4 daysShanghai · Zhujiajiao · Tongli
My 4-Day Shanghai Itinerary: City Highlights & Water Towns
Four days in Shanghai, from the Bund and Yu Garden to Zhujiajiao, Tongli and Suzhou. This is the first-time itinerary I’d actually recommend.
Asia
China
Electric megacities, ancient water towns, misty mountains, and a country where every journey reveals another layer.
China is a country where the contrast between old and new is part of the experience. In Shanghai, futuristic skylines sit within easy reach of centuries-old canals, while Hangzhou slows everything down with West Lake, temples, and tea fields. Further inland, Zhangjiajie brings dramatic mountains and landscapes that feel worlds away from the big eastern cities, with these guides focusing on realistic itineraries, transport, day trips, and places genuinely worth making time for.
Explore China's cities
Hangzhou
1 guidesMisty lake views, ancient temples, tea fields, and one of the easiest escapes from Shanghai.
Shanghai
3 guidesElectric skylines, historic water towns, hidden gardens, and a city that makes old and new feel inseparable.
Zhangjiajie
2 guidesCloud-wrapped mountains, dramatic cliffs, waterfall towns, and some of the most cinematic landscapes in China.
Practical information
- Best time to visit
- April–May and September–October
- Currency
- Chinese yuan (CNY / ¥)
- Language
- Mandarin Chinese
- Timezone
- China Standard Time (CST, UTC+8)
- Getting around
- High-speed trains connect major cities; metros are excellent in large cities and ride-hailing is widely used.
- Budget
- Around ¥500–1,000 per person per day
- Visa
EU passport holders: Visa-free arrangements currently apply to a number of EU nationalities for eligible short stays, but rules and permitted stay lengths vary.
U.S. passport holders: A visa is generally required unless a current visa-free exemption applies.
Other nationalities: Entry and visa requirements depend on nationality and trip length; check current official requirements before travelling.
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