A Guide to Shanghai's Main Sights: The Bund, Yu Garden, Lujiazui and Disney

Few cities carry a century of old China and a skyline of the future at the same time, with street food and couture in the same afternoon. Shanghai does. The trap for a first visit is that the sights are spread out, the obvious route runs backwards, and the day disappears into metro transfers. This guide covers the city's main attractions one by one — what each one is, when it opens, how long to allow and how to photograph it — then adds a three-day route that never doubles back, where to sleep, and what to eat.

The main sights, one by one

1. The Bund — Shanghai's calling card

Fifty-two buildings in wildly different styles line the Huangpu River here, a century of history stacked along one embankment. By day it is elegant and old-fashioned; after dark the lights come on and the towers of Lujiazui blaze across the water. Old Shanghai and new Shanghai face each other across the river, and this is the best night view in the city.

• Opening hours: open all day
• Allow: 1.5–2 hours
• Tips: the twenty minutes either side of sunset — the "blue hour" — is when the photographs work best. Crowds on public holidays are enormous, so keep hold of your phone and wallet. Take the ¥2 ferry across the river at least once; it is the cheapest view in Shanghai.

2. Yu Garden & City God Temple — a Ming-dynasty garden in the city

A classical Jiangnan garden first laid out in the Ming dynasty, with pavilions, rockeries, ponds and winding corridors, and a celebrated centrepiece rock known as the Jade Exquisite. Next door, the Yuyuan bazaar is a warren of old Shanghai food shops — classical garden and street-market energy in one place.

• Opening hours: 08:30–17:00 (last entry 16:40)
• Allow: 2–3 hours
• Tips: go on a weekday if you can; the zigzag bridge becomes impassable on holidays. Only the garden itself needs a ticket — the surrounding bazaar is free. Snacks inside are marked up heavily; taste, don't stock up.

3. Oriental Pearl Tower — the Lujiazui landmark

The television tower that became Shanghai's symbol, standing in the middle of Lujiazui directly across the river from the Bund. The 259-metre glass observation deck gives a 360-degree view over the city, and the tower also houses the Shanghai History Museum, which explains a century of change in an hour.

• Opening hours: 09:00–21:30
• Allow: 2–3 hours
• Tips: go in the late afternoon so that one ticket covers both the sunset and the illuminated skyline. Queues are long on holidays — book online in advance. Skip the glass deck if you are afraid of heights.

4. Shanghai Disney Resort

Disney's first mainland China park, with eight themed lands and an atmosphere that genuinely works on adults as well as children. The parade and the castle fireworks are the set pieces; TRON Lightcycle Power Run and the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train are the rides people come back for.

• Opening hours: 08:30–21:30 (extended on holidays)
• Allow: a full day
• Tips: buy and reserve in advance; if your budget allows, an early-entry pass buys a much quieter first hour. Bring an empty water bottle — there are refill stations throughout. Claim your spot for the fireworks an hour early, and expect weekends and holidays to be extremely busy.

5. Wukang Road and the Wukang Mansion — the citywalk classic

A century of plane trees closes over the road, with period villas scattered along both sides and the flat-iron Wukang Mansion at the corner — the most photographed address in Shanghai. It connects to Anfu Road and Huaihai Road, and almost every frame looks like a magazine spread.

• Opening hours: open all day
• Allow: 1–2 hours
• Tips: mornings are quieter with softer light. Do not stop in the middle of the road for photographs — traffic is constant. Most of the fashionable cafés do not open until 10:00, so there is no need to arrive early.

6. Zhujiajiao Ancient Town — a Jiangnan water town

The best-preserved canal town in Shanghai, with thirty-six old bridges, among them the Fangsheng Bridge, the largest five-arch stone bridge in the city. White walls and dark tiles stand directly on the water; a covered boat down the canal takes you out of the city entirely.

• Opening hours: open all day; shops 08:00–17:00
• Allow: 3–4 hours
• Tips: arrive in the afternoon and stay for the evening, when the town lights up and the crowds thin out. Agree the price before getting on a boat. Weekdays are far more enjoyable than weekends.

