Shanghai 上海 - Travel & Tourism Guide Shanghai 上海 - Chine

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The «City above the sea», Shanghai, on the banks of the Huangpu River at the mouth of the Yangzi River, is undoubtedly the most prosperous city in all China and one of the most populous with now more than 20 million inhabitants. In the minds of Europeans, Shanghai is the mythical and sulphurous metropolis of the 1930 s, Paris of the East, the Chicago of China, the pearl of Asia. In the small town of fishermen and weavers, the city was settled successively by the English in 1843 and then by the Americans and the French who settled in international concessions. Shanghai was then transformed into an exceptional economic centre converging among the world's largest contemporary companies and wealth. During the day, we worked in trade and financial negotiations before we start long nights in fashionable restaurants, chic clubs, tripots or brothels. A borne prosperity, backed by the foreign concessions that made Shanghai an international pole, an autonomous city, a free zone between China and the West. Asleep during the early decades of the Communist regime, probably punished for his past excesses, the city regained colours with Deng Xiaoping's decision to lead him to a market economy. For thirty years, Shanghai has become the frénétique, ambitious, indomptée… the «Pearl of the Orient», also called «Paris of the Orient», is a place apart in China, both indispensable and so different from the rest of the country, a sort of New York City, to which all eyes are now turned.

What to visit Shanghai 上海?

BUND

MUSÉE DE SHANGHAI

JARDIN YU

MOGANSHAN LU

MUSÉE D'HISTOIRE DU BUND

MUSÉE DES BEAUX ARTS DE SHANGHAI

TAIKANG LU

RÉSIDENCE DE ZHOU ENLAI

TOUR JINMAO

PERLE DE L'ORIENT

TEMPLE DE CONFUCIUS

TEMPLE DU DIEU PROTECTEUR DE LA VILLE

SHANGHAI TOWER

MUSÉE D'URBANISME DE SHANGHAI

MUSÉE D'ART CONTEMPORAIN DE SHANGHAI (MOCA)

TEMPLE DU BOUDDHA DE JADE

TEMPLE JING'AN

MUSÉE DES ARTS DE CHINE

PLACE DU PEUPLE

SHANGHAI WORLD FINANCIAL TOWER

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Top 10 Unknown and Incredible Destinations of the World

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In a world where every nook and cranny seems to have been explored, photographed and widely shared on social networks, it's almost surprising to think that there are still destinations that escape...

Suggested addresses Shanghai 上海

The best transportation

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The best outings

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Sport and leisure activities

When to go to Shanghai 上海?

You can go to Shanghai in any season. However, the peak tourist season is during the summer, from May to September, when the weather is mild but hot and humid. It is interesting to be in Shanghai at the time of the Chinese New Year, at the end of January, beginning of February. A real spectacle and a lot of fireworks! Chinese people usually take a week off for Chinese New Year to visit their families. Traveling outside of Shanghai at this time is very complicated! As for the climate, the best seasons to travel in Shanghai are spring and autumn. You will avoid the winter cold and the summer heat and rain. It rains the least in December (4 days on average) and the most in June (10 days). However, it is in June that the tourist season is in full swing in Shanghai for both foreign and local tourists.

Weather at the moment

Weather all year round

Shanghai and its surroundings are subject to an almost tropical climate: it is very hot in summer and cold and humid in winter. The best seasons to stay in Shanghai are spring (from mid-April to mid-June, 12/20°C) and autumn (from mid-August to mid-October, 25/16°C). This will help you avoid the winter cold and heat, often coupled with rain, of summer. In summer temperatures vary from 12 to 32°C, in winter from 1 to 10°C.

Jan.

-1° / 8°

Feb.

1° / 8°

Mar.

4° / 13°

Apr.

10° / 19°

May

15° / 25°

June

19° / 28°

Jul.

23° / 32°

Aug.

23° / 32°

Sept.

19° / 28°

Oct.

14° / 23°

Nov.

7° / 17°

Dec.

2° / 12°

Budget

The currency is the yuan, or renminbi (RMB), literally "people's currency". The yuan is divided into 10 jiao (or mao) and 100 fen. The myth of cheap China is long gone! Today, a stay in Shanghai costs about the same as a stay in a Northern European city.

Procedures

To travel to China, you need a passport (valid for more than 6 months after the planned departure from the country) and a visa. The tourist visa (L visa) is valid for a maximum of 1 month. To obtain it, you must present: a return flight ticket, a letter of invitation and/or proof of accommodation or a copy of hotel reservations for the entire duration of the stay, a bank statement (to prove that you can cover your expenses once on site) and a certificate of insurance. The international driving licence is not recognised by the People's Republic of China. Don't you dare drive.

Health

No vaccinations are required to travel to Shanghai. However, you will have to respect some hygiene rules. Wash your hands as often as possible and don't forget that tap water is not drinkable. Do as the locals do and wear masks to protect yourself or others from germs in case of flu. You should also know that Shanghai is a polluted city and that fragile people can be inconvenienced.

A new virus, nCoV coronavirus, has been identified by Chinese authorities. Appeared in December 2019 in Wuhan in the province of Hubei, it is transmitted from human to human by air and causes diseases ranging from a cold to more severe pathologies. Symptoms are similar to those of the flu (fever, cough and shortness of breath). In early February 2020, there were 500 deaths and 25,000 people infected. If you are planning to travel to China, you are strongly advised to consult theWHO and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs websites.

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How to go to Shanghai 上海? Our advice & tips

This is the safest and most economical way to stay in Shanghai, especially if you don't have much time. A weekend in Shanghai when everything is well organized allows you to discover the city in an efficient, pleasant and nevertheless, as much as possible, exhausting way. This is usually the case for tourists on organized tours who have a circuit that passes through Shanghai. An 8-day stay in Shanghai will be much better to acclimatize yourself and really enjoy the city and its close surroundings.

Discover our selection of travel agencies for this destination

There are many flights to Shanghai. Going alone to Shanghai does not pose any particular problem. You even gain some advantages like the one to reduce your budget by sleeping in dormitory and by negotiating directly the rates. And you don't have the problem of language as in the remote regions of China. Here you can easily find English-speaking and sometimes even French-speaking interlocutors. However, beware of scams like soliciting in friendship to attend a tea ceremony that will cost you a fortune.

Shanghai has several types of public transport: bus, metro, ferry and Maglev (fast train). Purchase the Shanghai Jiaotong Card, a rechargeable card that allows you to use all these means of transport. China does not recognize the international permit. Impossible to drive. Taxis are numerous and very affordable. Prefer official taxis. No motorcycle for rent. You can fall back on the bike. Hitchhiking is not recommended.

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