Arriving in a city that is five times the size of New York and home to 23 million people can feel overwhelming.
Luckily, Shanghai, mainland China's most developed city, has a way of impressing even the most demanding international business travelers.
The challenge, as usual, is finding the time to take in its landmarks.
Partner links: booking through them supports the blog at no extra cost to you.
From a fast arrival to a departure loaded with the trendiest souvenirs, with plenty of fantastic food in between, this mini guide offers tips for busy executives hunting for the best of Shanghai.
The fastest, most comfortable ride from the airport
Leaving the airport in Shanghai is a thrill in itself if you board the world's fastest commercial train, the Shanghai Maglev.
This airport shuttle links Shanghai Pudong International Airport with Longyang Road Station in the Pudong suburbs.
From there, passengers switch to Metro Line 2 or Line 7 to reach the city center.
Gliding along like a silver bullet, the Maglev trains cover 30 kilometers in roughly seven minutes. Metro Line 2 also runs between Longyang Road and the airport, though that trip takes about an hour.
The Maglev trains depart every 15 to 20 minutes and cost 50 yuan ($8) for a one-way trip and 80 yuan ($13) for a round-trip ticket valid for seven days.
Rooms with a view
Nothing gets you down to business quite like waking up to a breathtaking view of the Shanghai skyline from a downtown hotel. On a clear, smog-free day, the best views in Shanghai are found at the Park Hyatt.
The 174-room hotel occupies floors 79 to 93 of the 492-meter Shanghai World Financial Center, the tallest working building in Shanghai.
The rooms look out over Pudong's striking grid of skyscrapers.
On the Bund, the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai and The Peninsula Shanghai are your best bets for a direct view of the Lujiazui high-rises.
If you would rather take in the views on both sides of the curving Huangpu River, consider staying at the Hyatt on the Bund at the northern end or the Indigo Hotel at the southern end.
The latter also offers views of Shanghai's Old Town.
Park Hyatt Shanghai, 100 Shiji Dadao, near Dongtai Road; +86 21 6888 1234; from 1,800 yuan ($293)
Waldorf Astoria Shanghai, 2 Zhongshan Dong Yi Road, near Guangdong Road; 86 21 6322 9988; from 2,500 yuan
The Peninsula Shanghai, 32 Zhongshan Dong Yi Road, near Beijing Dong Road; +86 21 2327 2888; from 2,700 yuan
Hyatt on the Bund, 199 Huangpu Road, near Wuchang Road; + 86 21 6393 1234; from 1,120 yuan
Hotel Indigo Shanghai On The Bund, No.585 Zhong Shan Dong Er Road; +86 21 3302 9999; from 1,209 yuan
Meals to remember
When it comes to dinner, Maison de L'hui on Zulu Road is the perfect spot to impress even the pickiest clients.
This authentic Chinese restaurant sits inside a restored mansion once owned by the 1930s mob boss Du Yuesheng. It serves local classics such as Shanghai-style fried fish (no batter, marinated in dark soy sauce) and noodle soup topped with yellow croaker (a fish).
Elsewhere, the tree-lined Jinxian Road is a quiet little street known for its authentic home-style kitchens, such as Lan Xin and Hai Jin Zi.
At these unpretentious restaurants, chatty Shanghai women welcome you into a cramped dining room while their husbands cook up some of Shanghai's finest braised pork belly, fried shrimp and tofu soup.
Qibao Water Town on the edge of Shanghai has a dazzling food street serving unforgettable xiaolongbao, pig's trotters and Shanghai sticky rice dumplings.
Maison de L'hui, 168 Zulu Road, near Ruijin Yi Road; +86 400 820 2028
Lan Xin, 130 Jinxian Road, near Maoming Nan Road; +86 21 6253 3554
Hai Jin Zi, 240 Jinxian Road, near Shaanxi Nan Road; +86 21 6255 0371
One-of-a-kind clothing
The ultimate trophy for the fashion-minded traveler is a made-to-measure Shanghai qipao.
