekends are packed; keep your phone and bag in front of you.
The Bund by night
After dinner, walk south along the river with the whole Pudong skyline lit up across the water.
Price: Free · Hours: Open all day
Tip: Lights can switch off around 10pm, so do the night views first and shop later.
Huangpu River night cruise
See both skylines at once from the middle of the river: the Bund on one side, the Oriental Pearl and Shanghai Tower on the other.
Price: ¥150 night (to 25 Nov) · ¥120 from 26 Nov (2025 price · check on site) · Hours: Night sailings roughly 7–9pm; times vary by pier and season
Tip: Tickets are tied to one pier, so check yours says Shiliupu. Arrive 30 minutes early and head for the upper deck.
Day 2 · French Concession: Golden temple, plane-tree streets and shikumen lanes
Jing'an Temple in the morning, cafés on Anfu Road, a slow walk down Wukang Road to Wukang Mansion, then the Metro to Tianzifang's lanes, Fuxing Park and an evening in Xintiandi.
Jing'an Temple
Gold-roofed halls and a tall pagoda squeezed between glass towers on Nanjing West Road: Shanghai's old and new in one view.
Price: ¥50 adult · Hours: Daily 7:30am–5pm (last entry 4:30pm)
Tip: Morning is quietest. Throwing coins into the bronze urn is a local tradition; be respectful in the halls.
Anfu Road
A short plane-tree street of old villas turned into cafés, bakeries and small shops, the French Concession at its most relaxed.
Price: Free · pay per coffee · Hours: Cafés roughly 8am–9pm
Tip: Have breakfast or coffee here; the lanes off Wulumuqi Road are worth a detour.
Wukang Road
A curving street of 1920s–30s villas and apartment blocks under plane trees, turning yellow in November.
Price: Free · Hours: Open all day
Tip: Walk south towards Huaihai Road so you reach Wukang Mansion at the end. Many houses are private; look from the pavement.
Wukang Mansion
The wedge-shaped Normandie Apartments sit on the corner like a ship's bow, Shanghai's favourite photo building.
Price: Free (outside only) · Hours: Viewed from the street
Tip: Shoot from the far side of the crossing at Huaihai Road. Residents live here, so don't go inside.
Tianzifang
A maze of narrow lanes between stone-gated shikumen houses, now full of craft shops, studios and tiny bars.
Price: Free · Hours: Shops roughly 10am–10pm
Tip: Enter from Taikang Road and get a little lost; the back lanes are quieter than the main alley.
Fuxing Park
Locals dancing, playing cards and singing under plane trees, with a rose garden and Marx and Engels statues.
Price: Free · Hours: Daily from early morning to evening
Tip: Walk in from Sinan Road, past the old villas of Sinan Mansions.
Xintiandi
Grey-brick lane houses rebuilt as restaurants and shops, lit up at dusk; the site of the first Communist Party congress is on the corner.
Price: Free · Hours: Shops and restaurants roughly 10am–late
Tip: Have dinner here or in the side streets; restaurants fill up from 6:30pm, so book or arrive early.
Taiping Lake by night
A small lake behind Xintiandi with the towers of Huaihai Road reflected in it, a quiet end to the day.
Price: Free · Hours: Open all day
Tip: Xintiandi station (Lines 10 and 13) is a few minutes' walk away.
Day 3 · Lujiazui: Across the river to the top of Shanghai Tower
A ¥2 ferry across the Huangpu, the Pudong riverside, the Oriental Pearl Tower and the aquarium, the round footbridge over Lujiazui, sunset from China's tallest building and the Bund lit up from the Pudong side.
Huangpu ferry · Jinling East Road
The locals' way across the river: a few minutes on an open deck between the Bund and the Lujiazui towers.
Price: ¥2 · Hours: About 7:15am–6:30pm · every 10–20 min
Tip: Pay with a Shanghai transit card, Alipay or WeChat Pay, or cash. The last boat is around 6:30pm, so this is a daytime crossing.
Pudong riverside promenade
The best daytime view of the whole Bund, from a wide riverside path lined with lawns and benches.
