Your First Weekend in Shanghai
A no-planning-needed guide. Where to go, what to eat, how to get around - from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon.
You do not need a spreadsheet. Shanghai rewards the spontaneous - but it also helps to know which Metro line goes where, what to order, and where the river is. This is that guide.
Before you land
Four things to sort before the plane touches down.
1. Get connected
Buy an eSIM before departure - Airalo, Holafly, and Nomad all cover mainland China with data plans. If you prefer a physical SIM, China Mobile and China Unicom counters are in the arrivals hall at Pudong (PVG). Expect ¥100-200 for a 7-day tourist SIM with data. Your eSIM will provide data connectivity throughout your stay. Hotel Wi-Fi is fast on domestic services and your eSIM ensures you stay connected for data-reliant apps.
2. Set up Alipay
Download Alipay and add your foreign card before you leave. Go to Me → Settings → "Add Now" under Bank Cards. The app works in English. You will need your passport number to verify. Once set up, Alipay covers the Metro, Didi, meals, and shopping. WeChat Pay is the backup - set it up too if you have time. Most places accept both.
3. Download Didi
Download the Didi app (DiDi Great China) from your app store. It works in English and accepts foreign cards through Alipay integration. You will use it a lot. The Shanghai Metro is excellent, but Didi fills the gaps - especially for airport transfer with luggage, late nights, and rainy days.
4. Install Meituan
Meituan (美团) is the everything app locals actually use. Food delivery, restaurant bookings, movie tickets, spa appointments, bike rental - it does all of it. The app works in Chinese only, but the interface is visual enough to navigate with screenshots. Download from the app store and link it to Alipay for payment. If you order food delivery, let the lobby desk help you enter your hotel address the first time.
Airport to the city
Pudong (PVG) is far. Hongqiao (SHA) is close. Both have options.
| Option | PVG → City | SHA → City | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Didi / Taxi | ✓ | ✓ | 45-70 min / 25-40 min | ~¥160-220 / ~¥60-100 |
| Metro | Line 2 | Line 2 or 10 | 60-75 min / 30-50 min | ¥7-8 / ¥5-6 |
| Maglev | Longyang Rd only | - | 8 min + transfer | ¥50 single |
| Airport Bus | Lines 1-9 | Shuttle Line 1 | 60-90 min | ¥20-30 |
When to go - a word on weather
Shanghai weather is extreme and humid. Plan your weekend around it.
By season
- Summer (Jun-Sep): 30-38°C, high humidity. Dress light. Every indoor space is aggressively air-conditioned. Carry water and a hat. Afternoon thunderstorms are common - they pass in 20 minutes.
- Autumn (Oct-Nov): The window. 15-25°C, dry, blue skies. The outdoor itinerary on this page was written for autumn. Book early - it is peak season.
- Winter (Dec-Feb): 0-10°C, damp cold that seeps through. Layers and a proper coat. Indoor heating is inconsistent - some restaurants and cafés keep the door open. Gloves matter more than you think.
- Spring (Mar-May): Pleasant but wet. Light rain jacket recommended. Cherry blossoms in late March at Gucun Park (Metro Line 7, Gucun Park station).
Friday evening: arrive & acclimatise
Drop the bags. Eat something good. Walk off the flight.
Check in
Drop your bags, shower, change. Most international hotels in Shanghai are clustered around Jing'an (静安), the Bund (外滩), Lujiazui (陆家嘴), or the former French Concession (法租界). Jing'an and the Concession are best if you want to walk to dinner.
First dinner
Don't overthink this. If you want the full local experience, go for Shanghainese - xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), hongshao rou (red-braised pork), shengjian (pan-fried pork buns), and xiefen shizitou (crab meat lion's head meatballs). Try Jia Jia Tang Bao (佳家汤包) on Huanghe Road for a no-frills dumpling institution, or Lao Ji Shi (老吉士) on Tianping Road for classic Shanghainese in a converted lane house. If you want Western, Jing'an has plenty - just walk along Wuding Road or Yanping Road and pick a spot with a terrace.
Walk the Bund
This is the right first walk. From the Peace Hotel southwards to Yan'an Road, the colonial-era waterfront faces Pudong's skyline across the Huangpu River. It is touristy and it does not matter - the scale is real. A 30-minute stroll with the river on your right. Photos, fresh air, and the sense that you have arrived.
Saturday morning: the old and the new
Walkable, photogenic, no entrance fees.
Breakfast
Your hotel breakfast will work fine. If you feel adventurous, find a street stall for jianbing - a savoury crepe with egg, crispy wonton skin, and hoisin, made fresh in front of you in under two minutes. Look for a queue. If there is no queue, keep walking. Alternatively, any FamilyMart or Lawson convenience store sells tea eggs (茶叶蛋), steamed buns, and soy milk. A ¥15 breakfast that tastes better than it sounds.
French Concession walk
Start at the Wukang Mansion (武康大楼), a 1924 wedge-shaped landmark at the intersection of five roads. Walk north on Wukang Road, then turn onto Anfu Road. These two tree-lined streets are the quiet centre of the former French Concession - plane trees, lane-house architecture, small galleries, and good coffee. Stop at Manner Coffee on Nanyang Road for a ¥15 latte, or Metal Hands on Yongjia Road if you want to sit. Weekends get busy. Go early.
