Double-decker tourist bus in Shanghai. Photo courtesy of devil probably via Flickr.

Shanghai is a massive city with more than 23 million people. It’s not a very pedestrian- or bike-friendly place, but luckily, you can easily get around hassle-free on the Shanghai hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus.

Shanghai’s double-decker, open-air tourist buses take you to 22 destinations throughout the city. One ticket, good for 48 hours, allows you to travel on any of three routes. The Red Route, also known as the City Tour, includes stops at Shanghai’s best attractions, like People’s Square, Nanjing Road, the Bund and Yuyuan Garden. The Blue Route (Pudong Tour) takes you through the new part of the city, with stops at the Bund, Oriental Pearl TV Tower, World Financial Center and the New Cruise Terminal. Finally, the Green Route caters to culture and history buffs with stops at the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Art Museum, Jade Buddha Temple and Jing’an Temple among others.

In total, a Shanghai hop-on hop-off bus ticket gives you access to 22 stops, and you can ride as much as you want with departures every 30 to 45 minutes. The price of the ticket also includes a cruise along the Huangpu River and a trip up to the top of the Jin Mao Tower, one of the tallest skyscrapers in Shanghai, making it an excellent value, especially for budget travelers.

-Lydia Schrandt

See Shanghai by Hop On, Hop Off Bus from Shanghai Things to Do

About the tours

Shanghai Circus World: ERA Intersection of Time Acrobatics Show

Don’t miss this stunning acrobatic show that combines fascinating history, traditional Chinese martial arts and stunning special effects. ‘ERA Intersection of Time’ tells the story of China’s evolution from its ancient culture to its modern achievements to its promising future. You’ll be captivated by the vibrant lights, elaborate costumes and engaging live music of this family-friendly show.

How to enter

To enter to win two tickets to a Shanghai Circus World: ERA Intersection of Time Acrobatics Show, visit our Shanghai Things to Do Facebook page and select the “Shanghai Contest” tab. Tell us in 10 words or fewer “Why you want to go on this tour” and hit the “submit” button to be entered into the contest. (Note: You must “Like” our fan page in order to vote.)

The contest closes on June 28, 2013 – so hurry!

- Viator Travel Team

Terms & Conditions: Our staff will pick the entry that we think best answers the question above. We are giving away 2 passes for a Shanghai Circus World: ERA Intersection of Time Acrobatics Show, valid before December 31, 2013. Airfare, taxes and any other expenses not specifically listed above are not included. Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be sold or redeemed for any cash value.

Win 2 Tickets to Shanghai Circus World – ERA Intersection of Time Acrobatics Show! from Shanghai Things to Do

Shanghai in summer. Photo courtesy of an.yonghua via Flickr.

Thanks to the heat, humidity and heavy influx of tourists, summer isn’t necessarily the ideal time to visit Shanghai, but if you find yourself in the city during June, July or August, here’s some tips on how to cope.

Climate

Shanghai’s weather is similar to that of the southeastern portion of the United States: hot, humid days, frequent downpours and even the occasional typhoon. June and September are the wettest months, with July and August not far behind. July and August are also the hottest months, with temperatures hovering in the high 80s. This combination of heat and moisture makes carrying an umbrella or light rain jacket imperative.

Things to See and Do

Any time the weather is cooler and dry, whether in the mornings or the occasional pleasant day, take advantage with a visit to one of Shanghai’s outdoor attractions. Take a walk along the Bund or cruise the Huangpu River, get some fresh air in the Shanghai Botanical Garden or enjoy a cup of coffee outdoors in the French Concession. Inevitably, the heat will become to much, and you’ll need to seek relief indoors. Luckily, Shanghai’s great museums and other indoor attractions will keep you busy. Take in the views from the air conditioned viewing platform inside the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, or explore the extensive collections of the Shanghai Museum or Urban Planning Exhibition Hall. If you’re traveling with kids, spend a day cooling off at Dino Beach, Shanghai’s biggest water park and home of one of the largest wave pools in Asia.