Price: Free · Hours: Open all day
Tip: Walk north towards the Oriental Pearl; the morning sun lights the Bund buildings from this side.
Oriental Pearl Tower
Shanghai's pink-sphered icon from 1994, with a glass-floor walkway at 259m and the Bund straight below.
Price: ¥199 two-sphere ticket · Hours: Daily 9am–9pm
Tip: If you only want one high view, skip this and save your money for Shanghai Tower at sunset.
Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
A long underwater tunnel with sharks and rays and a good China-rivers section, right next to the tower.
Price: ¥160 adult · Hours: Sep–Dec daily 9am–6pm
Tip: Optional: skip it to save money; the rest of the day works without it.
Lujiazui Central Green
A lawn and lake ringed by skyscrapers, with an old courtyard mansion in one corner from before the towers.
Price: Free · Hours: Open daily
Tip: Lie back on the grass for the classic look-up shot of Shanghai Tower, Jin Mao and the 'bottle opener'.
Lujiazui circular footbridge
A big round footbridge above the traffic, with the Oriental Pearl on one side and the three supertall towers on the other.
Price: Free · Hours: Open all day
Tip: Walk the full circle; the corner facing the Pearl is the best photo spot.
Shanghai Tower at sunset
China's tallest building: one of the world's fastest lifts takes you to 546m to watch the sun set (around 5pm) and the city light up below.
Price: ¥180 adult (118F) · Hours: Daily, about 9am until evening (check last entry)
Tip: Book a 4pm slot online and bring your passport. On hazy days, check the visibility before you buy.
The Bund from Pudong at night
The lit-up Bund across the water, the view you saw by day now glowing gold, with river boats passing in front.
Price: Free · Hours: Open all day
Tip: Lujiazui station (Lines 2 and 14) is about 10 minutes' walk back.
Top 10 places for a first visit
| # | Place | Area | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Bund A riverside row of 1920s banks and hotels facing the Lujiazui skyline across the Huangpu. | Huangpu | Free |
| 2 | Yu Garden A Ming-dynasty garden of rockeries, ponds and dragon walls in the old walled city. | Huangpu | ¥40 adult (Sep–Nov) · ¥30 Dec–Mar |
| 3 | Shanghai Tower observation deck China's tallest building, with a 118th-floor deck at 546m. | Lujiazui | ¥180 adult (118F) |
| 4 | Huangpu River night cruise About an hour on the river between the Bund and Lujiazui, both lit up. | Huangpu | ¥150 night (to 25 Nov) · ¥120 from 26 Nov (2025 price · check on site) |
| 5 | Oriental Pearl Tower The 1994 TV tower with pink spheres and a glass-floor walkway. | Lujiazui | ¥199 two-sphere ticket |
| 6 | Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street The famous shopping street from People's Square to the Bund. | Huangpu | Free |
| 7 | Wukang Road A plane-tree street of 1920s–30s villas in the former French Concession. | Xuhui | Free |
| 8 | Xintiandi Restored shikumen lane houses turned into restaurants, bars and shops. | Huangpu | Free |
| 9 | Tianzifang A maze of narrow shikumen lanes full of craft shops and studios. | Huangpu | Free |
| 10 | Jing'an Temple A gold-roofed Buddhist temple surrounded by glass towers. | Jing'an | ¥50 adult |
Before you go
Entry
- Korean passports: Visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism, business, family visits and transit. China has extended this policy for Korea and other countries until 31 December 2026; check again if you travel after that.
- Singapore passports: Singapore and China have a mutual 30-day visa exemption that has been in force since 9 February 2024, with no fixed end date.
- Arrival card: Since 20 November 2025 you can fill in the arrival card online before you fly (NIA website, the NIA 12367 app, or the WeChat/Alipay mini-program). Paper cards and QR codes are still available at the airport.
- Passport for bookings: Many museums, observation decks and Yu Garden sell tickets by real-name booking: have your passport number ready when you book.
