What to See in Shanghai: Skyline Views, Old Town, and Art Districts

Shanghai travel guide

Skyline views

Old town & art districts

Shanghai is the city where neon-lit skyscrapers rise above centuries-old shikumen alleyways, where traditional Shanghainese breakfasts give way to cutting-edge galleries by mid-morning, and where a riverfront stroll at night feels like stepping straight into the future. If you are planning a trip and wondering what to see in Shanghai, three experiences should anchor your itinerary: the iconic skyline views, the evocative old town, and the city’s dynamic art districts.

This long-form guide is crafted to help you understand not just what to see in Shanghai, but how each neighborhood and viewpoint reveals a different layer of the city’s personality. From the glowing towers of Lujiazui to the quiet courtyards of the Old City and the graffiti-marked warehouses of the art zones, you will discover where to go, when to go, and how to experience Shanghai in a way that feels both efficient and deeply immersive.

Understanding Shanghai: A City of Contrasts on the Huangpu River

Shanghai sits at the mouth of the Yangtze River on China’s eastern coast. Historically a fishing village, it exploded into a global trading port in the 19th century and is now one of the world’s most influential financial and cultural centers. That history of rapid transformation is written into its streets. Modern Shanghai keeps its gaze firmly on the future, but its buildings and neighborhoods still whisper stories of colonial-era concessions, revolutionary years, and tightly knit Shanghainese communities.

As a traveler, you will feel this contrast in every moment: sipping a latte in a minimalist café inside a former factory, then turning a corner to stumble onto a traditional wet market; photographing the glass towers of Pudong before ducking into a temple courtyard filled with incense; browsing digital art installations in a converted power station and then slurping hand-pulled noodles at a street stall.

Shanghai’s Skyline Views: Where to See the City from Above

Shanghai’s skyline has become a global travel icon: three futuristic skyscrapers piercing the sky above a sweep of high-rises, with the wide Huangpu River curving through the scene. If you want to understand modern Shanghai, you need to see it from above and from across the water. Here are the best places to capture the skyline—by day, at golden hour, and deep into the night.

Lujiazui: Inside the Skyline Itself

Lujiazui, on the east bank of the Huangpu River in Pudong, is Shanghai’s financial district and the beating heart of its skyline. Here you will find three of the city’s most famous towers—each offering a very different observation experience.

The Bund: The Classic Skyline Panorama

If Lujiazui lets you stand inside the skyline, the Bund gives you the postcard view. This historic waterfront promenade on the west bank of the river is lined with early-20th-century buildings in styles ranging from neoclassical to art deco. Facing them across the water is the glass-and-steel future of Lujiazui. Together, they form the most famous visual contrast in Shanghai.

Stroll along the Bund’s elevated riverside walkway to find your favorite angle. In the daytime, you can see the details of both sides—the grain of stone on colonial-era façades and the blue-green glass of the towers. After sunset, the scene transforms into a luminous spectacle: the towers light up in neon, LED screens animate entire buildings, and riverboats drift by, glowing with colored lights.

• Best section for photos: Around the area near the former Custom House and HSBC Building, where the curve of the river gives you a broad skyline sweep.
• Best time of day: Blue hour (shortly after sunset) when the sky is still deep blue and the city lights have just switched on.
• Accessibility: The promenade is wide and mostly flat, with benches for resting and multiple access points from surrounding streets.

Alternative Skyline Viewpoints: Bridges, Ferries, and Rooftop Bars

To experience the skyline in more original ways, step beyond the observation decks and promenades.

• Huangpu River Cruise: Evening cruises take you along the river between the Bund and Pudong. You will see both shores illuminated while gentle commentary explains landmarks.
• Waibaidu Bridge: This historic steel bridge at the north end of the Bund offers a more intimate skyline framing, especially attractive for photographers at sunrise or after dark.
• Rooftop terraces and bars: Many hotels and restaurants around the Bund and in Pudong offer open-air terraces. Even if you are not staying overnight, a drink at sunset can be a memorable way to take in the view.

Wherever you choose to enjoy it, the skyline is the single visual that will stay with you long after you leave Shanghai. It is also the ideal way to start or end a trip, framing everything else you see with a bird’s-eye sense of scale.

Exploring Shanghai’s Old Town: History, Temples, and Hidden Lanes

Amid the high-rises and highways, Shanghai’s Old Town—known locally as Nanshi—preserves fragments of the city’s pre-modern past. Though much of the original walled city has been replaced or rebuilt, the area still offers atmospheric streets, temple courtyards, and traditional architecture that help you imagine what Shanghai felt like before neon and glass.

Yu Garden and the Bazaar: Classic Architecture and Crowded Alleys

The best-known landmark in the Old Town is Yu Garden (Yuyuan), a classical Chinese garden originally built in the 16th century during the Ming dynasty. Within its walls, you will find stone bridges zigzagging across ponds, meticulously shaped bonsai trees, rockeries, pavilions with upturned eaves, and carefully framed views that feel almost theatrical.

