Summary:
Day 1: The Bund, Yuyuan, Nanjing Shopping Street, PudongDay 2: Shanghai Disneyland
Day 3: Shanghai French Concession
Day 4: Daytrip from Shanghai to Zhujiajiao
Day 5: Daytrip from Shanghai to Suzhou
Where to stay in Shanghai?
If you are asking me where is the best place to stay in Shanghai, well, I stationed myself in Pudong and I feel that it is a great especially for those who would like to visit Disneyland: I can responsibly recommend Hua's Cottage (just located 500m from Disneyland!). However, it is some distance from the other attractions and it is convenient if only when you rent a car. If you plan to use the public transport, you can click on the Pudong Page to find a hotel near to the metro station among 402 other choices.
Day 1 in Shanghai
8:00 am The Bund
Even if you only have 1 day in Shanghai, one should never skip the Bund. Start your day with a morning stroll along The Bund. The bund is far from traditional, dabbling in Baroque, Renaissance, and Gothic architecture instead of traditional Chinese. You can hop on the city sightseeing bus here, or walk the rest of the day.
9:30 am Yuyuan Garden
Now that you think you need a break from the modern dazzling part of Shanghai, Yuyuan is just around the corner to transfer you back to ancient Shanghai. Yuyuan Garden was built during the Ming Dynasty as a private garden, featuring ponds, bridges, pavilions, and pagodas… then it was entirely destroyed throughout the centuries. The garden we see now is a restoration done in 1961.To access the Yuyuan Garden’s inner recesses, one must pay a 30-40 Rmb entrance fee. Here stood 6 scenic areas, namely Sansui Hall, Wanhua Chamber, Dianchun Hall, Huijing Hall, Yuhua Hall, and the Inner Garden. Even if you decided not to explore the paid area, the zigzag Bridge, Mid-lake Pavilion and the Bazaar at the City God Temple will probably keep you busy for the next 2 hours.
We had our brunch here and we were quite satisfied with the food quality and the price we’ve paid.
11:30 am the City God Temple of Shanghai
The temple is dedicated to three city gods, they were initially mortals, all appointed during different dynasties:- Huo Guang (d. 68 BC) a famous Han Dynasty Chancellor.
- Qin Yubo (1295–1373) served in the late Yuan Dynasty civil service. When the Hongwu Emperor founded the Ming Dynasty, he resisted two summons to serve at the court. After his death, he was anointed City God of Shanghai by the Hongwu Emperor.
- Chen Huacheng (1776–1842) was a Qing Dynasty general, responsible for the defence of Shanghai during the First Opium War. He vowed to defend the Yangtze to the death, and was killed in battle against the British.
12:00 pm East Nanjing Shopping Street
Dubbed as Shanghai’s Time Square, this place is the center of relentless energy, the longest shopping street in Shanghai! It is always soon crowded, it is said to picture the real situation of the golden days of 1930s Shanghai.Remember I just said that this street is especially long? Well if you have more energy left after all the shopping, hope onto the tram that runs along the East Nanjing Walking Street for just 5 RMB! The tram will bring you to either end of the shopping street, no stopping in between.
3:00 pm Yang's Dumpling
Grab your lunch here at Yang’s Dumpling ε°ζ¨ηη , claimed to serve the best panfried-style dumpling ιζΏηη ε in Shanghai. Under these crunchy skin covered with sesame seeds are the savory stock that spurts upon the first bite. Hands down the best-pan-fried dumplings I had up to date.
4:30 pm Lujiazui
Our energized day continued in futuristic Lujiazui, an upscale neighborhood in Pudong district located just across the river from the bund.Why stick to the ground when you can ascend into the cloud for a bird eye view? The Oriental Pearl Tower used to be the go-to place for Shanghai panoramas, but ever since Shanghai World Financial Center (474m) and Shanghai Tower (561m) comes into the picture, it is not a must anymore. Choices are in your hands, click into each link above to see what kind of views are you expecting, then pick your favorite! Anyhow, dinner up in the Oriental Pearl Tower is still very popular and a thrilling experience in Shanghai!
6:30 pm Dinner
We had a habit of trying McDonald in different cities as we travel.7:30 pm Huangpu River Cruise
When night falls, stay for another hour of free mesmerizing “light show” on the Huangpu River Cruise. Seeing the bund illuminated in the night sky is a whole new different experience.
Day 2 in Shanghai
Shanghai Disneyland
The World largest Disneyland just opened to the public in June 2016.Of course, you can buy tickets on the spot but why waste precious time when you can book Shanghai Disneyland tickets in advance and skip the crazy long lines?
Day 3 in Shanghai
9:00 am The French Concession
The French Concession walking tours: A huge European area for you to explore dotted with boutique shops and cute cafes.Get lost in Fuxing Park, watch a tai chi practice, join a square morning dance, try your hands on Chinese yo-yo…. There are plenty of new experience in the French Concession garden if you are opened to it.
Sinan Road is the location of Sun Yat-Sen and Zhou En Lai’s former residences, with beautiful trees lining the road.
Shaoxing road is another beautiful path line with trees on both sides. Here you can find some famous publishing houses like the Shanghai people’s publishing firm and the Shanghai Literature and Art Publishing house.
Tianzifang, finally. This network of tiny alleyways is, in my opinion, the highlight of French Concession. The place was really crowded but take your time to check out the hidden art galleries with plenty of coffee shops along the way, not because you need it, but you’ll probably want it (unless if you are sensitive to caffeine, which is sad. )
Also, get your street food fix in TianZhiFang. I had some delicious Crab Soup Dumplings and crab on a stick (weird, I know… but this is not the weirdest creature I see on a stick. ) I had to comment more about the crab soup dumpling: it was a fun and quirky experience to eat a bun using a straw. First, you need to pop your straw into the dumpling, drink the soup without and then eat the remaining bits in one gulp.
