This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Cut a dash through this Chinese megacity from the sycamore-shaded, heritage shopping streets of the former French Concession to the high-wattage urban wonderland of the Bund. Locals here work hard and play harder, so the energy is intense — and the people-watching is second to none.
8am: Breakfast two ways
Early birds get first crack at jianbing, the savoury crepes made with spring onions or chilli sauce at kiosks around town. Stroll along Changle Road in the former French Concession to find the best concentration — a takeaway, rolled in waxed paper, costs around 50p. For Western-style brunch, there’s Egg, near Changle’s intersection with Xiangyang Road, for fritters and waffles.
10am: Shopping in the former French Concession
Art deco and mock Tudor villas line avenues such as the Wukang and Anfu Roads, built for French grandees in the early 20th century. Today you’ll find tailors, bike mechanics and jewellers like the questionably named Blackhead. Also look out for Culture Matters for classic trainers by retro Chinese brand Feiyue; and Déja Vu, a three-storey vintage boutique with designer clothing and a used-book lounge.
12pm: A walk in the park
City gardens are the pride of Shanghai — and of pensioners, who come for tai chi or to gamble over cards. Stroll Xiangyang Park’s landscaped trails, facing the onion-domed Russian Church in the former French Concession. Carry on 15 minutes down Huaihai Road to relax in Fuxing Park beside one of the monuments from China’s communist heyday. At lunch, you might catch a game of flag football or ultimate frisbee, both popular with young Shanghainese.
2pm: Dumpling delights
In the Huangpu quarter, head up Huanghe Road — one of Shanghai’s few remaining ‘food streets’. Once ubiquitous, these streets, chockablock with restaurants and kiosks, have gradually been swallowed by development. But Huanghe Road remains — partly because of the popularity of Jia Jia Tang Bao, a rough-and-ready diner serving steamers of xiaolongbao. These dumplings come stuffed with crab, pork, chicken or veg and hot, tangy broth. 90 Huanghe Road
3pm: Historic waterside stroll
At Huanghe Road you’re not far from Suzhou Creek, which meanders through the city’s north, so hop on the footpath to survey repurposed industrial Shanghai. Antique brick storehouses left to crumble for a century now house indie bookstores, galleries and ‘artistic youth’ — what the Chinese call today’s bright young things. Peer at the side of the Sihang Warehouse, pockmarked with bullet holes from a 1937 standoff with Japanese occupiers. Then check out the Fotografiska photography gallery and its gift shop selling cheeky Chinese-designed crafts, including postcards subverting old propaganda posters and modern takes on Ming ceramics.
5pm: Craft beer by the creek
Zhang Yindi, aka the Beer Lady, earned her name with a small craft beer shop catering to university students. International customers urged her to import European brands, drawing more punters. Now she runs Beer Lady craft beer bars across the city, including her flagship, The Beer Lady, set in a grey-brick building with al fresco tables facing Suzhou Creek. Hundreds of varieties are stocked — grab a First Blood lager from Shanghai’s Boxing Cat brewery for about £3 a bottle. 1247 Nansuzhou Road
7pm: The money shot
At sunset there’s nowhere more exciting than the Bund promenade. Nobody leaves Shanghai without selfies from the historic river walk, with the bulbous Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower and their hundred or so super-tall siblings flickering across the river. But few know about the minimalist fifth-floor bar at the perfectly positioned Regent Hotel on the Bund, where the curved terrace gives you an eyeful of the whole mind-blowing panorama. Order a cocktail here, then find a noodle joint on Sichuan Road, just behind the Bund, for a cheap, satisfying meal.
10pm: Cocktails with dandies & fashionistas
Hit Nanchang Road to find the coolest cocktail joints in town, frequented by dandies in tweed and fashionistas in berets swinging Chanel bags. Paal, at number 94, serves rum punch with jackfruit, pineapple, tonka bean and condensed milk. Penicillin, at number 64, is a closed-loop bar that aims to avoid waste with techniques such as making organic ferments from the by-products of ingredients used in its cocktails.
How to do it
Trip.com offers seven nights in a four-star hotel from £623 per person, including flights.
Getting there & around
China Eastern flies direct from Gatwick to Shanghai, while British Airways flies direct from Heathrow.
Average flight time: 12h.
It’s possible to explore the majority of Shanghai’s central attractions on foot, but be on your guard as vehicles tend to neglect red lights. The Metro system is extensive, fast and cheap, with signs and ticket kiosks in English.
When to go
Try to avoid December and January, which can be bitterly cold, as well as July and August, which are often unbearably hot and humid. Spring and autumn are reliably warm, with the odd day of rain and temperatures in the teens and 20Cs. Before booking, check your visit won’t coincide with a domestic holiday, when tourists descend from other parts of China.
Where to stay
The Shanghai Edition. Huangpu neighbourhood. From 2,075RMB (£215).
Regent Shanghai on the Bund. Hangkou district. From 3,500RMB (£355).
More info:
english.shanghai.gov.cn
Lonely Planet Pocket Shanghai. £9.99
Published in the November 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).
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