Festivals and Events

One of China’s most important holidays, the Dragon Boat Festival, takes place each summer (June 12 in 2013). In Shanghai and its neighboring towns, you should be able to watch races on nearly any major body of water. Shanghai also hosts the Shanghai International Film Festival each June, one of the largest festivals of its kind in Asia.

-Lydia Schrandt

Summer in Shanghai from Shanghai Things to Do

Forbidden City in Beijing. Photo courtesy of Francisco Diez via Flickr.

China’s a big country — bigger than the United States — and it’s impossible to see everything on one trip. Beijing and Shanghai are two of the most popular Chinese destinations for tourists, and visiting Beijing from Shanghai is an option even if you don’t have much wiggle room in your itinerary.

Beijing in One Day

If you’re really pressed for time, you can visit Beijing on a day trip from Shanghai via air. Plan on a full day that starts early with a flight to China’s capital city. Once you’ve landed, you’ll have just enough time to tour the Forbidden City and climb the Great Wall at Badaling — two of Beijing’s most iconic attractions — before catching an evening flight back to Shanghai.

Multi-Day Trips

Thanks to the new high-speed train connecting Beijing and Shanghai (and extending all the way to Guangzhou in the south), visitors to Shanghai can now get to Beijing in around 5 hours. This more budget-friendly option gives you the chance to spend a night or two in Beijing without having to pay for sometimes steep airfare.

If you have the travel funds to spare and want to see China’s “Big Three,” consider a three-day getaway from Shanghai to both Beijing and Xian, where you’ll get to stare in awe of the massive Terracotta Army. Flying may be faster, but if you have the time to spare, making the journey from Shanghai to Beijing by train is worth it for the views and the experience; China is home to the world’s largest rail network after all.

-Lydia Schrandt

Visiting Beijing from Shanghai from Shanghai Things to Do

Shanghai skyline at night. Photo courtesy of Mike Behnken via Flickr.

While Shanghai is certainly a modern, international city, it’s still very different from what you’re probably used to back home, and you’ll have a much more rewarding and enriching experience if you heed these bits of advice on what not to do in Shanghai.

1. Don’t plan to shop on Nanjing Road. Billed as the Fifth Avenue of China, this popular pedestrian shopping street is home to brands like Coach, Louis Vuitton and Swarovski, and you’ll end up paying more with import taxes here than you would at high end malls in the US.
2. Don’t travel during Golden Week in October or Chinese New Year in early spring. Flights and train tickets will be expensive and likely fully booked, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a hotel room and all of Shanghai’s best attractions will be swarming with domestic tourists.
3. Don’t fall for the “tea ceremony” scam. Sometimes a pair of young women will approach foreigners and invite to escort them to a tea ceremony, only to then charge and exorbitant price for low quality tea. Same goes with invitations to art exhibitions.
4. Don’t get into unmarked “gypsy” taxis. They don’t have meters, they’re not licensed, and while 99.9 percent of the drivers don’t mean any real harm, they’ll likely try to rip you off. Look for a taxi stand instead.
5. Don’t leave your hotel without a business card. A majority of taxi drivers don’t speak any English, and many are new to town and don’t know where everything is. If you have a card, the driver can call the hotel number if he needs directions.
6. Don’t pay the asking price for items at markets, especially tourist markets. Start bargaining at 10 to 20 percent of the price and go from there.
7. Don’t leave without taking a day trip from Shanghai to a nearby water village, like Suzhou or Hangzhou. You’ll get to see a completely different side of China.

-Lydia Schrandt

What Not to Do in Shanghai from Shanghai Things to Do

Shanghai subway car. Photo courtesy of Micah Sittig via Flickr.

A massive city like Shanghai isn’t the easiest to navigate, and with the exception of a few walkable areas like the French Concession or the Bund, you’ll need to rely on the city’s transportation system to get around.

By Subway

The subway is by far the easiest and most convenient way to get around Shanghai. Trains operate from 5:30am until midnight, with 12 operational lines and seven more under construction. Signs and announcements are in both Mandarin and English, making it a foreigner-friendly option, and since trains don’t have to deal with Shanghai’s notorious traffic jams, you’ll get around faster than any other form of transportation. Be aware that the major lines get very crowded during the weekday morning and evening rush hours.

