Here is an example itinerary for a two day one night stay in Shanghai. It covers the modern face of the city, namely Pudong and it’s magnificent skyscrapers, the Colonial history at the Bund, shopping along the famous Nanjing Road, the French Concession and traditional Chinese culture via temples and classic gardens.
Map
Day 1
- Explore the skyscrapers of Pudong including Jin Mao, Shanghai World Financial Centre, and the new Shanghai Tower
- Head to Dongcheng Road Ferry Wharf (东昌路渡口) and take a ferry across the river to the Bund (金陵东路)
- Stroll north along the Bund taking in all the key historic buildings
- Enjoy a nighttime stroll along Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street
Day 2
- Visit the Shanghai Urban Planning Museum and People’s Square
- Take the metro to the beautiful Jing’an Temple and take some time for shopping around Jing’an Temple Station.
- Visit Xintiandi & The former French Concession
- Take a taxi to Yuyuan Garden
- Nighttime Huangpu River Cruise
This plan is designed to spend the least amount of time possible in-transit making use primarily of Metro Line 2. For places to stay, I would suggest a hotel close to a metro station on that line, see here for my picks of hotel picks along Nanjing Road which includes several near line 2 stations.