Shanghai 2026 — a complete guide to the best places, food and prices. The Bund, Yu Garden, street food and restaurants — everything you need to know before traveling to China.
00:00 — Shanghai as the world’s largest megacity, with a preview of tourist spots and “behind-the-scenes” local areas.
00:27 – First Impressions of the City
An emotional monologue: 30 million residents, but no chaos or dirt. A contrast of skyscrapers, colonial architecture and quiet gardens.
01:37 – Sichuan Airlines Flight: Madrid → Shanghai
A ticket for €234 with two suitcases of 23 kg each. Tip: order the vegetarian meal.
03:07 – Pudong Airport — Maglev Train
A magnetic levitation train to the city: ticket price 40 yuan ($5.5). It reached 300 km/h instead of the advertised 450 km/h.
03:40 – Airport Canteen
Dumplings in egg dough with chicken and cabbage — light, diet-friendly food recommended by the author.
05:03 – Hotel
A small room for €23/night with a view of the skyscrapers. Snow-white towels are the main advantage.
06:03 – Morning Walk Through the Streets
Wide pedestrian sidewalks, café food left directly on the street without security — a sign of how safe the city feels.
07:33 – Holiland Bakery
A famous Chinese bakery: every dessert is a work of art, made right in front of customers.
08:13 – Luckin Coffee
A phenomenon of Chinese business: orders through a QR code, 40+ people served in minutes without queues.
09:25 – Tianzifang
An art district from the 1930s: narrow alleys, craft workshops, galleries, bars and street food. Residents still live on the upper floors.
11:59 – Xintiandi
A historic shikumen-style district — “stone gate” houses — combining Shanghai and European architecture. Today it is home to luxury boutiques and restaurants, with cocktails from $20.
14:49 – French Concession
The most photogenic area of Shanghai. The Wukang Building shaped like a flatiron, plane trees, cafés. The history of leasing 66 hectares from the Chinese emperor starting in 1849.
20:47 – Sinan Mansions
20 restored mansions in different styles: museums, restaurants and pedestrian courtyards without cars.
21:59 – Jade Buddha Temple
A Buddhist temple built in 247, covered in gold and surrounded by skyscrapers. A 4-meter Buddha statue, entrance fee 50 yuan.
23:37 – 1000 Trees Shopping Mall
A futuristic shopping mall: concrete columns with living trees on every terrace. Free access to the terrace, with a panoramic view of Suzhou Creek.
25:34 – M50 Art District
A former factory transformed into an art space: galleries, installations and trendy cafés. Similar to Kyiv’s Art Factory in Darnytsia.
26:25 – Yu Garden
A classic Chinese garden from the 16th century, built 400 years ago. Famous for its zigzag bridge over the water, believed to scare away evil spirits. Entrance fee 30 yuan.
30:14 – Nanjing Road
The main shopping street, 5.5 km long, with 2 million visitors a day. From fake Rolex watches for $20 to real ones for $20,000.
31:38 – The Bund
52 colonial buildings built by the British and French. Across the river is “Shanghai’s Manhattan” with four main skyscrapers: Shanghai Tower, 630 m; SWFC, the “bottle opener”; Jin Mao Tower, the “pagoda”; and the Oriental Pearl Tower.
33:27 – Ferry Across the Huangpu River
A crossing to the other side for 2 yuan, around €0.3 — one of the cheapest ways to see the city skyline from the water.
34:05 – Pudong District
Shanghai’s Manhattan up close. A circular Skybridge with panoramic views of all the skyscrapers.
35:49 – Shanghai Tower Observation Area
The 52nd floor is a budget alternative to the main observation deck: a bookstore + coffee gives access to two viewing areas on different sides of the building.
37:02 – Xiaomi Car Showroom
An unexpected discovery: Xiaomi electric cars impressed with their design. Observation: around 90% of cars on Shanghai’s streets are electric vehicles from Chinese brands.
39:04 – NIO Electric Car
Test drive: battery swap in 3 minutes, automatic seat adjustment, massage seat.
41:13 – Zhujiajiao Water Town
40 minutes by metro from Shanghai, free entrance. Canals, stone bridges, tiled-roof houses and boats with gondoliers. Local cats are a separate attraction.
45:30 – Louis Vuitton Store
A ship-shaped installation made of bags between skyscrapers — impressive brand marketing.
46:15 – Final Thoughts on Shanghai Food
Crab dumplings: 38 yuan near the hotel vs 88 yuan in the tourist area. Conclusion: food starts from $3–4 for a filling meal; the main rule is to move away from tourist spots. Special highlights: handmade noodles at Dushi Noodle and dim sum for 10 yuan.
🎒 Support with a donation | 🇬🇧 Support donations
🇺🇦 💳 4028 0820 1261 2337
🇪🇺 SEPA transfer 🏦 IBAN: LT153130010104812310
🌍 🔗 patreon.com/fomkintravel
TRC20: TTwXJsRN5vhsbYykLG686oPJLrsgUCtdFb
Travel questions — in the comments under the video.
#shanghai #china #chinesefood