A first encounter with Shanghai

No guided experience is required for the street walk.

Begin at Jiao Tong University station (Lines 10 and 11) and use a live map for the walk to Wukang Building. Photograph the corner from the pavement, keeping entrances clear, then follow Wukang Road north towards Anfu Road.

Take time for the plane trees, houses and a coffee rather than treating every shop as a stop.

Private houses and courtyards are not automatically open to visitors.

Confirm any restaurant and exhibition directly.

Explore Wuyuan Road if you feel like a quieter detour; crowd levels vary, especially at weekends.

Choose a nearby cafe or restaurant and take a proper break. Alimentari on Anfu Road and Mignon9 on Wuyuan Road are suggestions from the supplied local itinerary, pending confirmation of the exact branch, opening hours and menu. Choose whichever is open and suits your budget; there is no need to travel for a particular table.

Head to the Xuhui waterfront and choose a manageable stretch around Gate M West Bund Dream Center, 2266 Longteng Avenue. Walk, sit by the river and have dinner nearby.

If the garden is closed, explore accessible old-town streets or swap this day with Day 1 or 3.

Aim for around 09:00, subject to the garden's opening notice. Reach Yuyuan Garden station on Line 10 or 14 and walk to the garden. Allow about 1-1.5 hours inside if open, then explore the surrounding City God Temple shopping area. The garden, temple and shopping streets are distinct places with different access conditions.

Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant at 87 Yuyuan Road is an option for xiaolongbao, Shanghai-style soup dumplings. Check the menu and queue before committing; do not assume every service area is inexpensive or quick. Lu Bo Lang is a sit-down alternative from the supplied itinerary, with current menu, price and availability still to confirm. If the area is too busy, eat after moving towards People's Square.

Walk east along the pedestrian street, with a snack or rest when needed. Shen Da Cheng and Zhen Lao Da Fang are food-shop leads from the supplied itinerary; check the branch and current offering.

At the Bund, slow down and take in the two riverbanks. Sunset and lighting schedules vary by date, so do not rely on a fixed 18:30 switch-on.

For the simplest evening, remain on the Bund and eat nearby.

Start at Jiangsu Road station (Lines 2 and 11), then use a map to join Lixi Road and Wuyi Road. Look for older houses, bakeries and places to sit.

Feiyueli and Sunday Park are optional courtyard leads from the supplied itinerary; confirm their exact map pins and access before making a detour. Skip either if it lengthens the route or is closed.

TRIFLE and Chang Xian Wei on Wuyi Road are additional cafe leads from the supplied itinerary, pending branch and opening checks.

Continue to Columbia Circle (Shangsheng Xinsuo), 1262 West Yan'an Road. Explore the publicly accessible parts of the former club complex, with the Navy Club pool area and Tsutaya bookstore as possible stops when open.

Eat in the complex.

Visit the temple if it is open and the current ticket suits you; otherwise enjoy the public square and nearby streets.

Yuyuan Road here is the street in Jing'an and Changning, not Day 2's Yuyuan Garden.

Continue along a short stretch of Yuyuan Road, choosing shops and side streets as you go. Save a longer walk for another visit.

Restaurant leads are optional and their current availability has not been checked.

Choose a Shanghainese restaurant around Jing'an. Ren He Guan is a lead from the supplied itinerary: confirm which branch you mean, the menu and any reservation before travelling. No award or fixed per-person price is assumed here. For casual food, Wujiang Road near West Nanjing Road is an optional separate stop; take Line 2 one stop from Jing'an Temple or check the walk in your map.