The considered guideShanghai
Shanghai, with room to wander
A park, a dumpling stop and a river view. Three ways to begin a day without turning Shanghai into a checklist.
King of Hearts / Wikimedia Commons. Captured: Taken on 20 November 2017, 17:08:32. Resized and compressed; display crops vary. · CC BY-SA 4.0: License; source: Source
A good city day needs a little space around its plans. Pick one of these starting points, then decide whether to add another. They sit in different parts of central Shanghai; this is a selection of ideas, not a promise that everything is a short walk apart.
The point is to give something ordinary enough time to become memorable: a bench, a basket of dumplings, a changing skyline. Use the linked place records for current hours and practical details. Meals and transport cost extra even when a walk or park is free.
Our cover is a 2017 view across the Huangpu. The city keeps changing; make the day your own.
Fuxing Park
Start with the smallest possible plan: a circuit of the park and time to sit. Leave the next stop open until you know what kind of day you want.
Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant: Yuyuan
Let lunch be the reason to head to Yuyuan. Decide whether the garden is part of the plan afterwards; a food stop does not require a garden ticket.
The Bund promenade
Finish with the river, or make this your entire outing. Walk only as far as feels enjoyable, with room to stop and look both ways.