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Shanghai
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Shanghai

The Bund's skyline, a Ming-dynasty garden, plane-tree lanes and the soup-dumpling capital — with Suzhou's gardens 30 minutes away by bullet train.

Suggested: 3–4 days Trip lengths 2–6 days Guide S$9.90
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Ideal length
3–4 days
Trip lengths
2–6 days
Where to base
People's Square / Nanjing Road East
Guide
S$9.90

A sample 3-day Shanghai route

The core first trip: Bund on arrival, Yu Garden then Lujiazui on Day 2 (one metro stop apart), and a full French Concession day that ends near Line 2 for Pudong Airport.

If it rains: Nanjing Road's department stores and Raffles City keep you dry, and the cruise runs in light rain on enclosed decks. In a downpour, swap the Bund walk for the Shanghai Museum's ancient-Americas exhibition at People's Square (timed real-name ticket, so only if your flight is on time; closed Mondays; last entry 15:00) and see the lit Bund from the boat.
Add if you have time: Landed early? Start at the Rockbund lanes and the Garden Bridge at the Bund's north end before lunch.

This is one of several routes in the guide — change the length, budget and dates yourself in the workspace.

Where to eat in Shanghai

MICHELIN & Bib picks show the year awarded — selections are revised yearly, so confirm current status before you go. Every name links to a Google Maps search.

When to go to Shanghai

Weather, daylight and holiday crowds vary year to year. Treat this as general guidance and check a forecast, the daily AQI (english.mee.gov.cn, aqicn.org or IQAir) and official event calendars close to your dates.

Winter Dec, Jan, Feb

Cold and damp, roughly 1–10°C, with occasional frost and rare snow; older buildings are poorly heated.

Lean on indoor sights — Shanghai Museum East, the Natural History Museum, the Shanghai Tower — and do outdoor walks around midday.

Look out for: Yu Garden Lantern Festival around the Lunar New Year, Hairy crab season tails off in December

Spring Mar, Apr, May

Mild and changeable, roughly 8–25°C.

Carry an umbrella and keep a museum in reserve for showery afternoons.

Look out for: Spring blossom in parks and the Suzhou gardens, Labour Day holiday (1–5 May)

Summer Jun, Jul, Aug

Hot and humid, often 30–37°C in July and August.

Sightsee early and late, spend midday in museums and malls, and save the Bund and the river for after dark.

Look out for: Plum-rain season, Evening river views at their best on clear nights

Autumn Sep, Oct, Nov

The best season: roughly 12–28°C, drier and clearer.

Ideal walking weather — give the French Concession and the riverside more time; book hairy-crab dinners ahead.

Look out for: Hairy crab season (roughly October–December), Osmanthus blossom in late September and October

What Shanghai costs

Per person, per day, excluding flights. A rough guide only — your costs depend on season, area and pace.

Budget

S$60–115 / day
  • Accommodation: Chain hotel or hostel near a Line 2 station (¥250–450 a room; dorm beds from about ¥100).
  • Meals: Xiaolongbao, shengjian, noodle shops and halal Lanzhou noodles (¥20–60 a meal).
  • Transport: Metro by card tap or Alipay QR (¥3–8 a ride); walk between close stops.
  • Attractions: Yu Garden (¥30–40) and Shanghai Museum East (free) are the essentials. Skip the Shanghai Tower deck — the Lujiazui skywalk and riverside are free — and swap the cruise for the ¥2 Jinling Road ferry (last sailings about 18:15–18:30) or a night walk to the Garden Bridge.
  • Evening: Free night views from the Bund and the Lujiazui riverside, snacks in the Yuyuan Bazaar.

Mid-range

S$140–260 / day
  • Accommodation: 4-star or boutique hotel in People's Square, Jing'an or the French Concession (¥600–1,200 a room).
  • Meals: Bib Gourmand Shanghainese and xiaolongbao, one MICHELIN-starred meal (¥60–250 a meal).
  • Transport: Metro plus DiDi for evenings and luggage.
  • Attractions: Yu Garden, the Shanghai Tower deck (¥180), a river cruise (about ¥120–150) and the Suzhou gardens.
  • Evening: River cruise, Xintiandi bars, a Shanghainese dinner.

Comfortable

S$350–800 / day
  • Accommodation: 5-star hotel on the Bund or in Lujiazui (¥1,800–4,500 a room).
  • Meals: MICHELIN-starred Shanghainese and Cantonese, hairy crab in season (¥300–1,500 a head).
  • Transport: DiDi or hotel car between areas; metro for quick hops.
  • Attractions: Everything, including the Shanghai Tower's upper damper level and a private guide for Suzhou.
  • Evening: Bund rooftop bars, the ERA show, a hairy-crab dinner.

Where to stay in Shanghai

Stay within a short walk of Metro Line 2 — it links People's Square, Jing'an, Lujiazui and both airports. Hotels register your passport with the police at check-in (required within 24 hours); most mid-range and international hotels take foreign guests, but some small guesthouses and homestays still cannot, so check that the listing accepts foreign passports. Prices are per room per night and jump during Golden Week (1–7 Oct), Chinese New Year and big trade-fair weeks.

People's Square / Nanjing Road East

First-timers, transport, walking to the Bund

Jing'an (West Nanjing Road)

Mid-range to luxury, shopping, Line 2 to the airports

Former French Concession / Xintiandi

Couples, cafés, boutique hotels

The Bund

Heritage splurge with river views

Lujiazui (Pudong)

Skyline-view rooms, quick Line 2 to Pudong Airport

By budget

Prices and foreign-guest acceptance change. Confirm the current rate and that the property can register a foreign passport before you pay.

Common Shanghai mistakes to avoid

Good to know

Where to stay

People's Square / Nanjing Road East, Jing'an (West Nanjing Road), Former French Concession / Xintiandi, The Bund.

How long to go

3–4 days suits most visitors. Shorter and longer routes are built in, so you are never padding a trip to fill days.

Entry reminder: Singapore ordinary passports enter mainland China visa-free for up to 30 days per entry under the China–Singapore mutual visa exemption (in force since 9 Feb 2024; still listed by China's MFA in May 2026 and confirmed by ICA and MFA Singapore). The 30 days count from 00:00 on the day after you arrive — arrive 1 Nov, leave by 23:59 on 1 Dec — so keep a day in hand. It covers tourism, visiting family, business meetings and other private trips only; work, news reporting and commissioned or paid filming need a visa, and repeat visitors should treat 90 days in any 180 as a cap. Carry a passport valid for the whole stay (6 months is the safe norm because airlines may check), plus your return ticket and first hotel booking. Fill in the arrival card online before you fly (NIA website s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/, the 'NIA 12367' app or the WeChat/Alipay mini-program) or use the kiosks in the immigration hall. At customs, declare cash over ¥20,000 or foreign currency worth more than US$5,000; fresh fruit, vegetables and meat are restricted, and drones must be registered and activated before flying. Hotels register you with the police at check-in; in an Airbnb or private home you or your host must register within 24 hours. Other passports follow different rules — check your own requirements, and re-confirm on ICA and MFA Singapore before you travel. This is a general reminder only — confirm your specific requirements on the relevant government website before booking. Last checked 2026-10-03.

Shanghai travel guides

In-depth, free reads with real routes, Maps links, budgets and the mistakes to skip:

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