Shanghai in 3 Days — Bund, Pudong, French Concession, Yu Garden

Activities

1. 11:00 PVG/SHA Airport → Bund hotel (Maglev or Metro) 45-75 min

   From PVG Pudong: Maglev to Longyang Road (8 min, CNY 50 / $7 — ride once for the 430 km/h experience) + Metro Line 2 to People's Square (30 min, CNY 5). From SHA Hongqiao: Metro Line 2 to Bund area (30 min, CNY 5). Or Didi $15-25.

   Cost: $2-25 / CNY 14-180 TIP: Buy a Shanghai Public Transport Card (CNY 20 deposit + load CNY 50) for unlimited Metro convenience.
2. 13:00 Lunch at Yang's Dumpling (sheng jian bao) 45 min

   First Shanghai meal — the canonical sheng jian bao (pan-fried soup buns with crispy bottoms). 4-piece order CNY 8 / $1.10. Original Yang's at 54 Wujiang Road; multiple branches near the Bund.

   Cost: $2-6 / CNY 15-45 TIP: Bite a small hole first to sip the broth — then eat in 2-3 bites. Pair with hot-sour soup.
3. 14:30 The Bund walk (1.5km waterfront) 2 hours

   Walk the 1.5 km Bund promenade — 1920s Western colonial buildings on the west side (HSBC Building, Customs House, Peace Hotel), futuristic Pudong skyline across the river. The canonical Shanghai photo.

   Cost: Free TIP: Walk south to north along the elevated promenade. Climb up to the elevated walkway for the panoramic photo. Best photos 16:00-18:00 (golden hour).
4. 17:00 Bund Sightseeing Tunnel to Pudong (or Metro) 10 min

   Bund Sightseeing Tunnel CNY 50 ($7 — kitschy underground light show, can skip) OR Metro Line 2 from East Nanjing Road to Lujiazui (5 min, CNY 4 / $0.55).

   Cost: $0.55-7 TIP: Metro is cheaper and faster. Skip the Sightseeing Tunnel unless traveling with kids who want the tacky underground light show.
5. 17:30 Shanghai Tower SkyDeck at sunset (632m world's 2nd tallest) 1.5 hours

   World's 2nd-tallest building observation deck — 118 floor at 546 m. Sunset timed entry lets you see day → night skyline transition. Open until 22:00.

   Cost: CNY 180 / $25 (online discount); sunset timed CNY 200 / $28 TIP: Pre-book via WeChat or Klook 1-2 days ahead — sunset slots sell out. The 18 m/s elevator hits 118 floor in 55 seconds. Skip the Oriental Pearl Tower (lower + similar view).
6. 19:30 Dinner at Lost Heaven (Yunnan-Chinese fusion) 1.5 hours

   Bund restaurant — Yunnan + Burma + Tibet borderland Chinese cuisine in a dim wood-paneled dining room. Mushroom soup, Burmese fish curry, ginger-flower chicken.

   Cost: $30-65 per person / CNY 215-465 TIP: Reservation essential — book 1 week ahead. Smart casual dress. Pair with their cocktails.
7. 21:30 Bund night light show + Pudong skyline view 1 hour

   Return to the Bund elevated promenade for the night light show on Pudong skyscrapers (19:00, 20:00, 21:00, each 15 min). The most-photographed Shanghai night view.

   Cost: Free TIP: Bring tripod or stable surface for sharp photos. Best vantage: north end of the Bund promenade looking south-east at Pudong.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 09:30 Breakfast at Wei Xiang Zhai (1958 scallion oil noodles) 45 min

   Shanghai's canonical scallion oil noodle (cong you ban mian) institution — thin egg noodles in scorched scallion oil + dark soy + sugar. The canonical Shanghai breakfast.

   Cost: $2-5 / CNY 15-35 TIP: Cash + Alipay only. Best 7:00-10:00. Add chili oil from the table.
2. 10:30 Wukang Mansion + French Concession plane-tree walk 2.5 hours

   Wukang Mansion (1924 wedge-shaped building) is the iconic French Concession photo. Walk Wukang Road + Anfu Road + Yongkang Road + Wulumuqi Road — 1920s mansions converted to cafés + boutiques + restaurants.

   Cost: Free TIP: % Arabica coffee shop at Wukang Mansion is the canonical Instagram angle — go early before tour buses. Anfu Road has Sumerian Coffee + boutiques.
3. 13:00 Lunch at Egg, Cafe Sambal, or French Concession café 1.5 hours

   French Concession lunch spot — Egg for American brunch, Cafe Sambal for Malaysian-Chinese, or any plane-tree-shaded café terrace.

