Recommended Shanghai Travel Itinerary for Office Workers Who Can Only Take One Day Off

#TravelItinerary

Two of us could only take one day off, so we took a 2-night, 3-day trip from Saturday to Monday. Here’s the itinerary from that trip.

❤️Day 1❤️
1️⃣ Dim Sum Lunch at Dian Du De
We took a 9 AM flight from Incheon to Shanghai, arriving just in time for lunch. We had dim sum at Dian Du De in Xintiandi.
2️⃣ Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea
A must-visit historic site for Koreans! The entrance fee is 20 yuan.
3️⃣ Shopping in Xintiandi
Right next to the Provisional Government site is a famous shopping street. I stopped by Harmay to buy cosmetics.
4️⃣ Tianzifang
A famous street with various shops tucked between narrow alleys. Great for buying souvenirs. I bought tea at Blanbunny, and my companion bought magnets at a shop right next door.
5️⃣ Yuyuan Garden
When we visited in January, it was festival season, so there was an entrance fee to go inside. Instead, a large night market was held outside.
6️⃣ East Nanjing Road
A must-see spot in Shanghai! We didn’t wander around but walked from East Nanjing Road Station to the Bund while sightseeing.
7️⃣ The Bund
Shanghai’s iconic night view. The front shows the night view of East Nanjing Road, and behind are European-style buildings beautifully lit up.
8️⃣ Crab Meat Noodles Dinner
The restaurant we originally planned to visit had a long wait, so we went to a place that looked popular with locals. Luckily, they had crab meat noodles, so we tried them.
9️⃣ Getting a Nail Art
Nail art in China is almost half the price compared to Korea. If you like nail art, I recommend getting it done while traveling. I booked in advance from Korea and got gel removal plus magnetic gel nails for 139 yuan.

❤️Day 2❤️
1️⃣ Starbucks Reserve Roastery
We had a day tour to a water town, so we had to be at People’s Square Station by 11:50 AM. The Starbucks was just one subway stop away, so after breakfast at the hotel, we went to Starbucks for a coffee before heading out.
2️⃣ Fuyuan Ancient Town Water Village
There are several water towns near Shanghai. We went to Fuyuan Ancient Town, which opened in 2023. It was less crowded and very clean—perfect for photos. Recently, many influencers have been getting makeup and wearing Hanfu for photoshoots at Yuyuan, and you can do the same here for much cheaper. You need to book in advance, so if interested, make a reservation before you go.
3️⃣ Haidilao Hot Pot Late Dinner
After the tour, we returned to People’s Square Station. There’s a Haidilao nearby, so we had a late dinner there.

❤️Day 3❤️
Our flight was at noon, so we had breakfast in the morning and headed to the airport. We arrived in Incheon just after 3 PM.