Shanghai pairs the Bund's colonial buildings with Pudong's neon skyline, the French Concession's tree-lined streets, Yu Garden and water towns like Zhujiajiao. March to May and September to November are best.
Month by month
Best: April, May, June, September, October, November, December
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Avoid Poor OK Good Excellent Peak
How long to stay
3–5 days is the sweet spot.
Flight time
About 15h from the US East Coast, 11h from Europe, 7h from South Asia.
Good to know
- Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay; cash and foreign cards are less accepted.
- Metro is fast and cheap; Didi works too.
- Try xiaolongbao at a local shop rather than a tourist trap.
Plan a trip to Shanghai
Pick your dates and Offdays builds a day-by-day itinerary from Shanghai's best places.
Destination