7. Shanghai Museum — bronzes, ceramics and painting

One of China's leading museums, with a vast collection built around three strengths: ancient bronzes, ceramics and painting. The Da Ke Ding bronze vessel is here among other national treasures. Essential for anyone with an interest in Chinese art.

• Opening hours: 09:00–17:00, closed Mondays (last entry 16:00)
• Allow: 2–3 hours
• Tips: online reservation is mandatory — there is no on-site ticket desk. Rent an audio guide; the objects need the context. No flash photography inside.

8. Jing'an Temple — a thousand-year-old temple among the towers

A temple founded more than a thousand years ago, now sitting between shopping malls in the middle of a commercial district. Gold-roofed halls and a steady stream of worshippers behind a red wall, surrounded by glass towers — a striking contrast and a good place to slow down.

• Opening hours: 07:30–17:00
• Allow: about 1 hour
• Tips: free incense sticks are provided inside — no need to buy any. Dress modestly and observe temple etiquette. The Jiu Guang department store next door is worth a look afterwards.

A three-day route that never doubles back

• Day 1 (classic Puxi): morning at Yu Garden and the City God Temple → lunch on Nanjing Road → afternoon at People's Square and the Shanghai Museum → sunset at the Bund → after dark, take the ¥2 ferry to Lujiazui for the Oriental Pearl Tower and the skyline;
• Day 2 (citywalk + water town): morning walk on Wukang Road and around the Wukang Mansion → lunch on Huaihai Road → afternoon metro out to Zhujiajiao Ancient Town and stay for the evening lights;
• Day 3 (Disney): a full day at Shanghai Disney Resort, back to the city after the castle fireworks. If Disney is not for you, substitute Jing'an Temple, Jiu Guang and Xintiandi for a much slower day.

Where to stay

• First choice: People's Square, Nanjing Road or the Bund. Central, on multiple metro lines, walking distance to the main sights, with food and shopping on the doorstep. Expect a premium for the location, and book early in peak season;
• Best value: Zhongshan Park or Jing'an. Well connected, reasonably priced, and quiet despite being central. Avoid the older lane-house guesthouses — some have thin walls and dated fittings;
• For Disney: near the resort. Most hotels and guesthouses there offer shuttle transfers, which makes the next morning easy. Do not book somewhere far out — the commute will eat your park time.

What to eat

• Shanghai classics: braised pork belly, sweet-and-sour spare ribs, eel in sizzling oil, poached chicken and yanduxian (cured pork and bamboo shoot soup) — rich, dark, soy-led cooking that defines the local table;
• Street food: Nanxiang soup dumplings, pan-fried pork buns, spring-onion oil noodles, tiaotougao rice cakes, pear syrup candy and haitang cakes, cheap and found in every old street and mall;
• Trending: fresh-pork mooncakes, qingtuan (mugwort rice balls) and butterfly pastries, all from old established bakeries and excellent as gifts.

Practical notes

• Transport: the metro reaches almost everywhere and is by far the fastest option. Pay with your phone rather than buying a card. Avoid changing lines at the big interchanges during rush hour (07:30–09:30 and 17:30–19:30);
• Reservations: the Shanghai Museum, the Oriental Pearl Tower and Disney all require advance online booking. On public holidays, book a week or more ahead;
• Weather: March–May and September–November are the most comfortable, 15–25°C and ideal for walking. June–August brings the plum rains and real humidity; plan indoor stops at midday. December–February is cold and damp — bring a proper winter coat;
• Security: the Bund, Nanjing Road and Yu Garden are extremely crowded. Watch your belongings and decline "free" gifts from strangers in the street;
• Shoes: a full day in Shanghai often means more than 15,000 steps. Genuinely comfortable shoes matter more than anything else you pack;
• Avoid: the National Day golden week, the May Day holiday and Chinese New Year. Shanghai is one of the most popular destinations in the country and queues multiply during the holidays.