General useful information
- Visa - Until 30th of November 2024 Germans don't need a Visa when entering China as long as the visit is max. 14 days. I don't know how the visa process will look like afterwards but in the past it was super annoying as you had to visit the embassy, bring a photo, etc. and also the price was not that cheap.
- eSIM - Make sure to already install an eSIM so that you can directly activate it upon arrival. I've chosen ByteSIM and I'm super happy with it! The eSIM I bought not only covers China but also Hong Kong and Macau. I had 1GB/day and that was totally fine. You can always check your used data in their app.
- VPN - It's really hard to find VPN's nowadays that work in China but Surfshark was doing a great job! On the phone as well as on the laptop it worked perfectly and allowed me to use all apps without any interruptions.
- Money - Most western shops and restaurants accept Visa credit card but there were also some that only accept local card. Additionally it's not possible to get cash at every ATM, so I highly recommend to bring around 200€ in cash if you want to buy something in a local store, on the street or in a shop where the card doesn't work. And if an ATM isn't working just try another bank before getting nervous. The 2nd one worked for me :)
- Maps - Don't know why but when using Google Maps it won't show you any metro, although Shanghai probably has got the best metro system in the world. Best option is to use "maps.me" - the app is free and you can download up to 10 maps (e.g. "Shanghai" is one map and once downloaded you can see all attractions, restaurants, metro stations, etc.).
- Metro - you can buy a 3-day metro card for only around 5,50€ at the service counter of any metro station. It's the number 1 transportation mode in Shanghai as traffic on the streets can be really bad and nothing is cheaper and faster than taking the metro.
- Hotel - We stayed at "OPARTMENT" and seriously, it was one of the best hotels ever! The service was excellent, the room super modern and clean, the location was perfect, their own bar OPUS was one of the best with super delicious food and drinks - will definitely come back here when visiting Shanghai the next time!
- Food - I'm absolutely obsessed with dumplings and the best dumplings in town you can find at "Din Tai Fung" - they are soooooo good! You can find their restaurants all over Shanghai and I promise you won't regret it!
And now following a suggestion for a 3-days itinerary in Shanghai. Of course the days can be also switched if you're super excited to see the Bund first :) But make sure to visit the Bund for the first time when it's dark, as nothing beats the view at the Bund during night!
Day 1 - Tianzifang, Xintiandi & 50 Moganshan Road
Tianzifang & Xintiandi are parts of the French Concession but both of them are completely different! While Tianzifang is more traditional with many local shops for tea, sweets, street food, etc. Xintiandi is more about super nice historical buildings, cute café's, fancy bars, the K11 luxury mall and more. Both of them are definitely worth a visit!
So first start your day with a visit to Tianzifang to experience some local flair:
Then walk around 25 minutes from Tianzifang to Xintiandi to experience the more western art of the French concession:
End the day with a visit to the new art district near 50 Moganshan road where you'll see many young artists, shops where you can buy brushes for calligraphy, artworks, self-made jewellery and more :) Fastest way to get there is by metro number 13.
Day 2 - 1933 Old Millfun & Pudong
1933 Old Millfun is probably not on everyone's list when visiting Shanghai but that's exactly one of the huge advantages of this amazing place, as it is almost empty, no tourists, nice views, cute café's and a really special vibe / spirit as the architecture looks sooo surreal! I always have to remember the moving stairs of Hogwarts when visiting this place :D
One of the MOST DO's when visiting Shanghai is of course to also visit Pudong, the financial district on the other site of the river. Just take metro line number 10 to "East Nanjing Road" and switch to line number 2 to "Lujiazui" which is the main metro station in Pudong. Once there you can walk everything. The most famous buildings are the Oriental Pearl Tower, Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center and the new Shanghai Tower, which is the 2nd highest building of the world after Burj Khalifa. If you don't have so much time or want to save money, I would recommend to only visit the observation deck of the Shanghai Tower, but if you have some more time, I would recommend to also visit the observation deck of Oriental Pearl Tower, as it provides a glass floor which makes the experience a bit more adventurous (as long as you're not scared of height) and you can see all buildings from the top :)
Day 3 - Yuyuan Garden, East Nanjing Road & The Bund
Start the day with a visit to the Yuyuan Garden, the most authentic, traditional and historical area of Shanghai. Best place to buy some chopsticks or other local souvenirs and to stroll around to discover the temple, park and local shops.
From Yuyuan Garden it's only a short 20 minutes walk to the Bund - the most famous attraction and view of Shanghai. Be prepared to see crowds of people in the evening but just accept it and nevertheless enjoy the stunning view! As it is even way more beautiful and impressive by night / when it's getting dark, use the time in between to discover East Nanjing Road - probably also one of the most popular streets in Shanghai with international brands, luxury hotels, several malls, etc. - you can for sure spend some hours here before heading to the Bund. And theeeen - relax and enjoy the view :)
And now as you made it to the end and hopefully got inspired to visit Shanghai as soon as possible I've got you covered when it comes to editing your photos - here are the presets I used for all Shanghai photos. 3 presets for the day light photos and 3 presets for the night time photos. Hope you'll like and use them :) You might need to adjust the exposure and make sure to always auto frame your photos when there are buildings or any other architectural sightings.
