Attractions
From centuries-old temples to record-breaking skyscrapers. Every attraction with practical details: opening hours, ticket prices, and how to get there.
Few cities on earth pack as much architectural and cultural contrast into a single skyline. Shanghai's attractions range from a 400-year-old classical garden to the world's second-tallest building, often visible from each other. The key to enjoying them is pacing: do not try to cram all eight into two days. Pick three or four that match your interests, and give each one the time it deserves.
If you are visiting for the first time, the non-negotiable trio is the Bund, Yu Garden, and Shanghai Tower — they give you the city's past, present, and future in three stops. Families with kids should prioritize Shanghai Disneyland and the Shanghai Natural History Museum. Culture-focused travelers will want to linger at the Shanghai Museum and Jing'an Temple. For a more local, less scripted experience, skip the tour buses and spend a morning getting lost in the French Concession or browsing independent galleries in Tianzifang.
Below you will find every major attraction with practical details we wish we had known before visiting: actual opening hours (not the outdated ones from tour blogs), honest ticket prices, and the right Metro exit to take. We update this page every quarter — if a museum changes its hours or a landmark closes for renovation, you will see it reflected here first.
One framing point up front: Shanghai rewards a slower pace than most big-city itineraries assume. The attractions are scattered across a sprawling metropolis, and travel time between them is often the real cost of a day. Rather than a checklist mentality, think in terms of "neighborhood days" — grouping the Bund, the Old City, and the French Concession into separate, focused outings. That approach turns a rushed list of eight sights into a genuinely pleasant stay.
Shanghai's most famous waterfront. Colonial-era buildings line one side of the Huangpu River, while Pudong's neon skyline glows on the other. Best at dusk.
24/7 (best at sunset)
Free
Metro Line 2/10, East Nanjing Road
At 632 meters, it's China's tallest building. The observation deck on the 118th floor offers the highest view in the world. The elevator ride alone is an experience.
8:30 AM - 9:30 PM
RMB 180
Metro Line 2, Lujiazui
A 400-year-old classical garden with intricate rockeries, pavilions, koi ponds, and dragon walls. An oasis of Ming-dynasty calm in the middle of the Old City.
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM
RMB 40
Metro Line 10/14, Yuyuan Garden
Mainland China's first Disney park. TRON Lightcycle Power Run and Pirates of the Caribbean are unique to this park. Plan a full day.
8:30 AM - 9:30 PM
RMB 475+
Metro Line 11, Disney Resort
Plane-tree-lined streets, 1920s lane houses, and the city's best concentration of cafes, boutiques, and bars. Wandering aimlessly is the point.
Always open
Free
Metro Line 1/10/12, South Shaanxi Road
World-class collection of Chinese art and artifacts: ancient bronzes, ceramics, calligraphy, and jade. The building itself is shaped like a bronze ding.
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (closed Mon)
Free (reservation required)
Metro Line 1/2/8, People's Square
A golden Buddhist temple surrounded by skyscrapers and luxury malls. The contrast is pure Shanghai. The incense and chanting are genuinely transportive.
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
RMB 50
Metro Line 2/7, Jing'an Temple
A maze of narrow alleyways filled with art studios, craft shops, and small eateries inside traditional shikumen houses. Tourist-heavy but still charming.
10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Free
Metro Line 9, Dapuqiao
Here is the pattern that works for most first-time visitors — it groups attractions by geography so you spend your time looking at Shanghai, not sitting in a Metro car between districts.
Start at the Bund at sunrise, cross the river to Shanghai Tower for the highest view in the world, then end on the east bank as the skyline lights up. This is the postcard day — bring a camera and expect it to be the most photographed 24 hours of your trip.
Spend the morning inside the walls of Yu Garden and the City God Temple Bazaar, then walk to the Shanghai Museum or Jing'an Temple. Slow, shaded, and culturally rich — a good counterweight to the glass towers.
A relaxed morning in the French Concession (coffee, plane trees, boutique lanes), then Tianzifang for art studios and craft shops. This is the "local Shanghai" day — leave room to wander without a plan.
If you have only a half-day, compress to the essentials: Yu Garden in the morning and the Bund at sunset — the two bookends of Shanghai's story, joined by a pleasant walk through the Old City. Everything else can wait for a return trip.
Mostly, yes — but choose deliberately. The Bund and the French Concession are free and among the best things the city offers. Shanghai Tower's RMB 180 is expensive but justifiable once for the world-record view. Yu Garden's RMB 40 is a bargain for a genuinely beautiful Ming-era garden. Skip the premium if it isn't your thing, but these are the fair-value picks.
The Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Tower, and the Natural History Museum all require or strongly recommend advance reservations, often through WeChat mini-programs or their English websites. During Golden Week and Chinese New Year, unreserved visitors can face two-hour waits or miss out entirely. Book a few days ahead.
Each card above lists the exact station and line. As a rule: the Bund (Line 2/10, East Nanjing Road), Yu Garden (Line 10/14, Yuyuan Garden), Shanghai Tower (Line 2, Lujiazui), Jing'an Temple (Line 2/7, Jing'an Temple). All are a short walk from the exit.
A full day, realistically 8–12 hours including travel from central Shanghai. The unique rides (TRON Lightcycle Power Run and the Pirates of the Caribbean water ride) mean most visitors spend the whole day there. Build it as its own trip, not an add-on.
Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) offer the clearest skies and most comfortable temperatures. Summer is hot but the evening Bund and the indoor museums handle it well. Winter is quiet and cheap, with crisp light for the skyline — just bring layers.
The Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Tower observation deck, and the Natural History Museum all require or strongly recommend advance reservations. During national holidays (Golden Week in October, Chinese New Year in January/February), queues can exceed two hours without a booking. Use the official WeChat mini-programs or the museums' English-language websites to reserve.
Yu Garden is magical at 8:45 AM when the gates open — you will have the rockeries nearly to yourself for about 45 minutes before the tour buses arrive. The Bund is best at two opposite times: 6:30 AM when locals practice tai chi and the light is soft, or 6:00 PM when the Pudong skyline transitions from daylight to neon. Shanghai Tower is clearest on weekday mornings; weekends can mean a one-hour queue for the elevator.
Every attraction on this page is reachable by Metro. The system is clean, air-conditioned, and costs RMB 3–9 per ride. Station announcements are in English and Mandarin. Buy a Shanghai Public Transportation Card at any Metro station service counter for tap-and-go convenience across Metro, bus, and even some taxis.
Several attractions cluster naturally: the Bund, Nanjing Road, and People's Square are a 20-minute walk apart. Yu Garden and the City God Temple Bazaar share the same plaza. Jing'an Temple, the Natural History Museum, and the French Concession can be connected by a 15-minute Metro ride or a pleasant 40-minute walk. Plan your days geographically — Shanghai is vast, and cross-city taxi rides eat into sightseeing time.