Shanghai's churches are a quiet surprise for many newcomers. Between the skyscrapers of Xujiahui and the narrow lanes of the Former French Concession, you will find Gothic spires, red-brick chapels, and active congregations that have been meeting for over a century. Some of these churches are architectural landmarks worth visiting for their history and craftsmanship. Others are places where you can...

Moving to Shanghai as an avid reader can feel like a small heartbreak. Your personal library is thousands of kilometres away, and the thought of navigating a new city in a new language to find a decent novel is daunting. The good news is that Shanghai has a surprisingly rich ecosystem for English readers. From a historic flagship bookstore on Fuzhou Road to a second-hand charity shop hidden inside an...

Last updated: October 2026 How much is rent in Shanghai in 2026? For a central one-bedroom, expect ¥8,000–15,000 a month. A two-bedroom runs ¥13,000–25,000, and a family three-bedroom ¥20,000–45,000. Outside the centre, one-bedrooms start at around ¥3,500. Of course, those ranges are wide for a reason. Rent depends on the neighborhood, the age and quality of the renovation, and how close...

Shanghai finally has its own Legoland. After years of waiting, the resort opened in July 2025 in Fengjing Town, Jinshan District—and it's already become a go-to for families living in the city. It's the eleventh Legoland globally and the first in China. Within its first year, it welcomed over two million visitors, making it the fastest Legoland in the world to hit that milestone . That's not...

You have found a street-level shop in the Former French Concession. The location is perfect — tree-lined street, steady foot traffic, the right neighbourhood. Before you sign the lease, there is one question that should come first: can you legally operate your business there? This is the mistake that costs foreign investors the most. A shop can look ideal and still be unlicensed for your intended...

Setting up your own company in Shanghai is more accessible than most people assume — there's no minimum capital requirement to clear, and you don't even need to be in China to start the paperwork. But there are a handful of rules that changed recently, and a few mistakes that trip up foreign founders every year. Here's the short version of what matters. Pick the right entity — this decision...

There is a golden building on Gonghexin Road that locals call the "Golden Pineapple." It has a distinctly retro-futuristic roof, and for two decades, it has been home to one of the most successful live shows in China's entertainment history. The show is ERA – Intersection of Time (时空之旅), performed at Shanghai Circus World in Jing'an District. It premiered in September...

If you've just arrived in Shanghai and golf is your game, here's the honest starting point: golf isn't one of the most popular sports in the city's expat community, and it doesn't have anywhere near the visible infrastructure of, say, football, running clubs, basketball, tennis or badminton. You won't find a golf group on every compound noticeboard. But the people who do play here play seriously, the...

There's a particular stretch of North Wulumuqi Road in Jing'an where the city seems to hold its breath. The traffic noise from Nanjing West Road fades, the plane trees close overhead, and suddenly you're standing in front of a set of six granite-clad towers that manage to look both imposing and discreet at the same time. This is Grand Summit. It's not the flashiest compound in Shanghai. It doesn't...

There's a moment when you're walking through Shanghai's Expo Culture Park (世博文化公园) that you forget you're in a city of 25 million people. The breeze comes off the Huangpu River. The trees are dense. And if you've just climbed the 48-meter Twin Hills (双子山), you're looking down at a panorama that includes both Lupu Bridge and the Lujiazui skyline. This isn't a park you stumble upon by...