Shanghai
Shanghai is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flowing through it. The population of the city proper is the second largest in the world after Chongqing, with around 24.87 million inhabitants in 2023, while the urban area is the most populous in China, with 29.87 million residents. As of 2022, the Greater Shanghai metropolitan area was estimated to produce a gross metropolitan product (nominal) of nearly 13 trillion RMB ($1.9 trillion). Shanghai is one of the world's major centers for finance, business and economics, research, science and technology, manufacturing, transportation, tourism, and culture. The Port of Shanghai is the world's busiest container port. Originally a fishing village and market town, Shanghai grew to global prominence in the 19th century due to both domestic and foreign trade and its favorable port location. The city was one of five treaty ports forced to open to European trade after the First Opium War. The Shanghai International Settlement and the French Concession were subsequently established. The city then flourished, becoming a primary commercial and financial hub of Asia in the 1930s. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, the city was the site of the major Battle of Shanghai. After the war, the Chinese Civil War soon resumed between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), with the latter eventually taking over the city and most of the mainland. From the 1950s to the 1970s, trade was mostly limited to other socialist countries in the Eastern Bloc, causing the city's global influence to decline during the Cold War. Major changes of fortune for the city would occur when economic reforms initiated by paramount leader Deng Xiaoping during the 1980s resulted in an intense redevelopment and revitalization of the city by the 1990s, especially the Pudong New Area, aiding the return of finance and foreign investment. The city has since re-emerged as a hub for international trade and finance. It is the home of the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the largest stock exchange in the Asia-Pacific by market capitalization and the Shanghai Free-Trade Zone, the first free-trade zone in mainland China. It is ranked 4th on the Global Financial Centres Index. Shanghai has been classified as an Alpha+ (global first-tier) city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. As of 2024, it is home to 13 companies of the Fortune Global 500—the fourth-highest number of any city. The city is also a major global center for research and development and home to numerous Double First-Class Universities, including Fudan University and Shanghai Jiaotong University. The Shanghai Metro, first opened in 1993, is the largest metro network in the world by route length. Shanghai has been described as the "showpiece" of the economy of China and it is one of the ten biggest economic hubs in the world. Featuring several architectural styles such as Art Deco and shikumen, the city is renowned for its Lujiazui skyline, museums and historic buildings, including the City God Temple, Yu Garden, the China Pavilion and buildings along the Bund. The Oriental Pearl Tower can be seen from the Bund. Shanghai is known for its cuisine, local language, and cosmopolitan culture. It ranks sixth in the list of cities with the most skyscrapers.
One-Day Shanghai Tour Itinerary Recommendations
Theme:
Metropolis Glamour + Haipai Culture + Culinary Delights
Suitable for:
Urban explorers/art lovers/foodies, optimal with metro + walking
Practical Tips
Booking Guide:
Disney tickets 10 days in advance | Museums closed Mondays
Transport Hacks:
Use "Metro Daduhui" APP for QR code subway access
Hidden Gems:
Yuanmingyuan Road colonial architecture
Jiujiang Road "Photographer's Bridge" for Pearl Tower frames
Optimization Tips:
Power walkers add: 1933 Old Millfun industrial photography
Artsy alternative: M50 Creative Park street art
Family option: Shanghai Ocean Aquarium tunnel
(Note: Nanjing Rd/People's Sq stations are central hubs)
Option 1:
Iconic Landmark Route
Best for:
First-time visitors, photographers
Transport:
Metro Line 2 + 10
08:00-10:00 The Bund + Huangpu River
Art Deco architecture | Waitan Bridge (Romance in Rain filming site)
10:30-12:30 Yu Garden + City God Temple
Ming Dynasty garden | Feed koi at Zigzag Bridge (try crab soup dumplings at Lvbolang)
13:00-14:30 Nanjing Road East Lunch
Time-honored: Shen Dacheng qingtuan + Xian Delai pork ribs with rice cakes
15:00-17:00 Shanghai Museum
Bronze gallery + calligraphy masterpieces (free with booking)
18:00-20:00 Lujiazui Night Views
Shanghai Tower 118F observatory | IFC rooftop "Three Giants" photo
Option 2:
Artsy & Café Hopping
Best for:
Coffee aficionados, culture seekers
Transport:
Metro Line 1 + cycling
09:00-11:00 Wukang Road - Anfu Road
Normandie Apartments photoshoot | Ba Jin's former residence + brunch at LOKAL
11:30-13:00 Xujiahui Library
Rooftop cathedral views | Design souvenir hunting
13:30-15:30 West Bund Museum
Riverside exhibitions | Long Museum's industrial aesthetic
16:00-18:00 Tianzifang + Sinan Road
Shikumen creative boutiques | Sinan Mansions literary walk
19:00 158 Julu Road
Nightlife hub | Live jazz at JZ Club
Option 3:
Family Fun Adventure
Best for:
Parents with kids, young-at-heart
Transport:
Metro Line 11 + taxi
09:00-11:30 Shanghai Disneyland
Must-dos: Soaring Over Horizon + Pirates Ride (Early Entry recommended)
12:00-14:00 Disneytown Lunch
Cheesecake Factory mega desserts | Donald Duck-themed meals
14:30-17:00 Shanghai Natural History Museum
T-Rex robot interaction | African savanna 4D theater
17:30-19:30 Qiantan Taikoo Li
Rooftop garden playtime | Tsutaya Books family reading