Shanghai has exploded onto the map. It’s a mesmerising, hyper-lit metropolis with a population the size of Australia, dominated by soaring skyscrapers and lurching construction cranes. With its vibrant mix of Art Deco architecture and a futuristic skyline, this city has everything.

Despite the soaring skyscrapers, it’s at street level where the humanity of the city is discovered: grandparents wheeling their dark-eyed, impossibly cute grandchildren under verdant plane trees; clusters of people sitting outside antique shops gossiping and playing mahjong; teenage cliques strolling arm in arm, talking and giggling and texting all at once.

Things to see in Shanghai

Walking The Bund – the iconic waterfront strip on the west bank of the Huangpu River – taking in the gorgeous architecture in the early morning sunshine, is a joy.

Old Shanghai can be found in abundance at Yu Garden, a complex of stunning historic buildings in Ming and Qing dynasty style, with a water pavilion and tranquil garden filled with Swiss cheese-like limestone rock formations, considered highly auspicious by locals who flock here. The surrounding area is packed with souvenir shops selling all manner of trinkets.

The stunning gilt-roofed Jing’an Temple, with its hulking lions standing guard at its entrance on West Nanjing Road, is a delightful respite from the peak-hour traffic outside. More quiet can be found across the road in Jing’an Park.

Best places to visit in Shanghai

Much has been made of China’s modern art scene, and one of the best places to track the next generation of artists is M50 Shanghai Creative Industry Clustering Park (50 Moganshan Road), an art collective of over 100 galleries and studios spread across an old industrial site in the Putuo district.

Head to the former French Concession, an irresistible jumble of streets and lanes, where Shanghai is forging a reputation as a burgeoning fashion capital. It’s on these thoroughfares, next to trendy bars and behind traditional dumpling shops, that a new breed of designers and retailers is innovating, creating and thriving – bespoke instead of mass-produced, high design instead of designer rip-offs.

Best places to eat in Shanghai

Food is a huge drawcard when visiting Shanghai. Head to Old Town God Temple eatery Lu Bo Lang, near Yu Garden, which is famous for its Shanghai dim sum. Other dishes to try in Shanghai include Peking duck, xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), sesame noodles and shengjian bao (pan-fried buns).

Cultural experiences in Shanghai

It wouldn’t be a trip to Shanghai without a little retail therapy. The Jing’an area is a luxury brand nirvana, with international names sitting alongside boutique labels plying their wares.

Beyond shopping, Shanghai’s temples and gardens – like Jing’an Temple and Yu Garden – offer a window into the city’s history, while the former French Concession and M50 art district reflect its constantly evolving, design-forward present.