Just outside the garden is the Yuyuan Bazaar, a dense maze of shops and snack stalls housed in traditional-style buildings. The area can be crowded and touristy, but it is also a fun place to taste local treats such as soup dumplings and to pick up souvenirs.

• When to visit Yu Garden: Early morning on weekdays to avoid tour groups. Spring and autumn bring the most pleasant temperatures.
• What to look for: Dragon walls, lattice windows, and the Nine-Turn Bridge—a zigzag bridge designed to slow your pace and, according to tradition, confuse evil spirits.
• Photography tip: Focus on details—roof corners, door knockers, and reflections in the ponds—to avoid overcrowded wide shots.

City God Temple and Spiritual Shanghai

Close to Yu Garden stands the Shanghai City God Temple, dedicated to the deities who protect the city. While parts of the surrounding complex have merged into the commercial bazaar, the temple itself remains a place of active worship. Incense coils hang in the air, worshippers light candles and bow, and the atmosphere feels both lively and contemplative.

Even if you are not religious, visiting gives you a sense of the spiritual rhythms that still underlie city life. Watch respectfully, avoid obstructing worshippers, and if you take photos, do so discreetly.

Old Streets and Shikumen Lanes

Beyond the famous garden and temple, one of the most rewarding things to do in Shanghai’s Old Town is simply wander. While urban renewal has changed much of the area, you can still discover narrow alleys, older residential buildings, and small shops selling everything from paper offerings to household tools.

Look out for remnants of shikumen architecture—stone-gated lane houses that were once the most common residential style in Shanghai. Today, some shikumen blocks have been renovated into stylish commercial spaces, while others remain lived-in and worn around the edges, revealing laundry lines and potted plants on balconies.

Balancing Old and New in One Day

A well-planned day can take you from the Old Town’s courtyards to the skyline viewpoints without feeling rushed. Start in the morning at Yu Garden, continue through the bazaar and side streets, then walk or ride the metro toward the Bund in the afternoon. As the sun sets, continue on to Pudong for your observation deck of choice. This sequence mirrors Shanghai’s own story: from pre-modern roots through colonial-era riverfront to futuristic finance hub.

French Concession: Everyday Life Between Trees and Townhouses

While not technically part of the Old Town, the former French Concession is essential if you want to feel Shanghai’s more relaxed, lived-in side. Originally a foreign-controlled district in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, today it is a leafy residential and commercial area full of cafés, small galleries, boutiques, and historic villas.

Unlike the vertical drama of Pudong or the crowded alleys of Nanshi, the French Concession invites you to slow down. Streets are shaded by plane trees, sidewalks curve around brick walls and garden entrances, and low-rise buildings give the area a human scale. This is where many visitors suddenly imagine themselves living in Shanghai.

Walking the Tree-Lined Streets

Spend a few hours simply walking: along streets like Wukang Road, Fuxing West Road, or Tianping Road. You will pass art deco apartment blocks, European-style townhouses, small parks, and schools. Periodically, a cluster of cafés or design shops will break the residential rhythm, giving you a place to stop, have a coffee, and watch life unfold.

Shikumen Reimagined: Xintiandi and Tianzifang

Two of Shanghai’s most famous redeveloped shikumen districts sit partly within or near the French Concession: Xintiandi and Tianzifang.

• Xintiandi: A polished, upscale dining and shopping area where traditional shikumen exteriors house international restaurants, bars, and boutiques. It is atmospheric at night, with warm lighting and lively terraces.
• Tianzifang: A denser, more bohemian-feeling cluster of alleyways filled with small shops, galleries, studios, and bars. Some parts are touristy, but you can still find quirky corners, independent artists, and unusual souvenirs.

While neither Xintiandi nor Tianzifang shows shikumen life exactly as it once was, they do highlight how Shanghai repurposes its past for present-day lifestyles.

Cafés, Boutiques, and Local Flavors

Beyond the famous names, the French Concession rewards curiosity. Step into independent bookstores, minimalist fashion boutiques, vinyl shops, and small galleries scattered throughout the district. Pop into a bakery or local breakfast stall for shengjian bao (pan-fried soup dumplings) or you tiao (fried dough sticks) with soy milk.

This is not a neighborhood of must-see monuments, but it is one of the best places to understand how locals blend international influences with Shanghainese traditions in their daily lives.

Shanghai’s Art Districts: From Industrial Past to Creative Future

If the skyline reveals Shanghai’s economic power and the Old Town reflects its history, the city’s art districts showcase its cultural evolution. Over the past two decades, former factories and warehouses have transformed into galleries, studios, and museums, turning once-industrial riverfronts and backstreets into creative hubs.

M50 Creative Park: Street Art and Emerging Galleries

On the banks of Suzhou Creek, M50 Creative Park (often just called M50) occupies a cluster of old textile factory buildings. Today, the complex is painted with murals and graffiti, its interiors divided into galleries, design studios, cafés, and creative offices.

