The Bund
LandmarkThe Bund & East Nanjing Road
THE BUND · WAITAN
Free
Shanghai's signature riverside promenade: a 1.5 km sweep of 1920s bank-and-trading-house facades on one side, the full Pudong skyline across the water on the other. It's free, always open, and the single view that explains the whole city.
AdmissionFree
Sunrise to ~9am is quiet and soft-lit; from late afternoon through lights-off it is shoulder-to-shoulder. For the night skyline with fewer people, go on a weekday and stand north of the Waibaidu Bridge end.
Good to know
- Skyline lighting is seasonal: roughly 19:00–23:00 in the warm season (May–Sep) and about 18:00–22:00 in the cold season, extended on weekends and major holidays — and fuller displays run on those nights, while weekday lighting is partial. In winter, aim for a 19:00–21:00 window rather than a late arrival.
- The best photo of the Bund itself (the old buildings) is from the Pudong riverside opposite, not from the Bund.
- National holidays bring one-way pedestrian flow control on the promenade — plan double the time and don't schedule a tight dinner after.
- The promenade is elevated above street level; ramps exist at the major crossings but expect stairs at some access points.
Source · TripMind verified 2026-08-18+ Add to trip