Yu Garden & Old City God Temple
The one tourist stop that actually earns its place. Yu Garden (豫园) is a 16th-century private garden - rockeries, carp ponds, pavilions - fully restored and well maintained. Admission is ¥40. Next door, the City God Temple (城隍庙) bazaar is chaotic, crowded, and full of souvenir shops. You do not have to buy anything. Grab a cup of green tea at the Mid-Lake Pavilion Teahouse (湖心亭) and watch the crowds from above. The nearby Yu Garden snack street sells legitimate xiaolongbao at Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant (南翔馒头店) - go upstairs for the table-service version, which is better than the takeaway queue downstairs.
Saturday afternoon: quiet hours
Shanghai Museum
The Shanghai Museum (上海博物馆) at People's Square is free and air-conditioned - a combination worth its weight in August. The collection focuses on ancient Chinese art: bronzes, ceramics, calligraphy, jade. The ceramics gallery on the second floor is world-class. You must book a time slot in advance via the museum's WeChat mini-programme (search "上海博物馆"). Slots open three days ahead and fill quickly on weekends. If the museum is fully booked, the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Centre across the square is a good alternative - fewer crowds, and the 1:500 scale model of the entire city on the third floor is worth the ¥30 ticket.
Fuxing Park or Xintiandi
Fuxing Park (复兴公园) is Shanghai's oldest public park - locals doing tai chi, card games under the trees, families walking. A genuine slice of daily life. If you prefer a drink over a walk, Xintiandi (新天地) is a five-minute walk away: restored shikumen lane houses turned into bars, restaurants, and shops. It is polished and pricey, but the architecture is real. A cold beer at Paulaner Bräuhaus outdoors is a decent way to decompress.
Saturday evening: a drink with the skyline
Dinner
Shanghai has better food than it has a food scene. Skip the hype and pick a genre. For Xinjiang food (lamb skewers, hand-pulled noodles, cumin-dusted everything), Xibo (锡伯) on Changshu Road is excellent. For modern Sichuan, Lost Heaven on the Bund serves Yunnan-influenced dishes in a dimly-lit, silk-draped room with a Bund view. For a splurge, Fu He Hui (福和慧) is a vegetarian tasting menu in a converted villa on Yuyuan Road - it has one Michelin star and earns it without a single piece of meat.
Rooftop bar
Three options, depending on your mood:
- Flair at the Ritz-Carlton Pudong (58th floor) - the closest you will get to the Oriental Pearl Tower from a bar. Open-air terrace. Cocktails ¥120-160.
- Vue Bar at Hyatt on the Bund (32nd floor) - faces Pudong from the Puxi side. The outdoor jacuzzi area is gimmicky, but the view is the right one.
- Speak Low on Fuxing Road - no view, no sign outside, hidden behind a sliding bookcase. Consistently ranked among Asia's 50 Best Bars. Go early or expect a wait.
Sunday morning: art & riverside
Shanghai's best museums are on the river.
West Bund museums
The West Bund (西岸) is a former industrial riverfront turned into a museum corridor. Two stops worth your morning:
- Long Museum West Bund (龙美术馆西岸馆) - Housed in a striking concrete structure by Atelier Deshaus. Rotating exhibitions of contemporary Chinese art. Tickets ¥100-200 depending on the show. Closed Mondays.
- Yuz Museum (余德耀美术馆) - A converted aircraft hangar. Large-format installations and international contemporary art. Admission varies.
Both are within a 15-minute walk of each other along the river. The Longteng Avenue riverside path is a good walk between them - wide, green, and surprisingly quiet for a Sunday.
Power Station of Art
If contemporary art is not your thing, cross the river to the Power Station of Art (当代艺术博物馆) on the Puxi side. Housed in a former power station (the clue is in the name), it is mainland China's first state-run contemporary art museum and hosts the Shanghai Biennale. The rooftop terrace has an unframed view of the Huangpu River - less polished than the Bund viewpoints and better for it. Free admission to permanent collections.
Sunday afternoon: slow down
Before the flight. Before the work week.
Dim sum lunch
A proper Cantonese dim sum lunch is a Shanghai Sunday ritual. Crystal Jade (翡翠酒家) at Xintiandi or Imperial Treasure (御宝轩) on Beijing East Road both serve excellent dim sum - har gow (shrimp dumplings), siu mai, char siu bao, egg tarts. Arrive before noon or book ahead. Expect ¥150-250 per person. The tea is bottomless and included.
Xuhui Riverside walk or M50
If you stayed on the West Bund for the morning, continue south along the Xuhui Riverside (徐汇滨江) - a landscaped promenade with bike paths, public art, and locals flying kites. Good people-watching and a quiet way to end the weekend.
Alternatively, M50 (莫干山路50号) is Shanghai's original art district - a cluster of galleries and studios in former textile mills along Suzhou Creek. Grittier and more authentic than the West Bund. Free to wander. The surrounding neighbourhood is a good reminder that Shanghai is a working city, not a theme park.
