City guide · China
Shanghai
Shanghai’s visitor core spans both sides of the Huangpu River. The Bund, People’s Square and Nanjing Road anchor Puxi, while Lujiazui’s towers rise directly opposite in Pudong. The former French Concession spreads southwest through tree-lined neighbourhoods, and older water towns or distant cultural sites require journeys beyond the central metro grid.
Practical information
Practical information
- Language spoken
- Standard Chinese; regional languages are widely used
- National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
- Dialling code
- +86 mainland · +852 Hong Kong · +853 Macao
- International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
- Currency
- Renminbi (CNY); HKD and MOP in the SARs
- Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
- Emergency number
- 110 police · 120 medical on the mainland
- Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
- Plug type
- Type A, C and I · 220 V
- Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
- Tap water
- Not recorded
- No single verified statement covers mainland China and both SARs
Planning a visit
- No data recorded for this month
- The current month
- Suggested stay
- Not recorded
- Getting around
- Walking, metro, bus and ferry
- January: no seasonality data recorded
- February: no seasonality data recorded
- March: no seasonality data recorded
- April: no seasonality data recorded
- May: no seasonality data recorded
- June: no seasonality data recorded
- July: no seasonality data recorded
- August: no seasonality data recorded — this month
- September: no seasonality data recorded
- October: no seasonality data recorded
- November: no seasonality data recorded
- December: no seasonality data recorded
Top things to see
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
Filter the list
0 places match
0 places match
Nothing in Shanghai matches all of those filters
The list is built from real place data, so an empty result means the combination genuinely has no match — not that the page failed. Loosen one filter and the ranking returns.
Clear all filtersSource: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·
How the city is laid out
Walk the Bund and Nanjing Road as one Puxi route, with People’s Square and its museums nearby. Cross by metro or ferry for Lujiazui rather than treating it as the same walking cluster. Yu Garden and the old city form another compact zone, while the former French Concession rewards a separate route through several neighbourhoods.
Checked 2026-08-26
Getting around
The municipal guide describes the metro as an efficient way to cross Shanghai’s large urban area. Use it between Puxi, Pudong and the former French Concession, then walk locally. Single tickets, transport cards and supported contactless options are available under current rules. Ferries can make useful river crossings, while suburban water towns need additional rail or road planning.
Checked 2026-08-26
Common questions
How many days should I spend in Shanghai?
A fixed stay length is not recorded. Build the visit around the Bund, People’s Square, Lujiazui and the former French Concession, then add water towns and suburban districts only when the available time supports a separate journey.
What is the best way to organise sightseeing in Shanghai?
Group places by district instead of crossing the city repeatedly. Start with the Bund, People’s Square, Lujiazui and the former French Concession; treat water towns and suburban districts as separate routes with their own travel allowance.
How do I get around Shanghai?
Use Walking, metro, bus and ferry. Walk within compact clusters and consult the linked official transport information before making longer transfers or relying on a particular route.
Can I explore Shanghai mainly on foot?
Only within individual neighbourhood clusters. The main visitor areas are separated by distances, waterways, major roads or regional approaches, so longer links normally need public transport or a licensed vehicle.
Which Shanghai sights need separate transport planning?
Plan water towns and suburban districts separately from the Bund, People’s Square, Lujiazui and the former French Concession. Check the current route, return connection and any access requirements on the official source before departure.
Turn this list into a plan
Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.