Shanghai is a city that defies simple description. Ancient temple gardens sit within walking distance of the world's tallest observation decks, and the cobblestoned lanes of a century-old French settlement spill out onto avenues lined with flagship luxury stores. Seven days is enough time to absorb this city's layered identity — provided you have a plan. This itinerary is designed to move between Shanghai's historic, modern, and cultural faces without rushing any of them.

Getting here is straightforward, with Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao Airport both well connected to global routes. Once you have your flights sorted, the city rewards those who linger. Traveloka makes it easy to bundle your flight, accommodation, and activities before you land.

Arrive, settle in, and head straight to the riverfront. The Bund, known in Chinese as Waitan, stretches for roughly 1.5 kilometres along the west bank of the Huangpu River and presents one of the great urban panoramas on earth. The skyline of Pudong rises across the water — glass towers catching light and mist in equal measure — while behind you, 52 neoclassical and art deco facades tell the story of Shanghai's colonial-era prosperity. The Bund is public and free to walk at any hour, but the evening light between 6:30 and 9pm is particularly spectacular.

From the Bund, Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street is an easy stroll heading west. Stretching 1,500 metres from People's Square to the river, it draws over a million visitors daily with department stores, street food vendors, and a vintage sightseeing tram threading through the crowds. Eat well here — Shanghai street food rewards the curious, and xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) are the essential first meal. The neon glow of the street after dark is a spectacle in itself and a perfect way to close your first evening in the city.

Yu Garden, or Yuyuan, is a 400-year-old classical Chinese garden tucked inside the Old City and is one of Shanghai's most visited landmarks. Covering roughly two hectares, it is divided into six scenic areas connected by zigzag bridges and moon gates, each section revealing pavilions, rockeries, and koi-filled ponds. Arrive early — the garden opens at 9am — to walk the paths before the midday crowds arrive. Admission is 40 yuan, and the garden is open Tuesday through Sunday.

Immediately surrounding the garden is the Yuyuan Bazaar, a warren of traditional-style buildings selling silk, jade, lacquerware, local snacks, and tea. It can feel touristy at its edges, but the deeper alleyways still hold authentic craft shops and excellent dumpling restaurants. Spend the afternoon here eating shengjianbao (pan-fried buns), tasting different styles of tea, and picking up gifts. The contrast between this ancient quarter and the glass towers visible above the rooftops is quintessentially Shanghai.

Cross the river into Pudong, the district that embodies Shanghai's leap into the 21st century. The Shanghai Tower, the world's second-tallest building at 632 metres, anchors the skyline alongside the iconic Oriental Pearl Tower. The Shanghai Tower's 118th-floor observation deck sits at 546 metres and offers views that stretch to the horizon on clear days, with the Bund miniaturised below and the East China Sea glinting in the distance. The deck is open daily from 8:30am to 10pm, and tickets are 180 yuan for adults.

The Oriental Pearl Tower, with its distinctive pink spheres, was Pudong's first major landmark and remains a popular stop for its interactive floor-level viewing platform. Below the tower, the Shanghai History Museum occupies the base podium and offers a free glimpse into the city's past through dioramas and artefacts. Spend the evening in Lujiazui, Pudong's financial district, where the riverside promenade looking back at the Bund is arguably the best vantage point in the city after dark.

Planning your activities in advance pays off in Pudong — popular observation decks can sell out, especially on weekends and public holidays.

The Former French Concession covers about ten square kilometres across Xuhui and Huangpu districts and is one of the most atmospheric neighbourhoods in Asia. Tree-lined avenues like Wukang Road and Anfu Road are lined with early 20th-century villas, art deco apartment buildings, and the original wutong (plane trees) whose roots have slowly lifted the pavement into gentle waves. Wukang Mansion, a 1924 curved apartment building at the convergence of several roads, is the neighbourhood's most photographed building and a natural place to begin your walk.

