The 7 Best Neighborhoods in Shanghai

Shanghai's under-touristed northern district: Duolun Road culture street, Lu Xun Park, the moving Jewish Refugees Museum and 1933 Old Millfun's spiral architecture. Real, lived-in, and light on crowds. Served by Metro Lines 3, 4, 8 and 10. Give it a relaxed half day.

Polished downtown district anchored by the golden Jing'an Temple (¥50, 7:30am-5pm) amid luxury malls, West Nanjing Road shopping and leafy side streets. Metro Lines 2, 7 and 14 stop right underneath. Easy, central and genuinely local away from the mall strip. Half a day is plenty.

Nanjing Road is one of the world's busiest shopping streets, a largely pedestrianised strip running from the Bund to People's Square lined with department stores, malls and neon signs. The stroll itself, especially the lit-up eastern section at night, is the real draw. It's crowded and commercial, and touts here are persistent, so keep your wits about you and treat it as a walk rather than a bargain-hunt.

Pudong's skyscraper skyline: Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower and the riverside promenade facing the Bund. Iconic, modern and dead easy to reach; Metro Line 2 or 14 drops you right at the towers. Come near sunset for the light show. Free to walk; observation decks cost extra.

Tianzifang is a maze of narrow shikumen (stone-gate) lanes in the former French Concession, converted into a warren of tiny boutiques, craft shops, cafes and bars. It's an atmospheric place to get lost for an hour and see restored 1930s lane-house architecture. It has become quite touristy and commercial, so expect crowds and souvenir stalls; the quieter back alleys reward those who wander off the main drag.

A 1,000-year-old canal town inside city limits, reachable on Metro Line 9. Old Street is free and open all day; canals, nine bridges, and cheap street-food stalls are the draw. Small museums cost ¥5-10 each or ¥30 combo. Great snacks, brutal weekend crowds. Go on a weekday morning.

Restored shikumen lanes reborn as an upscale open-air zone of restaurants, bars, boutiques and the CCP First Congress museum. Free, open 24h (shops ~10am-10pm). Metro Line 10/13 to Xintiandi, Exit 6. Polished and pricey rather than authentic; best on a weekday evening for the lights.