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The old town of Shanghai, China
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ShanghaiTravel Guide

China3 stories

China's dazzling port metropolis, where colonial riverfront grandeur faces a sci-fi skyline across the Huangpu River.

Is Shanghai right for you?

When to come

Autumn and spring

Around 33°C by day in July, 9°C in January — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

It depends where you stand. There is a cheap version and an expensive one — the guides below say which is which.

What we've planned, and who for

We have a weekend here planned hour by hour.

Shanghai is inEnough for a long weekend
When to go
January: around 9 degrees by day, 3 at night, 72 millimetres of rain, some rain.
February: around 11 degrees by day, 4 at night, 65 millimetres of rain, some rain.
March: around 15 degrees by day, 8 at night, 97 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
April: around 21 degrees by day, 13 at night, 84 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
May: around 26 degrees by day, 18 at night, 91 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
June: around 29 degrees by day, 22 at night, 225 millimetres of rain, very wet.
July: around 33 degrees by day, 26 at night, 163 millimetres of rain, very wet.
August: around 33 degrees by day, 26 at night, 226 millimetres of rain, very wet.
September: around 29 degrees by day, 23 at night, 132 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
October: around 24 degrees by day, 17 at night, 70 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
November: around 18 degrees by day, 11 at night, 61 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
December: around 11 degrees by day, 5 at night, 50 millimetres of rain, some rain.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

Autumn and spring

Average daily highs, recorded at Shanghai (Xujiahui), 5 m, 1991-2020 normals.

Where this comes from

China Meteorological Administration (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai weather box)

Budget level

Mixed

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with
Plan itWhere to stay in Shanghaiad · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding Shanghai

Open in Google Maps Larger map
The stories

Reading Shanghai

The Pudong skyline of Shanghai at night, with the Oriental Pearl Tower and illuminated skyscrapers reflected in the Huangpu River
01
Itineraries

48 Hours in Shanghai: From the Bund to the Clouds

Two perfectly paced days in China's showcase city — riverfront promenades, classical gardens, plane-tree boulevards, soup dumplings and a skyline from the future.

China · 2 min
A bamboo steamer of xiaolongbao soup dumplings with a glass pot of tea and a dish of ginger vinegar, served at the Nanxiang steamed-bun restaurant in Shanghai
02
Food

Coffee, Cake and People-Watching in Shanghai

Shanghai may run more coffee shops than any other city on earth. A guide to the cafes, the queued-for pastries and the pavements worth sitting on.

China · 2 min
Shanghai's Lujiazui skyline at dusk, with the Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai Tower rising above the Huangpu River under a pastel sky
03
Hidden Gems

Green Shanghai: Parks, Gardens and Easy Escapes

Behind the skyline, Shanghai runs on plane trees, morning tai chi and a riverside park several kilometres long. Where the city goes outside — and how to leave it for a day.

China · 2 min
In pictures

Shanghai, framed

In the former French Concession, Shanghai
Photo: Robynne O / Unsplash
In the former French Concession, Shanghai
Photo: Siyuan Hu / Unsplash
The old town of Shanghai, China
Photo: Xuehuai He / Unsplash
Our picks

What we'd do in Shanghai

See and do

Eat and drink

Before you go

Practical essentials for China

Money

Renminbi, or yuan (CNY); Hong Kong uses the Hong Kong dollar (HKD) and Macau the Macanese pataca (MOP)

Language

Standard Mandarin is the national language; Cantonese dominates in Hong Kong and Macau, where English and Portuguese respectively are also official, and English is limited on the mainland outside hotels.

Power

Type A/I, 220V 50Hz on the mainland; Type G in Hong Kong and Macau

Getting around

Metros cover every large city and most visitors pay with a transit QR code in Alipay or WeChat Pay linked to a foreign card, though Shanghai and Beijing now also accept a tapped foreign contactless card, and Hong Kong runs on the Octopus card.

Tipping

Tipping is not traditionally practised on the mainland and can cause confusion; Hong Kong and Macau restaurants usually add a 10% service charge instead.

Tap water

Tap water is not drinkable anywhere in mainland China, including the major cities; bottled water is sold everywhere.

Driving

Right-hand side on the mainland but left in Hong Kong and Macau; an International Driving Permit has no legal standing in China, so visitors who want to drive must obtain a temporary Chinese provisional permit.

Emergency

110 police, 120 ambulance, 119 fire; 999 in Hong Kong and Macau

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

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