Paying
- Alipay and WeChat Pay: Most shops, taxis and stalls expect a QR payment. Both apps let foreigners link a Visa or Mastercard; set this up and test a small payment before you fly.
- Cards and cash: Big hotels, malls and chains take foreign cards, small places often don't. Carry some cash for markets, older shops and backup.
- Metro: Shanghai Metro gates accept tap-to-ride with Visa cards, and the Maglev accepts bank-card taps too.
Apps & connectivity
- Blocked services: Google (Maps, Gmail, Search), YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp and some Kakao features may not work on local Chinese networks. Plan with that in mind.
- Apps that work: Install before you go: Alipay or WeChat (pay, taxis, ticket mini-programs), Amap or Apple Maps for directions, and Didi for taxis (English interface).
- Translation: A translation app with offline Chinese and camera translation helps with menus and signs.
SIM & eSIM
- Travel eSIM: A data eSIM installed at home works on landing for maps, payments and Didi. Compare days and data, not just price.
- At the airport: Mobile operator counters at Pudong airport sell tourist SIMs; bring your passport, as registration is real-name.
Getting around
- Metro: Clean, cheap and signed in English. Pay by Visa tap, the Metro Daduhui app, or a transit QR code in Alipay.
- Didi: Book taxis in Didi or inside Alipay; the address appears in Chinese for the driver.
- Airport to city: From Pudong, the Maglev runs to Longyang Road (¥50, about 8 minutes) to connect with Metro Line 2; Line 2 also runs direct from the airport. Hongqiao airport is on Lines 2 and 10.
- Ferry: Public ferries cross the Huangpu for ¥2 until about 6:30pm.
Tax refund
- Departure refund: Spend at least ¥200 in one store on one day at a 'Tax Free' shop, show your passport and keep the forms. Claim at the airport after customs; the refund is about 9% of the price.
- Refund on purchase: Some big stores pay the refund straight away at the till; ask at the counter.
Weather in November
- Mild and damp: Expect mild days and cool, sometimes rainy evenings; bring layers and a light jacket for the river at night.
- Sunset: Around 5pm in November, so the routes put the Bund and Shanghai Tower just before dark.
Sources
- Ctrip — Yu Garden hours (Jun–Dec 9:30am–4:30pm, closed Mondays)
- Trvlogue — Yu Garden tickets 2026 (¥40 Apr–Jun & Sep–Nov, ¥30 other months)
- Shanghai Municipal Government — Exploring Shanghai by boat (ferry and Huangpu cruise fares)
- Cities Insider — Shanghai public ferries 2026 (¥2, last crossing 6:30pm)
- Trip.com — Huangpu River cruise piers and times (Aug 2026)
- WanderInChina — Jing'an Temple 2026 (¥50, 7:30am–5pm)
- Ctrip — Oriental Pearl Tower hours (9am–9pm)
- WanderInChina — Oriental Pearl Tower 2026 (two-sphere ¥199)
- WanderInChina — Shanghai Tower 2026 (118F ¥180)
- Trvlogue — Shanghai Ocean Aquarium 2026 (¥160, Sep–Dec 9am–6pm)
- Tencent News (20 May 2026) — Shanghai Museum hours and real-name booking
- Shanghai Municipal Government — English portal
- China Visa Application Service Center — MFA notice: visa-free for Korea and others extended to 31 Dec 2026
- ICA Singapore — mutual 30-day visa exemption with China
- Shanghai Municipal Government — online arrival card from 20 Nov 2025
- Shanghai Municipal Government — payment methods for foreigners
- Shanghai Municipal Government — Metro Visa tap-to-ride (Dec 2025)
- Shanghai Municipal Government — Maglev accepts bank-card tap (Jun 2025)
- Shanghai Municipal Government — departure tax refund guide (Aug 2026)
- Illustrated draft map by 3DAYS · real-data 3D map in preparation
Prices are for adults and can change; always check the official site on the day. Some ticket, hotel and eSIM links on 3DAYS are affiliate links: your price is the same and we may earn a commission. Rankings and routes are not paid placements.