   Cost: $15-30 / CNY 110-220 TIP: Most cafés take WeChat Pay + Alipay. Reservations sometimes needed for Egg + Sumerian on weekends.
4. 15:00 Tianzifang Arts District maze walk 2 hours

   Maze of narrow Shikumen lanes converted to bohemian arts + crafts district — small galleries, tea shops, ceramics studios, indie bars. Get lost in the alleys.

   Cost: Free walking; shop prices vary TIP: Most touristy gift shops sell mass-market 'Shanghai souvenirs' — legitimate galleries are deeper in the maze. Kommune café is the canonical break.
5. 17:30 Xintiandi (Shikumen lane houses + CCP First Congress) 2 hours

   Restored 1920s Shikumen lane houses turned into dining + bar + boutique district. CCP First Congress Site (1921) is here — free with WeChat reservation, politically loaded but historically central.

   Cost: Free walking; dinner separate TIP: Most upscale — Xintiandi prices double the equivalent French Concession café. Best for evening cocktails.
6. 19:30 Dinner at Din Tai Fung Xintiandi (xiaolongbao) 1.5 hours

   Xintiandi flagship of Din Tai Fung — the Taiwanese international chain that popularized 18-fold xiaolongbao. Open kitchen lets you watch the chefs.

   Cost: $15-30 per person / CNY 100-220 TIP: 1-2 hour weekend waits — take a paper number ticket on arrival. Try the truffle xiaolongbao ($5 / CNY 36 each) as a splurge.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 08:30 Yu Garden + Old City Bazaar (Ming dynasty 1577) 2.5 hours

   1577 Ming dynasty classical garden — 2 hectares with 40+ pavilions, the 9-zigzag bridge, Huxinting Tea House (1855). Surrounded by the Old City Bazaar.

   Cost: Garden CNY 30 / $4.15; Bazaar free TIP: Weekday 8:30-10:30 to avoid the worst crowds. Closed Monday. The Huxinting Tea House charges CNY 200+ for tea — overrated; better tea at the Old City teahouse for CNY 80.
2. 11:00 Nanxiang Bun (1900 original xiaolongbao) 1 hour

   1900 commercial xiaolongbao original — located directly inside Yu Garden Bazaar. Ground floor counter (cheapest) + 2nd floor sit-down + 3rd floor VIP. Hand-made dumplings visible through open kitchen.

   Cost: $5-15 / CNY 35-110 TIP: Ground floor takeaway counter is locals' choice (lower price + same dumplings). 2nd floor weekend queue 30-60 min.
3. 13:00 Shanghai Museum (People's Square, free) 2.5 hours

   China's top non-Beijing museum — bronzes 3000+ BCE, ceramics 5000+ BCE, jade carvings, Ming + Qing furniture, calligraphy + paintings. Free entry with passport.

   Cost: Free (passport required + WeChat reservation) TIP: Bring passport — required at entry. Pre-book via the museum's official app or WeChat 1-2 days ahead. Bronze gallery (first floor) is the canonical highlight. Closed Monday.
4. 16:00 Nanjing Road pedestrian shopping (1.2km) 2 hours

   Shanghai's main shopping artery since 1845 — 5.5 km from People's Square to The Bund. Department stores, brand flagships, snack stalls, street food. Most-walked street in China.

   Cost: Free walking; shopping varies TIP: Walk from People's Square east toward The Bund — historic side. Best 19:00-21:00 for LED + neon atmosphere. Skip 'tea ceremony' scam touts (English-speaking 'students' offering tea = $200 bill).
5. 19:00 Farewell dinner at Lao Zheng Xing (1862 Shanghai classics) 1.5 hours

   Shanghai's oldest surviving Shanghainese restaurant — 1862. The canonical 'Hu Cai' Shanghai cuisine. Hong shao rou (red-braised pork belly) + drunken chicken + lion's head meatballs.

   Cost: $25-60 per person / CNY 180-430 TIP: Reservation recommended. Order shared platters. Pair with Shaoxing rice wine. The pork belly is the canonical farewell Shanghai dish.
6. 21:00 Bund night walk + Maglev to PVG 1.5 hours including transport

   Final Bund night walk — repeat the canonical Pudong skyline night view one more time. Then Maglev to PVG (8 min, CNY 50) or Metro Line 2 from East Nanjing Road (50 min, CNY 7).

   Cost: $1-7 TIP: Arrive PVG 2-3 hours before international flight. Smart Maglev ride: ride during low-traffic hours for visible 430 km/h speedometer.

Meal Recommendations