Originally the ethnic dress of the Manchu people, the qipao was immortalized by the flirtatious Shanghai calendar girls of the 1930s and later by the 2000 film "In the Mood for Love," starring Maggie Cheung.
Shanghai's best qipao tailors are clustered in two places: Changle Road (between Shaanxi Nan Road and Ruijin Yi Road) and Maoming Nan Road (between Huaihai Zhong Road and Fuxing Zhong Road).
Among them, Han Yi on Changle Road is said to have supplied the qipao worn by Maggie Cheung in "In the Mood for Love." A typical made-to-measure qipao costs from 2,000 yuan ($325) and up, and takes about two weeks to make.
In a hurry? Shanghai Tang, which has several stores in Shanghai, sells stylish ready-to-wear pieces, including mandarin-collar jackets and shirts for men.
Han Yi, 217-221 Changle Road, near South Shaanxi Road; +86 21 5404 2303; open daily 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
The best spots for photos
Have a free day to explore?
Zhongshan Park in the western part of the city is a wonderful place to capture Shanghai's morning-exercise culture: serious-looking retirees practicing fan dances, Mulan boxing and gentle martial arts.
Then, for an Instagram shot that will leave all your followers hungry, De Xin Guan on Guangdong Road is perfect for lunch. This popular local restaurant is known for its noodles and its incredible xiaolongbao (pleated pork dumplings).
In the afternoon, you can capture a vanishing side of Shanghai in the Old Town, where residents still enjoy a traditional way of life in the lanes.
When the sun goes down, Shanghai is at its most glamorous. There are two perfect places to photograph the neon skyline:
In Puxi, we recommend the rooftop terrace at Bar Rouge in Bund 18. In Pudong, the rooftop bar at The Ritz-Carlton offers an unforgettable view of the sprawling Puxi district.
De Xin Guan, 471 Guangdong Road, near Fujian Zhong Road; +86 21 6352 2535
Bar Rouge, 7/F, 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Road, near Nanjing Dong Road; +86 21 6339 1199
Flair at The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong, Shanghai IFC, 8 Shiji Dadao; +86 21 2020 1888
Where to feel the heart of the city
The former French Concession is Shanghai's most pleasant and walkable area.
The perfect starting point for a 30-minute walking tour is the statue of the Russian writer Alexander Pushkin, at the intersection of Taojiang Road, Yueyang Road and Fenyang Road.
This is the heart of the former Concession and a lovely place to lose yourself in the neighborhood. Every one of its streets is charming and rewarding to explore.
The streets between People's Square and the Bund make up another intriguing area, the oldest part of Shanghai, developed by British colonists.
You can use Fuzhou Road as your axis and explore the surrounding little streets, working your way slowly east toward the Bund.
These lanes paint a vivid portrait of Shanghai's economic transformation, with modern office buildings and upscale art galleries standing alongside wet markets, tiny local grocery stalls and residential alleyways.
This district is also home to one of the few Muslim quarters in Shanghai, tucked between Guangxi Bei Road and Zhejiang Zhong Road.
Souvenirs that pack easily
Shanghai's go-to shop for knick-knacks is the Fuyou wholesale market in the Old Town. Locals and businesspeople come here for gifts or decor at prices two-thirds below regular retail.
Plenty of items make great souvenirs, such as colorful chopsticks, wallets and pillowcases made from brocade, or bottle openers shaped like Peking opera masks.
You can also visit the Dongtai Road antiques market for mass-produced Mao badges and Little Red Books. Few items in this market are truly antique, but they still make cool souvenirs. Remember to haggle: half the asking price is a good strategy.
Tianzifang on Taikang Road is another great source of souvenirs.
Beyond the many boutiques stocked with quirky T-shirts, communist-style bags and mugs, this delightful maze of lane-way shops has charming tea stores selling neatly packaged Chinese loose-leaf tea, handmade jewelry and art postcards.
Fuyou wholesale market, 427 Fuyou Road, near Henan Nan Road
Dongtai Road antiques market, Liuhekou Road, Lu Wan Qu
