Shanghai

China

Safety rating
8.5/10
Best time to visit
Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) bring mild temperatures and clearer skies, avoiding the hot, humid summers.
Population
24.9M

Overview

Shanghai is China's dazzling financial powerhouse, where the colonial-era Bund faces off against the futuristic skyscrapers of Pudong across the Huangpu River. Art deco boulevards, leafy former French Concession lanes, and frenetic shopping streets give it a uniquely cosmopolitan energy. It blends old Shanghai glamour with cutting-edge ambition like nowhere else.

Top attractions

Stroll the Bund waterfront, ascend the Shanghai Tower, wander Yu Garden and the old town, and relax in the former French Concession.

Getting around

The vast, cheap, English-signed metro reaches almost everywhere, supplemented by ride-hailing via Didi and ubiquitous taxis.

Airports near Shanghai

Shanghai essentials