Shanghai / 10 photo spots
10 Instagram spots in Shanghai worth stopping for
Colonial facades on one riverbank, supertall towers on the other: Shanghai is a city of two skylines. These 10 spots cover both sides and the old lanes between.
Explore the map
Photo spots on the map
6 of 10 photo ideas have sourced location coordinates. The initial view is for orientation. An area marker does not indicate an exact photo position.
Select a highlighted number to show its sourced location on the map. Every name links to the photo spot.
If the map does not load, use the OpenStreetMap link or the photo spot list.
All photo spots
- Oriental Pearl TowerSourced place
- Shanghai World Financial CenterSourced place
- Longhua TempleSourced place
- TianzifangApproximate area
- Jing'an TempleSourced place
- City God Temple of ShanghaiSourced place
Map data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Destination reference: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Spot coordinates: Wikidata, CC0. Selection, association and some calculations by You, Me, Away.
Oriental Pearl Tower
The 468-meter tower stacks pink spheres on concrete columns. Shoot it from the Bund across the river, or go up for the city panorama.
Open in Google MapsInstagram examples (2)
Yu Yuan
A 16th-century garden of pavilions, ponds and rockeries in the old city. The zigzag bridge and the teahouse give the classic compositions.
Open in Google MapsInstagram examples (1)
Waitan
The Bund lines the Huangpu with early-1900s European facades. Walk the promenade at night when both riverbanks are lit.
Open in Google MapsInstagram examples (2)
Shanghai World Financial Center
The 492-meter tower with its rectangular top opening. The 100th-floor deck looks down on the city through glass floors.
Open in Google MapsInstagram examples (2)
Longhua Temple
The city's oldest and largest temple complex, founded in the 3rd century. The pagoda and the drum tower give the vertical shots.
Open in Google MapsInstagram examples (2)
Zhujiajiao Water village
Canals, stone bridges and old houses in this water town outside the city. A boat ride gives the bridge-and-house views from the water.
Open in Google MapsInstagram examples (2)
Tianzifang
Narrow lanes of 1920s shikumen houses filled with shops and galleries. The tight alleys suit close crops of signs and doorways.
Open in Google MapsInstagram examples (2)
Jing'an Temple
A 3rd-century temple of carved wood and gold beside the business district. The main hall interior gives the detailed close-ups.
Open in Google MapsInstagram examples (1)
Huxingting Teahouse
A teahouse on stilts in the middle of a pond, reached by a zigzag bridge. Shoot the pavilion from the bridge with the water around it.
Open in Google MapsInstagram examples (2)
City God Temple of Shanghai
A 14th-century temple complex ringed by shops and snack streets. The curved roofs and the market lanes give two kinds of shots.
Open in Google Maps