Walking around Shanghai is one of the best ways to get to know the city, especially if you’re traveling solo. Sure, the Bund is spectacular, but if you want to feel the real spirit of Shanghai, you’ll find it on quieter neighborhood streets.
Shaded by plane trees and lined with century-old villas, these roads carry the stories of the city’s past while remaining part of daily local life. They’re not crowded tourist attractions, but living, breathing streets where you can slow down, sip coffee, and simply wander.
Here are eight of the best streets in Shanghai for solo travelers — each full of history, character, and a little local magic.
1. Yuyuan Road (愚园路)
The current darling of Shanghai streets, Yuyuan Road blends indie cafés, vintage shops, and restored villas (many free to peek into).
Story: In the 1920s, writers and intellectuals like Lu Xun gathered around here. Walking the road today, you can still feel that creative spark, now paired with lattes and photo spots.
2. Wukang Road (武康路)
The centerpiece of the Hengfu Historical District, Wukang Road is just over a kilometer long but packs in 14 architectural styles — from Tudor to French Renaissance.
Story: The Wukang Mansion, designed in 1924 by architect László Hudec, is Shanghai’s own Flatiron Building. Once home to celebrities, today it’s a city icon and film favorite.
3. Anfu Road (安福路)
Trendy and compact, Anfu Road is sometimes called the “center of the universe” by locals. It’s full of design-forward cafés, boutiques, and galleries.
Story: This was once a sleepy residential street. In the 2010s, young creatives transformed it into a hub of modern Shanghai style.
4. Yongjia Road (永嘉路)
Nicknamed “Shanghai’s most expensive little street,” Yongjia Road is quiet, elegant, and lined with villas that cost more than most can dream of.
Story: These houses were built in the 1920s for wealthy businessmen and bankers during Shanghai’s Jazz Age. Walking here feels like time-travel into the city’s glamorous past.
5. Fumin Road (富民路)
A charming, tree-lined street just off Julu Road, Fumin Road is filled with small bistros, boutiques, and French-style façades.
Story: In the 1930s, this was prime French Concession territory. Coffeehouses hosted literary salons back then — and the tradition of sipping coffee and talking ideas continues today.
6. Hengshan Road (衡山路)
Known as the “Champs-Élysées of the East,” Hengshan Road is one of Shanghai’s most elegant boulevards, lined with Art Deco villas and shaded sidewalks.
Story: In the 1930s, this was the nightlife capital for the city’s foreign community, alive with jazz clubs and cabarets. The villas remain — quieter now, but still whispering of those evenings.
7. Sinan Road (思南路)
With more than 50 preserved houses, Sinan Road is a living history book. It’s one of the most atmospheric places to walk in Shanghai.
Story: Revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen lived here, as did Zhou Enlai, China’s first Premier. Walking this road is like stepping into the pages of modern Chinese history.
8. Xinhua Road (新华路)
Nicknamed Shanghai’s “garden street,” Xinhua Road is peaceful and leafy, with flowers spilling over the fences of villas in every season.
Story: Originally built in the 1920s for expats, many of the houses remain intact. Some are now restaurants or studios, but most are still homes, giving it a lived-in, authentic feel.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for the best walks in Shanghai for solo travel, these eight streets are where you’ll find the city’s soul. They aren’t about rushing from sight to sight, but about slowing down — noticing the curve of a balcony, the taste of a pastry, the way light filters through the trees.
So skip the tourist crowds, pick a street, and wander. Shanghai will open itself up to you, one leafy lane at a time.
