Itinerary · 3 days · balanced
Shanghai weekend — 3 days in the city
Three full days in Shanghai covering the Bund, French Concession, Yu Garden, Tianzifang and Pudong — the city's distinct neighbourhoods at a pace that leaves time for coffee and wandering.
Shanghai is China's most accessible city for short breaks: Pudong Airport (PVG) has direct flights from dozens of Asian cities, the metro (地铁) covers the entire central city efficiently, and English signage is more consistent than anywhere else on the mainland. Three days is enough for the major neighbourhoods without rushing. The city rewards slower exploration — a morning in the French Concession or a late afternoon on the Bund reveals more than a rushed checklist.
Shanghai's geography helps: the city divides naturally into Puxi (west of the Huangpu River — the historic, walkable city including the Bund, French Concession, Old City, and Jing'an) and Pudong (east — the modern towers, the financial district, the airport). The Bund waterfront connects both visually: the colonial facades on the Puxi bank and the towers on the Pudong bank are essentially a single panoramic composition. Most visitors spend two days in Puxi and half a day in Pudong.
The French Concession is arguably Shanghai's most pleasant neighbourhood — tree-lined streets, Art Deco apartment buildings, independent cafés, galleries, and restaurants covering an area of about 4 km². It is easy to spend a full day here without visiting a single formal attraction. The neighbourhood developed from the 1840s through the 1940s as the French concession territory; the population was largely Chinese by the 1930s, with the French community relatively small. The 'French' character today is the built environment rather than any continuing cultural presence.
Day by day
Day 1 · shanghai
The Bund, French Concession, Tianzifang
Arrive Shanghai. Take the metro to the Bund for a mid-morning walk along the waterfront — the colonial facades on the west bank and the Pudong towers across the river. Walk south into the French Concession: lunch on Xintiandi, afternoon coffee on Wukang Road. Late afternoon Tianzifang — independent galleries and boutiques in the shikumen lane network.
Attractions: the-bund, french-concession, tianzifang
Stay in: French Concession — centrally placed for all three days, good dining on the doorstep.
Day 2 · shanghai
Yu Garden, Jade Buddha Temple, Pudong
Morning at Yu Garden and the surrounding Ming-dynasty bazaar — arrive before 9:30am to beat coach groups. Walk north to the Jade Buddha Temple (two seated white jade Buddhas; active monastery, no entry during prayer times). Afternoon: cross the Huangpu River to Pudong by the pedestrian tunnel or ferry. Shanghai Tower observation deck at 632m. Walk the Lujiazui riverside promenade back toward the ferry.
Attractions: yu-garden, jade-buddha-temple-shanghai, shanghai-tower
Day 3 · shanghai
Shanghai Museum, M50, departure
Morning at the Shanghai Museum on People's Square — free entry, an outstanding collection of Chinese bronzes, ceramics and calligraphy. Walk north to Moganshan Road: M50 contemporary art district, good for a coffee and gallery browse. Lunch in Jing'an. Transfer to PVG or SHA for departure.
Attractions: shanghai-museum, m50-art-district, jingan-temple
Budget guide (CNY per day)
| Backpacker | ¥700 |
| Mid-range | ¥1800 |
| Comfortable | ¥4500 |
Per person total 3 days. International flights excluded. Most museums in Shanghai are free with online booking.
Cities covered
Attractions covered
Other itineraries visiting Shanghai
- Shanghai in 3 days
3d · Bund, French Concession, Pudong, Yu Garden, museums.
- China in 5 days: fastest first-timer route
5d · Beijing's big three sights, a flight south, and two days navigating Shanghai's contrasts.
- Beijing + Shanghai — 5-day first-timer classic
5d · Two of China's three great cities in five days: imperial Beijing followed by the modern skyline of Shanghai, linked by a quick domestic flight or overnight train.
- Shanghai–Suzhou–Hangzhou triangle in 5 days
5d · Two days in Shanghai, a day and a half in Suzhou's classical gardens, then West Lake and Hangzhou.
- Water towns circuit in 5 days
5d · Shanghai to Tongli to Wuzhen to Zhujiajiao — four of the Yangtze Delta's most visited canal towns in a compact loop, using a Shanghai base with day excursions and one overnight in Wuzhen.
- Accessible China — mobility-friendly 7 days in Beijing and Shanghai
7d · Seven days in Beijing and Shanghai planned for visitors with mobility limitations — step-free access, English-language signage, accessible transport and accommodation notes throughout.