Walking through M50, you will see everything from experimental installations and photography to graphic design studios and small concept stores. Some spaces change exhibits regularly, so each visit feels fresh. It is an excellent place to discover emerging Chinese artists and to get a sense of how Shanghai’s creative community thinks about identity, technology, and urban life.

• What to look for: Street art along the alleys, open studio doors, and small galleries on upper floors that many casual visitors miss.
• Good time to visit: Late morning to midafternoon on weekdays for a quieter atmosphere.
• Allow: 2–3 hours to wander, including a coffee break.

West Bund: Museums on the Riverside

Along a stretch of the Huangpu River south of the city center, the West Bund has emerged as one of Shanghai’s premier art and culture zones. Former industrial sites, including a power station, have been reborn as large-scale museums and event spaces.

The wide riverside promenade here offers a different kind of skyline view: more horizontal, with public art installations, cycling paths, and families out for a stroll. Museums in this area focus on contemporary art, architecture, and sometimes large-scale multimedia exhibitions.

• Why visit West Bund: To see world-class contemporary art, enjoy spacious galleries, and combine culture with fresh air and river views.
• Best combinations: Pair a museum visit with a bike ride or walk along the promenade, then linger for sunset by the river.

Red Town and Other Creative Clusters

Several other creative clusters dot the city, often in redeveloped industrial areas. Places sometimes referred to under names like Red Town or creative parks typically bring together sculpture gardens, design shops, concept stores, and exhibition halls. Their mix changes over time as the city continues to evolve, but the concept remains constant: recycling old industrial architecture into cultural engines.

When you visit any of these districts, look beyond the largest museums. Small project spaces and non-profit galleries often host the most experimental, thought-provoking work. Many also offer talks, screenings, or performances, particularly on weekends or during art festivals.

Food, Nightlife, and Everyday Experiences Between Sights

While skyline views, the Old Town, and art districts may anchor your list of what to see in Shanghai, many of your strongest memories will come from everyday experiences between the major sights: a steaming bowl of noodles, a neon-lit alley at night, the hum of a metro carriage, the early-morning rhythm of a park.

Signature Shanghai Flavors

Shanghainese cuisine balances sweetness and savoriness, featuring slow braises, seafood, and dumplings. Between your major sightseeing stops, make room for:

• Xiaolongbao: Delicate soup dumplings that burst with broth.
• Shengjian bao: Pan-fried buns with crispy bottoms and juicy fillings.
• Red-braised pork: Rich, caramelized pork cooked slowly until tender.
• River shrimp and fish: Dishes that highlight Shanghai’s riverside location.

Look for small, busy eateries near office areas or in residential streets rather than only in malls. Menus increasingly include pictures or English translations in central districts, making it easier to order if you do not read Chinese.

Nighttime Shanghai: Lights, Bars, and Riverfront Walks

At night, Shanghai’s personality shifts. The skyline glows, neon signs flicker in side streets, and bars and late-night eateries come alive. After sunset, consider:

• A return visit to the Bund to see the full drama of the illuminated skyline.
• A walk through East Nanjing Road, the city’s classic pedestrian shopping street, which becomes a theater of lights, street vendors, and shoppers.
• Rooftop or riverfront bars in the Bund area, which offer relaxed vantage points over the river.
• Smaller cocktail bars and live music venues hidden in the French Concession and other central neighborhoods.

Even if nightlife is not your main interest, a simple after-dinner stroll in any central district will show you a different side of the city.

Parks, People-Watching, and Morning Energy

To balance late-night lights with local rhythms, set your alarm at least once and head to a park or riverside promenade early in the morning. You will see residents practicing tai chi, ballroom dancing, singing, playing traditional instruments, or walking their dogs.

This is another side of what to see in Shanghai: not just places and monuments, but the everyday choreography of a city of more than 20 million inhabitants. Watching people start their day gives a warmth and humanity to all the steel and stone.

Planning Your Itinerary: How Many Days and How to Combine Areas

Shanghai is large, but its most popular sights are well connected by metro and relatively easy to group by area. To make the most of your time while focusing on skyline views, the Old Town, and art districts, think in terms of themed days.

Suggested 3–4 Day Structure

If you have a fourth day, you can revisit a favorite neighborhood more slowly, add another museum, or take a short trip to nearby water towns for a completely different atmosphere.

Getting Around: Metro, Taxis, and Walking

Shanghai’s metro is fast, clean, and the most efficient way to connect the Bund, Old Town, Lujiazui, and various art districts. Signs and announcements are in Chinese and English, and payment can be made through transport cards or mobile apps. Taxis and ride-hailing services are widely available, especially at night when the metro closes.

Within neighborhoods like the French Concession, Old Town, and M50, walking is the best way to see small details, from doorways and street markets to murals and shopfronts.