By Taxi

As long as it’s not rush hour or raining, it’s fairly easy to catch a taxi in Shanghai. Most drivers are honest and will use the meter, but remind them if they don’t. Many don’t speak a lick of English, so have your hotel write down your destination in Chinese characters before you leave, and carry your hotel’s business card with you for your return trip. Fares are cheap compared to the United States and tips are not required.

By Bicycle

With congested streets packed with aggressive drivers, Shanghai isn’t really a cyclist’s paradise. If you choose to take to the streets by bike, it’s best to limit your explorations to areas away from the major roads. Theft is a big problem, so rent a lock with the bike. While locals almost never wear helmets, it’s a good idea for tourists new to the city.

Other Options

While it’s illegal for a visitor on a tourist visa to rent a car in China, many hotels will arrange for a private car and driver. This is particularly useful for day trips outside of the city. City buses are also an option, but with signs only in Chinese, Shanghai traffic and crowds of locals piling in, they’re not the most convenient or comfortable form of transportation.

- Lydia Schrandt

Planning a Trip? Browse Viator’s Shanghai tours and things to do, Shanghai attractions, and Shanghai travel recommendations. Or book a private tour guide in Shanghai for a customized tour!

How to Get Around in Shanghai from Shanghai Things to Do

Cherry blossoms at Yuyuan Garden. Photo courtesy of d. FUKA via Flickr.

Spring is one of the best times to visit Shanghai, thanks to mild weather, sparser tourist crowds and colorful cherry blossoms creating a natural spectacle in the city’s parks and gardens. While nearly any of Shanghai’s attractions will be pleasant in springtime, there are a few you really shouldn’t miss.

Shanghai’s Yuyuan Garden, or Garden of Peace and Comfort, dates back to the sixteenth century and remains one of the city’s most popular attractions. The garden’s five acres (20,000 square meters) are particularly colorful come spring time, when cherry blossoms and magnolia flowers adorn the trees. At Gucun Park, the largest forested park in Shanghai, more than 10,000 cherry trees representing 20 varieties bloom throughout the month of April. Flower enthusiasts will also enjoy the blooms at the Shanghai Botanical Garden throughout spring.

During April and May, as the weather begins to warm up, flowers are blooming and schools are still in session, consider taking a day trip to one of China’s famous water villages near Shanghai. It’s the best time of year to tour the UNESCO World Heritage gardens of Suzhou, and smaller crowds in Zhouzhuang and Zhujiajiao on spring weekdays mean you won’t be ducking and dodging around fellow tourists to get that perfect picture.

- Lydia Schrandt

Planning a Trip? Browse Viator’s Shanghai tours and things to do, Shanghai attractions, and Shanghai travel recommendations. Or book a private tour guide in Shanghai for a customized tour!

Shanghai in Spring from Shanghai Things to Do

Shanghai’s old city walls at Dajing. Photo courtesy of Gary Stevens via Flickr.

When you look at modern Shanghai, it’s hard to imagine anything but a modern metropolis, but if you look carefully, you can still find remnants of Shanghai’s past. Taking a walk along what’s left of the city’s old defensive walls gives you an insight in to the history of one of China’s biggest cities.

During the Ming Dynasty, the city of Shanghai put up thick stone walls to protect its people from invading Japanese pirates. If you were to go back in time and circumnavigate the old wall, you’d have to walk 3 miles (4.8 kilometers), passing 10 gates along the way. Much of the wall was torn down in 1912, leaving a 50-yard (40-meter) stretch standing at the intersection of Dajing Lu and Remnin Lu.

The only remaining gate of the wall has been turned into a small museum detailing the history of Old Shanghai, though the signage is all in Chinese. After you’ve toured the remains of the old wall, leave yourself some time to explore the markets of Old Shanghai located along Dajing Lu. Since the remaining portion of wall is rarely visited by foreign tourists, it’s a good option if you want to get off the well-worn tourist trail and see something a little different.

- Lydia Schrandt

Planning a Trip? Browse Viator’s Shanghai tours and things to do, Shanghai attractions, and Shanghai travel recommendations. Or book a private tour guide in Shanghai for a customized tour!

