How to get there?

We flew with Emirates from Madrid to Shanghai, arriving to Pudong International Airport around 22:30. There are lots of international and national flights, check them out here.

From the Airport

We took a taxi since the train was closed and taking a taxi was the only option we knew at those hours. It cost 214¥ to downtown (people’s square). It turns out there is also a night shuttle bus.

These 2 days at Shanghai were not continuous, we went to Hong Kong in between, so in our way back we took the Maglev train that is the faster train in the world, from the international airport to Longyang Road Station and then the subway. The train cost 50 ¥ (single, 80¥ for a round trip). Here is more information about taking the this train.

Where to stay?

We were lucky to a have a very close friend (Cristina) living in Shanghai (one of the main reason to visit China). Anyway I will recommend to stay close to People’s Square or Xintiandi. Book your hotel at www.booking.com.

Where to eat?

• Din Tai Fung is a Taiwanese chain that you can find in a few countries in Asia and the rest of the world, that also has lots of Chinese dishes. I highly recommend to try their famous Xiaolongbao, dumplings and wonton soup. We had a lovely dinner there for 150¥ (4 person). The famous Shanghai Hairy Crab is also available in this restaurant. We went to the one in Xiantiandi, Address: 123 Xing Ye Road, Shanghai 200021
• Mr & Mrs Bund-Modern Eatery by Paul Pairet (approx. 600¥ per person). Address: Bund 18, 6/F, 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu (near Nanjing Dong Lu). Shanghai 200002. French Cuisine
• Mercato. Italian cuisine. Three Michelin stars, approx. 550¥ per person. Address: 6F, Three on the Bund, No. 3. Zhong Shan Dong Yi Road. Shanghai, 200002
  
• M1nt. Fancy restaurant with a nice view to the Bund. Address: 24 Floor 318 Fuzhou Lu. Shanghai, 200001
• The Press, for an amazing breakfast. It is also one of the few places where you can find a very good and extend coffee menu in China. Address: The Shun Pao Plaza, 309 Hankou Lu, near Shandong Zhong Lu, Huangpu district

1st DAY

• We took a train to  Suzhou from Shanghai Rail Station for 40¥ (one way) and 25min, very confortable. Suzhou is a major city about 100km from Shanghai. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the shores of Lake Tai and belongs to the Yangtze River Delta region. Once in Suzhou Train Station we tried for more than 1 hour to find the bus to go to the Humble Administrator’s Garden following the Lonely Planet recommendations, until we decided to take a taxi that cost 13¥ (better option). Once in there, there is the Suzhou Museum, Tea House and the Garden. We enter into the Gardens (90¥ the tickets and half price for student) and walk around for about 1 and half hours
• Walked all the way down Pingjiang Lu Road to Ganjiang Lu Road for about 1 hour, where we stopped for some beers (anywere at Fenghuang Jei Road)
• Continue to visit the Master of Nets Garden (tickets 40¥, half for students)
• We finish our visit to Suzhou at the Pan Gate, a MUST!! (Tickets also 40¥, no students tickets). It includes the Ruiguang Pagoda, built in 247, the Wu Gate Bridge the entrance to the gate and the highest bridge in Suzhou at the time, and the Pan Gate
• We took a taxi to go back to the Train Station and take the train back to Shanghai that also cost 40¥ per person and the last one departures around 21:20 from Suzhou

2nd DAY

We think we caught a virus the night before, since the five of us threw up in quite a few corners of Shanghai. At least it was at different times of the day, so we took turns to visit the city.

• To start the day we had an amazing breakfast at The Press
• Walked Nanjing Road, the shopping street, from People´s Square to the Bund and stopped to take pictures of Shanghai Skyline
• Pass through Jinling Rd, where there are many shops of fabric and lace
• Cross Sichuan Rd to Renmin Rd where we found the entrance to the Old Town with a non stopping rain, anyway it is worth walking inside. We also entered in the Yuyuan Garden (tickets 30¥, students 15¥), very alike to Suzhou
• From the Old Town, we walked to the Renaissance Hotel (5 minutes) where we took the elevator to the 21st floor. Address: 159 South He Nan Road, Huangpu District  Shanghai, 200010. Without asking, we entered in the “Bar Latino”, climbed  2 more floors and found Cristina´s secret spot in Shanghai: a terrace, only for us, with an amazing view of Shanghai
• From the Renaissance Hotel we took a taxi to Tianzifang, in the French Concession area, where there are different art shops, coffee shops, etc.
• After taking a nap, some of us went down to the Bund again to watch the skyline during the night

TIPS

• Careful with the distance, it may look close in the map to you but take a look at the map’s scale before deciding to walk to your next destination
• Write down every address or monument name in Chinese to show it to the taxi’s drivers, only a few people in Shanghai understand English
• Another idea is to take a “point it” book. I bought the “Mandarin phrasebook & dictionary” of Lonely Planet, but I have to say I used it only the first day, instead I used different apps to translate what I wanted to say
• Take cash with you, credit cards are rarely accepted
• Check my post about “Travelling to China”
• By water at the markets or in your hotel, it is usually expensiver inside the temples

Back to “Travelling to China“

Next post: “3 Days in Hong Kong“

Extra: “How and what to pack to China“