Why Visit Shanghai?
Shanghai is China's most cosmopolitan city — a place where a 1930s Art Deco façade stands opposite a 600-metre glass tower, where a Shanghainese grandmother sells soup dumplings steps from a Michelin-starred restaurant. It's the city that best captures China's extraordinary transformation, and it does so with style.
Best Time to Visit Shanghai
Spring (March–May) brings mild weather and cherry blossoms in Fuxing Park. Autumn (October–November) is the most reliably pleasant season — cool, dry, and clear. Summer is hot (35°C+) and humid with typhoon risk. Winter is grey and damp but crowds are thinner and prices lower.
How Many Days Do You Need?
Two full days cover the essential Shanghai. Three to four days allows exploration of the French Concession, a day trip to Zhujiajiao Water Town, and time to properly eat your way around the city.
Shanghai's Food Scene
- Xiaolongbao (Soup Dumplings) — Din Tai Fung is reliable, but Din He Road stalls are legendary among locals.
- Shengjianbao — Pan-fried pork buns, crispy on the bottom, juicy inside. Yang's Fry-Dumpling is the classic.
- Red-Braised Pork (Hongshaorou) — Shanghai's signature dish: belly pork braised in soy, sugar, and Shaoxing wine.
- Hairy Crab (seasonal, Oct–Nov) — A Shanghai obsession in autumn. Best enjoyed with Shaoxing rice wine.
Day Trips from Shanghai
Suzhou (30 min by high-speed train) is China's garden city — UNESCO-listed classical gardens and silk heritage. Hangzhou (45 min) has West Lake, one of China's most painted landscapes. Zhujiajiao and Tongli are compact water towns worth a half-day each.
