Places in Shanghai You Can Skip to Save Time and Energy

If you’re looking for places in China to skip or wondering which attractions in Shanghai are a little overrated, here are three that we personally wouldn’t prioritize on our next trip.

Shanghai is easily one of our favorite cities in China.

Every time we visit, it feels like there are never enough days to see everything. Between the incredible food scene, beautiful neighborhoods, futuristic skylines, and endless shopping streets, planning a Shanghai itinerary can actually be overwhelming.

That’s exactly why we don’t think you need to visit every attraction that goes viral on Instagram, TikTok, or Xiaohongshu.

If you’re short on time, we’d focus on the places that truly make Shanghai special and skip a few attractions that, in our opinion, aren’t worth rearranging your entire itinerary for.

1. Wukang Road & Anfu Road

This might be our most controversial opinion.

Wukang Road and Anfu Road are everywhere on social media. You’ll see countless posts featuring trendy cafés, stylish boutiques, and beautiful European-style streets.

But after visiting ourselves, we honestly didn’t find them as impressive as we expected.

Don’t get us wrong—they’re pleasant streets to walk around. The architecture is charming, and the area has a nice atmosphere. But if you’re only spending a few days in Shanghai, we’re not convinced they’re worth going out of your way for.

If shopping and dining are your priorities, we’d personally spend more time exploring places like Xintiandi or Wujiang Road. We found there were far more restaurants, shops, and things to do in those areas.

That said, if you enjoy slow walks, café hopping, and taking aesthetic photos, you might still love it.

2. Yuyuan Garden

Another unpopular opinion.

Yuyuan Garden is one of the places in Shanghai that we would skip, but it is also the most famous attractions in Shanghai and appears on almost every Shanghai travel guide.

But for us, it didn’t quite live up to the hype.

The garden requires an admission ticket, it can get extremely crowded, and while it’s beautiful, we didn’t find it as memorable as some of Shanghai’s other attractions.

Unless you’re particularly interested in traditional Chinese gardens, architecture, or history, we’d probably skip entering the garden itself.

Instead, we’d spend more time exploring Yuyuan Old Street.

The area surrounding the garden is full of traditional-style buildings, local snacks, souvenir shops, and a much livelier atmosphere. You can still enjoy the beautiful architecture and cultural vibe without paying for admission.

For many travelers, that experience alone is more than enough.

3. 1000 Trees Mall

There’s no denying it—1000 Trees is one of the coolest-looking buildings in Shanghai. The architecture is stunning, and seeing the building from the outside is definitely worth a quick stop if you’re nearby.

The problem starts once you go inside.

Compared to many of Shanghai’s other shopping malls, we found there wasn’t much to do. The stores aren’t particularly unique, and the overall experience didn’t feel special enough to justify the journey. It’s also located a bit farther away from many of Shanghai’s major tourist attractions.

If you have plenty of time in the city, sure, go check it out. But if you’re trying to maximize a 3-day or 4-day Shanghai itinerary, we’d probably spend those hours elsewhere.

Our Personal Take ❤️

These are the three places in Shanghai Linardo and I would skip if we wanted to make the most of our time.

Of course, travel is incredibly personal. One person’s “overrated attraction” can easily become someone else’s favorite memory from the trip.

So don’t treat this as a list of places to avoid completely. Instead, think of it as a list of attractions that we personally wouldn’t prioritize when building a Shanghai itinerary.

The good news? Even if you skip all three, Shanghai still has more than enough amazing neighborhoods, food streets, viewpoints, and cultural attractions to fill your trip with unforgettable experiences.

Explore More Hidden Gems in China

If you’re planning a longer trip, check out our other China travel blogs featuring Zhangjiajie, Shanghai, and Guangzhou — each offering its own unique blend of nature and culture.

For detailed routes and insider travel tips, download our China Travel eBook, which includes itineraries, hidden attractions, and local experiences curated from our own journeys.