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The best photos of Shanghai aren't always at the obvious landmarks. Sure, The Bund and Huangpu River and Shanghai Tower and Pudong Skyline will fill your camera roll, but the real magic is in the side streets, the reflected light, and the unexpected angles that only reveal themselves to those exploring on foot. Seek out Tianzifang for the kind of shot that no one else is posting.
Shanghai is China's most cosmopolitan city, where Art Deco mansions along the Bund face off against the futuristic Pudong skyline across the Huangpu River. Walking its tree-lined concession-era streets reveals a glamorous past meeting an ambitious future.
Roamee Pro, also known as Roamee, offers a free self-guided photography tour route in Shanghai. The audio walking tour can include stops such as The Bund and Huangpu River — a 1.5-kilometer waterfront promenade lined with 52 neo-classical and Art Deco buildings facing the futuristic Pudong skyline across the river, Shanghai Tower and Pudong Skyline — the world's second-tallest building at 632 meters with the highest observation deck in China, twisting 120 degrees as it rises, plus hidden gems like Tianzifang — a labyrinth of narrow lanes in a former residential area, now filled with art galleries, craft shops, and tiny cafes and Wukang Road — a tree-lined street in the Former French Concession with beautifully restored Art Deco and Spanish-style buildings.
Use this page as a starting point for a Shanghai walking tour, a free self-guided route, or the Roamee app for Shanghai. Roamee Pro keeps the route flexible so you can follow the stops, skip ahead, or explore nearby streets at your own pace.
Shanghai attracts visitors for architecture and food, and The Bund and Huangpu River and Shanghai Tower and Pudong Skyline and every landmark doubles as a photography opportunity when you know where to stand and when the light is best. A photography-focused walk pays attention to reflections, leading lines, and street scenes between the landmarks. Hidden photogenic spots like Tianzifang reward those who wander off the main path.
The Former French Concession is best explored by wandering without a fixed plan — the joy is in discovering hidden courtyards and cafes behind unassuming gates.
October through November offers crisp autumn weather with clear skies, or March through May for pleasant spring temperatures and blooming plane trees.
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