As a Shanghainese living abroad, I often get asked by foreign friends (and their friends) for tips when they visit China—especially Shanghai. So I decided to put together my personal guide. So here’s my totally personal, no-stress guide to Shanghai.
Preparation
- VPN ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Absolutely essential. I use Veee VPN.
- 滴滴 DiDi (Chinese Uber) – there’s an English version.
- Baidu Maps – Google Maps doesn’t work properly in China.
Things to Do
- Immersive theater: Sleep No More ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Book tickets in advance: sleepnomore.cn
- No language barrier
- Do some background reading—you’ll enjoy it more
- More about the play: Wikipedia
- Hair & nails: Affordable, and usually walk-in friendly. (Always ask the price first to avoid being overcharged as a foreigner.)
- Massage: Great value, but usually needs booking.
Food (the best part!)
- 大闸蟹 Chinese mitten crab ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ My favourite!!! Only in autumn–early winter. Best eaten simply steamed.
- If shelling feels like too much work, try 蟹黄面(unshelled crab with noodles) instead—same flavor, less effort.
- More info: Wikipedia
- 莱莱小吃 Lai Lai Xiaochi ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Famous for Xiao Long Bao—especially the crab flavor. Tripadvisor
- 小杨生煎 Yang’s Fry-Dumpling ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ My favorite breakfast chain. Tripadvisor
- 聪菜馆 Cong Restaurant ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ My go-to Shanghainese place. Address: 黄浦区六合路158号 (No.158 Liu He Road). Google Maps
- 福和慧 Fu He Hui ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Vegetarian Michelin-star. Book in advance; try the tea pairing. Tripadvisor
- 楼上 Lou Shanghai ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A modern, healthy twist on hotpot. Try their top-ranked soup base. Tripadvisor
- 新荣记 Xin Rong Ji Michelin-level Southern Chinese cuisine. Tripadvisor
- 遇外滩 Meet the Bund Another Michelin pick. Highly recommend the crab with sticky rice. Tripadvisor
- 阳光玫瑰 Shine Muscat grapes My favorite fruit—hard to find abroad but everywhere in Shanghai. Wikipedia
- 鮨昇 (Tai’an Road branch) High-quality omakase (better value for money compared with those in Europe). Address: 泰安路50号 2楼 (No.50 Tai An Road, 2nd floor).
Where to Wander
- First-time musts ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- The Bund (go at night for the skyline)
- Xin Tian Di (trendy restaurants & bars)
- French Concession (best on weekday afternoons)
- Cool buyer shops: Labelhood, Surname, Septieme, OOAK, Yearly Plan
- Chinese designer brands: Ms Min, Tang Xin Dan, Uma Wang (pricey but unique)
- West Bund (Shanghai Corniche) Chill riverside area, popular with young people (similar vibe to Västra Hamnen in Malmö). Museums here: West Bund Museum, Long Museum
- Shanghai Museum East ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A new, well-planned branch of the history museum. Shanghai Museum
- MAP (Museum of Art Pudong) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stunning building, Instagram-perfect hallways. Big exhibitions (right now: Turner). MAP Museum
- Fotografiska Shanghai Swedish photo gallery in a beautiful area. Fotografiska Shanghai