A Relaxing 2-Day Getaway in Bustling Shanghai

Duration: 2 days Time: April Average cost per person: 800 yuan With whom: Family Activities: Food, F[...]

Duration: 2 days
Time: April

Average cost per person: 800 yuan
With whom: Family
Activities: Food, Freestyle travel, Train, Bohemian, Weekend getaway
Published on 2023-08-01 23:34

Seeing the heated videos of various tourist attractions and hearing people declare they’ll never go out again, I wanted to share my experience of a relaxing 2-day getaway in Shanghai during the May Day holiday. Here’s the well-planned itinerary for you:

**Day 1 (April 30th)**
– Departed at around 6 am from Hangzhou Railway Station and arrived in Shanghai Railway Station around 7:30 am.
– **First Stop**: Wukang Building. Approximately 40 minutes by car, arriving around 8:30 am for sightseeing and breakfast.
– Attraction Introduction: The Wukang Building is the first veranda-style apartment building in Shanghai. Constructed in the 13th year of the Republic of China (1924), it resembles a giant ship. Formerly known as the Normandy Apartment, it features a typical French Renaissance style with a touch of classicism. It was funded by the International Savings Society and designed by the renowned Jewish architect, Laszlo Hudec. The building has eight floors, with arcades on the ground floor and three elevators in addition to stairs for vertical transportation. Nearby attractions include Soong Ching Ling’s Former Residence and Shanghai Library.
– After visiting the Wukang Building, head east to Shanghai Library Metro Station, about 760 meters away.
– **Second Stop**: Former Site of the New Youth Editorial Department. Reservation from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, can be reserved online, but it’s possible to go directly.
– Attraction Introduction: Located at No. 100, Nanchang Road, Lane 2, this seemingly ordinary shikumen building has left a significant mark in the history of the Chinese revolution. It is a two-story brick-wood structure facing south. Nearby attractions include the First National Congress Site, Fuxing Park, Xintiandi Shopping Plaza, etc. It’s about a 970-meter walk to the First National Congress Site, and heading north will lead you to Line 14 of the subway, where you can board at Huangpi South Road Station.
– **Third Stop**: Yuyuan Garden (Shanghai City God Temple).
– Attraction Introduction: Yuyuan Garden is a classical garden in Jiangnan style, initially built during the Jiajing and Wanli periods of the Ming Dynasty, covering an area of more than thirty mu. The garden is home to the Yuyuan Stone, known as one of the three famous stones in Jiangnan. Yuyuan Garden opened to the public in 1961 and was listed as a national key cultural relics protection unit by the State Council in 1982. Originally a private garden from the Ming Dynasty, it was built by Pan Yunduan, the financial commissioner of Sichuan, starting in 1559 (the year of Jiwei in the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty), on several plots of vegetable fields west of the Shi Chun Hall in the Pan family’s residence. After more than twenty years of careful planning and construction, Yuyuan Garden was completed. The word ‘Yu’ means ‘peace’ or ‘prosperity,’ and the garden was named ‘Yuyuan’ to express the wish for ‘Yu Yue Lao Qin.’ At that time, Yuyuan Garden covered an area of more than seventy mu and was designed and partly constructed by the famous Ming Dynasty garden designer Zhang Nanyang. The ancients praised Yuyuan Garden as ‘unparalleled in beauty in the southeast’ and ‘the crown of famous gardens in the southeast’. Nearby attractions: Town God’s Temple, Ancient City Park, etc. For lunch, you can go to the Town God’s Temple Snack Street.
– Station 4: Check in at the hotel (about 1.3 kilometers away). Take a taxi or walk along the Bund. Check in and rest. For dinner, you can go to Xinglong Restaurant, a Shanghai cuisine restaurant (No. 528, Tianjin Road). This restaurant will be mentioned later in the actual itinerary. After dinner, you can stroll along Nanjing West Road (Shanghai 3D Illusion Art Museum (Madame Tussauds Shanghai)).

**Day 2 (May 1st)**
– 1. Wake up naturally, stroll along the Bund, and find some breakfast.
– 2. Leave the hotel, walk north along the Bund to Jinling East Road Tourist Pier, and take a ferry to Pudong Dongchang Road Pier in Pudong New Area### A Day in Shanghai: Exploring the City’s Charm

**Early Morning Adventure:**
After seeing it, I feel that it is worthy of its reputation and is indeed worth a visit. Taking advantage of the early morning when there are relatively few people, it is very easy to take pictures and you can pose in various postures very calmly.

**Breakfast at FRESH Xinya Dabao:**
After playing, come to FRESH Xinya Dabao on Xingguo Road nearby for breakfast.

**Morning Visits:**
– **Former Residence of Soong Ching-ling:** Please make an appointment to visit according to your own itinerary.
– **Stroll along Huaihai Road:** A must-do to soak in the city’s atmosphere.

**Lunch and Cultural Exploration:**
– **Taxi to the former site of the New Youth Editorial Department:** A historical spot for literature enthusiasts.
– **Stroll along Nanchang Road:** This street with very distinctive buildings is a delight for those who love to visit stores.

**Key Historical Site:**
– **Site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China:** A significant place to visit when in Shanghai.

**Afternoon Relaxation:**
– **Shanghai Old Street:** People generally go to see Yuyuan Garden and stroll around the Town God’s Temple.

**Check-in and Evening Plans:**
– **Hotel Check-in:** Around four o’clock in the afternoon.
– **Evening Stroll:** Leave the hotel at about 6:30 and stroll from the Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street to the old Xinglong Restaurant.

**Dinner Experience:**
– **Xinglong Restaurant:** Arriving here, we found a freshly cleaned table, better to come by chance than early. The store has no menu; it’s all introduced by the boss, reminiscent of a small restaurant named ‘Bianlong’ in Hangzhou.

**Nighttime Exploration:**
– **Madame Tussauds Wax Museum:** The first stop after savoring the cuisine.
– **The Bund:** Enjoy the beautiful night view to end a fulfilling day.

### Day Two: More of Shanghai’s Highlights

**Morning Ferry Ride:**
– **Ferry Terminal at the Bund:** Queue up and scan the QR code to buy tickets for the Oriental Pearl Tower.

**Visiting the Oriental Pearl Tower:**
– **High-Rises En Route:** Pass by famous Shanghai high-rises such as the Shanghai Tower and the International Finance Center.
– **Ticketing Tip:** It is suggested to book the three-sphere ticket in advance for the Oriental Pearl Tower to avoid long waiting times.

**Afternoon Decisions:**
– **Shanghai Tower:** Decided against visiting due to the long queue.

**Conclusion:**
Hangzhou is relatively close to Shanghai, and we have visited multiple times, usually with a 2-day, 1-night itinerary, focusing on one main destination while incorporating others. For example, if you are taking children to the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum or Disneyland, it is recommended to visit only one spot.