12:00 pm Longhua Temple
The most famous and oldest religious building in Shanghai. Spend a little time exploring the temple ground too after ascending the pagoda!2:00 pm Crayfish house 17
Not sure what is with Crayfish and Chinese, but we simply love those! The Crayfish house in Shouning road had received a lot of good reviews over the years. They serve signature crayfish, skewers and other seafood at a very affordable price.3:00 pm Xin Tian Di
Part of the French Concession, Xin Tian Di had turned into one of the most happening entertainment and shopping districts in Shanghai.Visit all the historical places in the area, then grab a drink in one of the open-air pubs and simply people watch, if you can’t afford other things like yours sincerely. If you can, go crazy. You can shop til you drop, visit art galleries and dine in the finest restaurants in Shanghai!
5:00 pm People Square
Another chance for you to shop til you drop at the People’s Square Station Underground mall. You can find Dimei Mall and Honking underground street nearby too. The reason I think it is worth a visit is that here I found sprawl of stalls selling bags, clothes, gadgets, accessories and everything in between and prices were pretty good. Not just that, you get to haggle further to reduce the price. We saw many locals here for weekend shopping as well, so I am sure this is not just another tourist trap.8:00 pm Hai Di Lao in Shanghai No.1 Department Store
Haidilao is China’s number one hotpot branch restaurant. There is one branch just 3 minutes walk from People’s Square Metro station. A popular way on Douyin (a Chinese video app) shows the current trendy way to eat Haidilao: Order a clear base soup in a 4 compartment pot and mix your own soup base using the sauces at the sauce station.
Day 4 in Shanghai
Day trip from Shanghai: Zhujiajiao Water Village
How to get to Zhujiajiao from Shanghai: Take the metro to Dashijie station, take exit 3 and walk to Pu An Road 10. You can find the express bus named Huzhu Gaosu Kuaixian ζ²ͺζ±ι«ιεΏ«ηΊΏ to Zhujiajiao. The trip will take an hour and cost you 12 Rmb. (Frequent departure, half-hourly.)
Planning an escape from the hustle and bustle for a more cultural experience? A charming water village with 1700 years history is just within easy reach on the outskirt of Shanghai! Built during the Ming and Qing dynasty, this rustic town of Zhujiajiao boasts beautiful stone arch bridges, quiet alleyways and Qing-style historical buildings with rivers running in between, earning it the name “little Venice of Shanghai”.
Best way to visit and dive deep into this water town is buying a Zhujiajiao all-combined ticket for only 80 Rmb, then you can visit anything that interests you. Tickets are all there on the sides, you just have to tear them out!
Here you can slow down, have a cuppa in one of the many riverbank cafes, take a leisure stroll, rent a Tang or Ming costume for a photo shoot and take a boat out to the canals, the fare is much cheaper than Venice Gondolas.
Night: Explore the night market and alleyways of Shanghai
Day 5 in Shanghai
Day Trip from Shanghai: Suzhou
How to get to Suzhou from Shanghai: By High-speed trains! Frequent trains are running throughout the day from Shanghai Station or Hongqiao Station. The G trains are the fastest you can ask for, taking merely 25 minutes to reach Suzhou. Tickets cost 39.5 yuan (second class) which is comfortable enough for me. Remember to book your Suzhou train tickets ahead before it got sold out!
There are plenty of things to do in Suzhou.
9:00 am Humble Administrator’s Garden (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).
Entrance: 50 Rmb during low season and 70 Rmb during high seasonTime: 2-3 hours
Wandering through the garden, you’ll walk past ponds fringed by bridges and pavilions with weeping trees obscuring their view. Other sections of the park feel less cultivated with bamboo groves and pines pressing into stone paths that wind alongside streams.
12:00 am Lion Grove Garden
Entrance: 30 Rmb during low season, 40 Rmb during high seasonTime: 1-2 Hours
The Lion Grove Garden is famous for the large and labyrinthine grotto of taihu rocks at its center. The name of the garden is inspired by the shapes of these tail rocks, said to resemble lions. Legend has it that two immortals, Iron-Crutch Li and LΓΌ Dongbin, who lost their way while wandering in the maze of the Lion Grove. Considered one of the classical gardens in Suzhou as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lion Grove Garden is a must see when you are in Suzhou!
2:00 pm Pingjiang Road
It’s just a short walk over. The best way to enjoy Pingjiang Road is to hop onto a boat and flow pass the canal-side street. Make sure your camera is fully charged and not running low on battery!
4:00 pm Shantang Street
Classic Watertown with an endless photo opportunity. Dine at one of the many canal-side local restaurants and just watch time passing gracefully listening to the hustle and bustle on the street. It is true that people said Shantang Street is touristy and some say kitschy, but it doesn’t take away the fact that it is one of the most classical Chinese canal streets in the country.
6:00 pm Kun Opera
Ticket price: 30 Rmb for a cup of tea and 20 minutes Kun OperaBefore hopping back onto the train, I manage to catch a Kun Opera show in a local tea house with my new friends I just met on the street. This experience is highly recommended for those who are willing to take a deeper dive into the Jiangnan culture. As one of the oldest operas in China, Kun Opera stemmed from Suzhou area with more than 600 years of history.
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Thank You for Reading! This post is based solely on my honest opinion or personal experience. If you have a different opinion, feel free to share your thoughts with me by commenting below!
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