Attractions · Shanghai

The Bund runs from Waibaidu Bridge in the north to Jinling East Road in the south, stretching about 1.5 kilometres along the river. Most of the 52 buildings on its western side were built between 1920 and 1930, and Neoclassical, Gothic Revival, Baroque and Art Deco façades stand side by side, forming the Gallery of World Architecture. The Customs House, completed in December 1927 and designed by the British firm Palmer & Turner, is about 79 metres tall; its great clock follows the pattern of London's Big Ben and has rung the Westminster quarters every quarter-hour since New Year's Day 1928, a signature sound of the city. The 1923 HSBC Building and the 1929 Sassoon House, today the Peace Hotel, are likewise landmarks of the street. Across the river in Lujiazui, Shanghai Tower (632 m), Shanghai World Financial Center (492 m) and Jin Mao Tower (420.5 m) form the trio skyline, and together with the Bund's historic buildings they witness a century of change along the former concession waterfront. The Bund promenade and flood wall have been rebuilt several times and are open free along the river; they are the first choice as a starting point for a night cruise or for photography.

Tip: It is most beautiful after the lights come on at dusk, with crowds peaking between 19:00 and 21:00; walk north…

• Address: Zhongshan East 1st Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai
• Ticket: Free
• Opening: All day

The Shanghai Museum was founded in 1952. Its People's Square building is known for its collection of ancient Chinese art, with more than a million objects. The bronze, ceramics, painting and jade galleries are the most representative permanent displays: the Da Ke ding, the Jin Hou Su bells, Yue ware mise porcelain and Tang and Song paintings are all shown here. The East Branch, opened in 2024 in Huamu, Pudong, has larger exhibition spaces, creating a two-building museum of the People's Square building and the East Branch. A temple of ancient Chinese art beside People's Square, it is especially strong in bronzes, ceramics, painting and jade. With the new East Branch open, the exhibition space is larger, and it is the place most worth half a day for understanding Jiangnan culture and Chinese art. Tip: the People's Square building and the East Branch are booked separately, so do not go to the wrong one; allow at least three hours. Practical info: the museum is at 201 People's Avenue, Huangpu District, Shanghai; admission is free (reservation required, some special exhibitions ticketed separately); opening hours 09:00–17:00 (closed Mondays, last entry 16:00).

Tip: The People's Square building and the East Branch are booked separately, so do not go to the wrong one; allow a…

• Address: 201 People's Avenue, Huangpu District, Shanghai
• Ticket: Free (reservation required; some special exhibitions ticketed separately)
• Opening: 09:00–17:00 (closed Mondays, last entry 16:00)

The Oriental Pearl Radio and Television Tower stands on the tip of Lujiazui where the land reaches into the Huangpu River. The tower is 468 metres tall and made of 11 spheres of different sizes strung along its shaft; it serves both broadcasting and sightseeing, was described at its opening as the second tallest tower in Asia and fourth in the world, and was the first high viewing point in Pudong open to the public. The viewing spaces are arranged in levels: the upper sphere observation deck at 263 metres looks 360 degrees down on both banks of the Huangpu; the 259-metre skywalk projects a transparent glass walkway outside the tower shaft; the upper sphere at 267 metres holds a revolving restaurant; and the 350-metre space module is the higher observation level. On the ground floor of the base, the Shanghai Urban History Exhibition Hall uses reconstructed scenes to tell the city's story since the port opened, dovetailing neatly with a tower visit. Highlights include the 263-metre upper-sphere observation deck, the 259-metre transparent skywalk, the 267-metre revolving restaurant and the Shanghai Urban History Exhibition Hall at the tower base. Tip: the two-sphere and three-sphere tickets cover different levels — check whether yours includes the 350-metre space module. Practical info: the tower is at 1 Century Avenue, Pudong New Area, Shanghai; the two-sphere ticket is ¥160; opening hours 08:00–21:30.

Tip: The two-sphere and three-sphere tickets cover different levels — check whether yours includes the 350-metre sp…

• Address: 1 Century Avenue, Pudong New Area, Shanghai
• Ticket: Two-sphere combo ¥160
• Opening: 08:00–21:30

Yuyuan Garden was first built in 1559, the thirty-eighth year of the Ming Jiajing reign, by Pan Yunduan, a Shanghai native then serving as Sichuan provincial administration commissioner, who built it to please his aged father Pan En; construction took more than twenty years before the garden took shape, the Ming rockery master Zhang Nanyang took part in its making, and it originally covered more than seventy mu. The garden changed hands and was damaged repeatedly; in 1760, the twenty-fifth year of the Qing Qianlong reign, local gentry and merchants raised funds to buy and rebuild it, and it became a public pleasure ground in the old walled town. Today it is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a national 4A scenic area. The garden is celebrated as the finest of the southeast: the Taihu stone Yulinglong in front of Yuhua Hall is about 4 metres high and said to have 72 holes, and is ranked with Suzhou's Ruifeng Peak and Hangzhou's Zhouyun Peak as one of the three famous stones of Jiangnan. The Great Rockery, Nine Dragon Pool and Dianchun Hall preserve recognisable Ming and Qing layouts, and Dianchun Hall was the headquarters of the 1853 Small Swords Society uprising. Outside the garden, the Shanghai City God Temple and Yuyuan Bazaar form one continuous area, where the Nine-Turn Bridge, Huxin Ting teahouse, Nanxiang Mantou and Green Wave Corridor and other old establishments make up the core stage of Shanghai's street life and New Year lantern fair.

Tip: The garden itself is compact and can be seen in detail in one to two hours; enter when it opens in the morning…

• Address: 132 Anren Street, Huangpu District, Shanghai
• Ticket: Peak season ¥40
• Opening: 08:30–17:00

Shanghai Disneyland lies at Chuansha in Pudong New Area, within the Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone, and opened officially on 16 June 2016. It is the first Disney theme park in mainland China and the sixth in the world. At its centre, the Enchanted Storybook Castle is the tallest and largest castle in any Disney park; inside are experiences such as 'Once Upon a Time Adventure', and the night-time light show 'Ignite the Dream' on the castle façade is the daily finale. Tomorrowland's 'TRON Lightcycle Power Run', inspired by the TRON films, sends riders leaning forward on lightcycles, and was the first TRON coaster ever built — the equivalent attraction at Orlando's Magic Kingdom did not open until 4 April 2023. On 20 December 2023 the world's first Zootopia themed land opened here, bringing the park's themed lands to eight, with further expansion continuing. The park incorporates local elements in its design and performances, with Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn themed events during festivals, and food and merchandise adapted for Chinese visitors.

Tip: Tickets are dynamically priced and cost clearly more on holidays and in summer; buy in advance under your real…

• Address: Chuansha New Town, Pudong New Area, Shanghai
• Ticket: From ¥475 on standard days
• Opening: 09:00–21:00