The Wanderbug’s One Perfect Day series asks travel bloggers around the world for their favourite insider tips & experiences in the cities they love most. I think it’s the best way to find fresh inspiration for visiting a city, with a handful of icons & must-dos interspersed with more low-key (but just as special) experiences that the guidebooks miss. If you’re a travel blogger itching to share your One Perfect Day on The Wanderbug, please get in touch!

Today’s post is brought to you by Oksana Simakina, the brains behind Drink Tea & Travel. Born in Ukraine and raised in Canada, Oksana has lived all over the world, including 12 months spent living in China. Oksana knows Shanghai like the back of her hand, and we’re lucky enough to have her insider tips to spending one perfect day in Shanghai.

Shanghai. It’s a perfect mix of the old and the new, the polished and sophisticated, alongside the raw and real. If you are traveling to Shanghai, I strongly advise you to spend at least 3-4 days exploring the city. But if 24 hours is all you’ve got, here is how I recommend you spend it.

Morning

If you manage to get up before sunrise and make your way to the Bund you’ll be rewarded by the most magnificent views of Pudong. Take a stroll along the river, witness locals practicing their morning fitness routine, and admire Shanghai in all of its morning glory.

Grab breakfast on the go! Choose from local favourites like congee, bao zi, jiao zi, or jian bing, a traditional Chinese pancake sold at one of many street food stalls in early hours in the morning

From the Bund catch a metro to Yuyuan Garden Station and enjoy the famous Yu Garden and Old Shanghai without the afternoon crowds.

Afternoon

Treat yourself to one of the best lunches in the city at Din Tai Fung, a Taiwanese chain now dominating Shanghai with their famous dim sum. After lunch check out some of Shanghai’s other attractions like the Jing’an Temple in Jing’an, or the Shanghai Museum in People’s Square. Alternatively, take a taxi over to Pudong and view Shanghai from the top at Shanghai World Financial Center.

If you’d rather shop and sightsee then head to Nanjing Xi Lu, where high-end luxury shops line the streets and you can find practically anything your heart desires. For something a bit more unique, take a taxi to Tian Zi Fang (Taikang Lu) and get lost in the laneways of bars, cafes, craft shops, galleries, and boutiques.

Evening

Nothing beats an authentic Chinese hot pot for dinner, so grab some friends and head to Little Sheep for a delicious meal and a chance to samples some very unique offerings.

For drinks, head to Yongkang Lu, a street with visible French influence and plenty of bars and cafes. This area is known as the perfect place to hang out on a warm summer evening. End your night on Yongfu Lu or Fuxing Lu, where the famous bars like El Coctel, The Apartment and Boxing Cat Brewery will keep you entertained all night long.

Have you been to Shanghai? What would you add to the list?

For more One Perfect Day articles, check out the guides for Budapest, Madrid & Paris or click here for the full list.