Nanjing Road

Nanjing Road is Shanghai's most famous commercial street — a sweeping pedestrian boulevard that stretches nearly six kilometres from the Bund waterfront westward through the heart of the city. It has been the city's premier shopping artery since the early 20th century, when foreign concession-era department stores like Wing On and Sincere set up here and created what was then the most glamorous retail strip in Asia. Today it remains a genuine crossroads of old Shanghai ambition and modern Chinese consumer culture, drawing an estimated one million visitors on busy days.

The eastern pedestrian section, known as Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, runs from the Bund to People's Square and is where most visitors spend their time. You walk past enormous flagship stores, neon-lit malls, and historic Art Deco facades that date back to the 1930s — many lovingly preserved, even if they now house sportswear brands and fast food chains. Street performers, roasted chestnut vendors, and retro tram cars weave through the crowds. At the People's Square end, the street opens up near the Shanghai Museum and the Grand Theatre, making it easy to combine with cultural sightseeing. After dark, the illuminated signs and building projections turn the whole street into something bordering on spectacle.

Nanjing Road is not a hidden gem — it is exactly as crowded as you'd expect China's most famous shopping street to be. That said, the best approach is to treat it less as a shopping destination and more as a living piece of Shanghai history and urban theatre. Come in the late afternoon when the crowds have energy but the light is good for photos, grab roasted chestnuts or a skewer of candied hawthorn from a street cart, and walk the length of it at a relaxed pace. The cross streets heading north into Jing'an District hide calmer boutiques and coffee shops when you need a breather.