Walking Shanghai’s Old City Walls from Shanghai Things to Do

Shady streets of the French Concession. Photo courtesy of Eduardo M. C. via Flickr.

Strolling through Shanghai‘s French Concession is akin to stepping back in time. A far cry from the fast pace and ultramodern look of most of Shanghai, the sleepy tree-lined streets of this old neighborhood—one of Shanghai’s last remaining colonial districts—are filled with villas and mansions dating back to the 1920s and 30s now housing chic boutiques, galleries and cozy, intimate cafes.

The territory that was once the French Concession was given to the French government in spring of 1849, but the neighborhood didn’t reach its peak until the 1920s when it became Shanghai’s most elite residential neighborhood. Spend some time exploring the Sylvan streets, and you’ll see one of the world’s largest remaining collections of art deco residential buildings, including the historic Cathay Theater.

Many of the French Concession’s mansions, some former residences of famous denizens, have been converted into free or inexpensive museums offering a brief history lesson on the neighborhood and the city as a whole. The former residence of Sun Yat-sen details the life of this great Chinese revolutionary, while the former home of communist party official Zhou Enlai gives a history of the Cultural Revolution and its effects on Shanghai, though from a decidedly communist perspective.

While it’s easy to find suggested paths through the French Concession, part of the joy of this area is letting yourself get lost. Break off the main roads to explore the area nestled between Fuxing Road and Huaihai Road, where you’ll find dozens of tiny boutiques and restaurants. For a night out on the town, try out some of the bars popping up along Fuxing Xi, Julu, Fumin and Yongfu Roads.

- Lydia Schrandt

Planning a Trip? Browse Viator’s Shanghai tours and things to do, Shanghai attractions, and Shanghai travel recommendations. Or book a private tour guide in Shanghai for a customized tour!

The French Concession from Shanghai Things to Do

Biking through Shanghai. Photo courtesy of Arend Vermazeren via Flickr.

With more than 23 million people, Shanghai is China’s largest city. While it’s possible to get to and from the city’s best sights by taxi or by taking the Metro, riding a bike allows you to explore all of Shanghai’s neighborhoods, whether it be the colonial buildings of the French Concession or the modern skyscrapers of the Bund, at your own pace. If your Mandarin skills are limited, biking around the city saves you the trouble of having to communicate with taxi drivers or deal with the sometimes crowded Metro.

Old and New Tour

Start your tour along the Huangpu River, cycling along the mile-long stretch of road known as the Bund. As you pass the old colonial buildings of Old Shanghai, you’ll be able to see the ultramodern high rises of the new city across the river, including the 101-floor Shanghai World Financial Center and the futuristic looking Oriental Pearl Tower. Head right down Guangdong Road to explore Yu Garden and the last remaining Shikumen houses in the city. Continue on to the tree-lined French Concession and bohemian Taikang Road.

Night Tour

Shanghai’s skyline is at its most impressive at night. As the sun sets, make your way to Lujiazui on the new side of Shanghai and cycle past the modern skyscrapers as they light up. Take your bike across the Huangpu River to bike past the illuminated colonial buildings of the Bund. Head down Nanjing Road until you reach People’s Square to see some of the city’s oldest skyscrapers. Ride south to Fuxing Road and take a right turn toward the French Concession. Enjoy the leisurely ride past the twinkling lights of the bars, bakeries and restaurants of this old neighborhood.

Safety

Traffic in the city is chaotic at best, and unlike some countries, bikes and pedestrians don’t have the right of way. Always abide by traffic signs and lights, and keep in mind that cars can make right turns on red lights. Always be aware of your surroundings, and always lock your bicycle when not riding it, as theft is common. Even better, pay a small fee to park your bike in an attended lot for added peace of mind.

- Lydia Schrandt

Planning a Trip? Browse Viator’s Shanghai tours and things to do, Shanghai attractions, and Shanghai travel recommendations. Or book a private tour guide in Shanghai for a customized tour!

Biking Around Shanghai from Shanghai Things to Do