Tianzifang, a grid of shikumen (stone-gate) lane houses in the concession's south, has been converted into a lively arts district of galleries, craft shops, and independent cafes. It is more intimate than Xintiandi and rewards slow wandering. Xintiandi itself — a meticulously restored block of shikumen buildings just to the north — offers upscale restaurants and a lively open-air atmosphere that becomes particularly energetic in the evening. Between Tianzifang and Xintiandi, you have a full day of cultural exploration, good food, and excellent people-watching.

Shanghai Museum, located on People's Square, holds one of China's finest collections of ancient art across four floors. Its bronzes, ceramics, calligraphy, and jade galleries trace Chinese civilisation across four millennia, and the 2026 programme includes a landmark exhibition on ancient American civilisations running from July. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9am to 5pm, and entry is free — though online registration is required. Allow at least three to four hours to do the collection justice.

The China Art Museum, housed in the dramatic crimson pavilion that served as the China Pavilion at the 2010 World Expo, is one of the largest art museums in Asia and focuses on Chinese art from the 20th century to the present. Its collection fills 27 galleries across multiple floors and is largely free to enter. In the afternoon, the Shanghai Botanical Garden in Xuhui offers a complete change of pace — 81 hectares of themed gardens, including a remarkable bonsai collection, open daily from 7am at a modest 15-yuan entry fee.

A river cruise on the Huangpu is one of the most efficient ways to understand Shanghai's geography and scale. Boats depart from the Bund-side piers and travel south past the warehouses of the former industrial waterfront and north toward the newer developments around the North Bund. The hour-long daytime cruise gives you a water-level perspective on the skyline that no observation deck can replicate. Evening cruises, departing after 7pm, offer the city fully illuminated — the Bund's colonial facades and Pudong's towers reflected in the dark river below.

Use the afternoon to explore the North Bund area, a rapidly developed stretch north of Suzhou Creek with riverside parks, contemporary architecture, and the Tian'an Tangu North Bund complex. The neighbourhood has emerged as one of Shanghai's most dynamic dining and culture zones over the past several years. End the day with dinner in one of the riverside restaurants here, where floor-to-ceiling windows frame the same panorama you started the week walking along.

Booking hotels near the Bund gives you the fastest access to both Pudong and the Old City, and options range from internationally renowned luxury properties to well-priced boutique stays. An airport transfer booked in advance removes the guesswork from your arrival and departure days.

Shanghai's surroundings reward a final-day half-day excursion. Zhujiajiao, a Ming-dynasty water town about an hour from the city centre, sits on a network of canals crossed by 36 stone bridges, the oldest of which dates to 1571. The town's main thoroughfare is free to walk; individual historic sites charge a few yuan each. Go in the morning before tour groups arrive, walk the canal banks, take a punt-boat ride, and eat freshly steamed river snacks at one of the waterside stalls. You will be back in the city by early afternoon.

Spend your last afternoon on the streets you have not yet walked. Shanghai rewards returning to familiar places at different times of day — the Bund at midday looks nothing like the Bund at midnight, and the French Concession on a quiet Tuesday bears little resemblance to a Saturday evening. Pick up any remaining gifts along Nanjing Road, find one last bowl of xiaolongbao, and close the week with a stroll along the river. Shanghai has a way of convincing visitors that seven days was never quite enough.

For getting around the city between neighbourhoods and on day trips, a car rental offers flexibility that metro timetables cannot match. Check Traveloka promotions before you book — seasonal deals on activities and accommodation are regularly available for Shanghai.

Traveloka is Southeast Asia's leading travel platform, trusted by over 100 million users to plan and book trips across the region and beyond. For a Shanghai itinerary, you can search and compare flights from hundreds of routes, browse thousands of hotels from budget guesthouses to five-star Bund-facing properties, and book entry tickets for Shanghai's top attractions all in one place through activities.

The platform also covers practical travel needs including travel insurance, eSIM data plans for seamless connectivity in China, and car rental for flexible day trips to water towns and outer districts. Real-time price comparisons across hotels mean you can filter by location, star rating, and guest reviews to find the right stay for your budget. Download the Traveloka app before your trip to manage every booking in one place, receive instant confirmations, and access your itinerary offline when mobile data is limited.