Walls against pirates, stone banks and skyscrapers across the river.
In a single century Shanghai went from a walled town of cotton merchants to a great international port, and its streets keep every stage: the temples and lanes of the Old City, the banks and hotels of the Bund, the villas of the French Concession and, across the river, the towers of Pudong. Three free routes to explore it on foot, at your own pace.
Choose your free tour
All routes are free and can be combined. If it’s your first visit, start with the mixed route.
From the old racecourse clock tower to Waibaidu Bridge, following Nanjing Road down to the banks and hotels of the Bund.
Through walled Shanghai: the last stretch of the city wall, a secret society, the city's guardian god and a bridge evil spirits cannot cross.
From the shikumen houses of Xintiandi to the alleys of Tianzifang, by way of Fuxing Park and the villas of Sinan Road.
The map
The routes cross in the old town. Tap a point to see which story awaits you there.
Filled points already have a published article; the rest are in the works.
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Itineraries
We’ve planned it day by day for you: which routes to walk and in what order, what else to see and where to eat.
All three routes in one full day: the highlights, the history and the legends at dusk.
See the itinerary 2A gentler pace: the three routes over two days, plus extra sights and where to eat.
See the itinerary 3The city in depth: one route a day, extra museums and neighbourhoods, and a day for good food.
See the itineraryWhat to eat
The dishes you can’t leave without trying, and the classic spots that have been serving them for years.
Little steamed buns with paper-thin skins, filled with pork and a broth that melts as they cook: bite carefully and sip the soup from your spoon. Nanxiang Mantou Dian has been making them beside the zigzag bridge since the early twentieth century. The perfect lunch after the Old City route.
Where to try it
Pork belly slowly braised with soy sauce, rice wine and rock sugar until it turns glossy, red-brown and meltingly tender. It is the star dish of benbang cooking. For dinner, Shanghai Lao Fandian, founded in 1875, is right next to Chenxiangge; Lao Zheng Xing has served it on Fuzhou Road since 1862.
Where to try it
Buns filled with pork and broth, fried in big iron pans until the bottoms are golden and crisp, then scattered with sesame and spring onion. Da Hu Chun has been making them since 1932, and its Sichuan Zhong Lu branch is a stone's throw from the Bund: a good lunch after the history route.
Where to try it
The great autumn treat of Shanghai: a freshwater crab with furry claws, steamed and eaten with rice vinegar and ginger, alongside warm yellow wine. The season runs from September to December. Wang Bao He, which claims to date back to 1744, is the classic place to have it for dinner.
Where to try it
A break in Shanghai's oldest teahouse, in the middle of the Yu Garden pond: green or jasmine tea served with little sweets and nuts. Ideal for an afternoon pause or a rest on the mystery route.
Where to try it
