Shanghai is easy to get right. The Shanghai Tourism Bureau estimates the Bund and French Concession receive over 30 million visitors annually. Two neighborhoods carry almost all the value: The Bund area and the Former French Concession. Add a Hangzhou day trip and a good xiaolongbao breakfast and you have done Shanghai properly. This guide tells you how much time each version takes. For the full city guide: Shanghai Travel Guide.
Time Allocation
| Nights | What You Cover | What You Miss |
| 1 night (2 days) | Bund + French Concession. The essentials. | Hangzhou day trip, depth in any neighborhood. |
| 2 nights (3 days) | All above + Hangzhou or Suzhou day trip. | Slower neighborhood walks, M50 art district, Zhujiajiao. |
| 3 nights (4 days) | All above + one more day trip or deeper city exploration. | Only the outer neighborhoods. |
| 4+ nights | Full Shanghai experience. Slow pace. Local rhythm. | Nothing significant. |
The 2-Day Version
Day 1: Arrive. Walk The Bund. Metro to Pudong for the skyline view from the other side. Yu Garden and Old Town in the afternoon (metro to Yuyuan Garden station). Dinner in Xintiandi area.
Day 2: Xiaolongbao breakfast at Jia Jia Tang Bao (Huanghe Road, arrive before 9am for the short queue). Former French Concession walk: Fuxing Road, Sinan Road, Changle Road. Tianzifang art and craft lanes. Jing’an Temple (metro Line 2/7). Depart the next morning.
The 3-Day Version
Add Hangzhou on Day 3. G-train from Shanghai Hongqiao to Hangzhou East (45 minutes, ¥73). Metro to West Lake. Walk the Su Causeway. Lunch near the lake. Optional: DiDi to Longjing tea village (30 minutes). Return train to Shanghai by 7pm. Full Hangzhou guide: Hangzhou Travel Guide.
The 4-Day Version
Day 4 options: Suzhou (35 minutes by G-train, ¥39). Classical gardens, canal district, Humble Administrator’s Garden. Or: Zhujiajiao water town (1 hour by bus from People’s Square). Or: M50 Contemporary Art District (Moganshan Road, Putuo district, metro-accessible). Or: simply slow down in the French Concession neighborhood you did not fully explore.
Frequently Asked Questions
For the 3-day plan: 3-Day Shanghai Itinerary. For Shanghai in a wider China trip: 14-Day China Itinerary.