One last meal
If you have a late flight, Julu Road (巨鹿路) between Fumin Road and Changshu Road has a dense strip of good restaurants - ramen, tacos, pasta, Thai. Pick what you are in the mood for. It is five minutes by Didi from Jing'an Temple. If you are heading to the airport, allow 90 minutes by taxi for PVG, 45 minutes for Hongqiao. The Metro is reliable but slower with luggage.
Practical notes
Getting around
- Metro: 19 lines, ¥3-9 per ride. Tap your Alipay Transport QR code at the gate. The Metro is clean, punctual, and signed in English. The last train is around 22:30-23:00 depending on the line.
- Didi: Cheap by Western standards - most rides within the city centre are ¥20-50. Pay through Alipay or WeChat. The app has a built-in messaging system with auto-translation.
- Walking: Shanghai is flat and pedestrian-friendly. The French Concession, the Bund, and People's Square are all walkable from one another. Carry water in summer.
Payment
- Alipay is accepted everywhere - street stalls, taxis, museums, restaurants. Set it up before you arrive (see "Before you land" above).
- Cash is still legal tender but increasingly uncommon. Keep ¥200-300 in small notes for the one stall that does not take cards. ATMs at Bank of China and ICBC accept foreign cards.
- Credit cards work at international hotels and high-end restaurants. Outside that, assume mobile payment only.
Stay connected
- Hotel Wi-Fi requires a Chinese phone number to log in at some properties. If you only have an eSIM without a local number, ask reception for a one-time access code.
Quick hacks
Things locals know and guidebooks skip.
Tap water
Do not drink from the tap. Bottled water is ¥2-5 at any convenience store - FamilyMart, Lawson, and 7-Eleven are on almost every block. Hotels provide two free bottles daily. Most restaurants serve complimentary tea or hot water; if you want cold water, say "bīng shuǐ" (冰水) or point to a bottle in the drinks fridge.
Shared bikes
Hello Bike (哈啰, blue) and Meituan Bike (美团, yellow) are everywhere. Scan the QR code with Alipay or Meituan - ¥1.5 per 30 minutes, no deposit. Park anywhere reasonable within the designated zone. The app shows available bikes on a map. The flat terrain makes cycling genuinely pleasant outside the busiest intersections.
Toilet paper
Many public toilets do not stock it. Carry a small pack of tissues. Malls, museums, and Western hotel lobbies are exceptions. Hand sanitiser is a good idea - soap is inconsistent.
Payment backup
If Alipay freezes or declines (it happens, especially with foreign cards), switch to WeChat Pay. Keep ¥200-300 in cash as the third line of defence. Some street vendors and older taxis are cash-only. ATMs at Bank of China and ICBC branches accept foreign Visa and Mastercard.
Hot water
Restaurants serve hot water or tea by default - it is a cultural norm, not a misunderstanding. If you want cold, ask explicitly. Convenience stores sell ice-cold bottled drinks year-round.
Emergency numbers
Police: 110. Ambulance: 120. Fire: 119. Operators may not speak English. If you need medical help, head to a private international hospital - ParkwayHealth (百汇医疗) and Jiahui (嘉会) have English-speaking staff. See our Hospital Guide for addresses and booking instructions.
If you have more time
Four day trips, all reachable by high-speed rail or Metro.
Suzhou (苏州) - 30 min by train
Classical Chinese gardens (the Humble Administrator's Garden is the star), narrow canals, silk workshops, and a well-preserved old town. The city has been a centre of refinement for over a thousand years. Trains depart Shanghai Station (上海站) and Hongqiao Station (虹桥站) roughly every 10 minutes. ¥40-80 one way. Book on Trip.com or at the station. Walkable in a day.
Hangzhou (杭州) - 45 min by train
West Lake (西湖), tea plantations at Longjing Village, Lingyin Temple, and a city that has been called paradise on earth since the Tang dynasty. The lake loop is 15 km - rent a bike or take the sightseeing bus. For a quieter experience, walk the southern shore from Leifeng Pagoda to Su Causeway. Trains from Hongqiao Station. ¥70-120 one way.
Zhujiajiao Water Town (朱家角) - 60 min by Metro
A canal town within Shanghai's city limits. Stone bridges, tea houses, and boats poled by hand. It is touristy, but the Ming and Qing dynasty architecture is genuine. Take Metro Line 17 to Zhujiajiao station, then a 10-minute walk. Free to enter; some attractions inside charge admission. A good half-day if you do not want to deal with train tickets.
Qibao Ancient Town (七宝) - 30 min by Metro
Closer and smaller than Zhujiajiao. A compact water town around a temple and two canals, famous for its street food strip - glutinous rice cakes, soup dumplings, candied hawthorn. Metro Line 9 to Qibao station. Good for a lazy afternoon. Free.
Five phrases worth knowing
Pronunciation is optional. Showing a willingness helps.
The Move to China series
One city. One weekend. No planning required.
-
Shanghai ← You are hereAugust 2026
-
Beijing Coming soon-
-
Guangzhou Coming soon-
Need more practical help? → Essential Apps for China