Top 6 Free Things to Do in Shanghai

As the richest and biggest metropolis of China, Shanghai becomes an increasingly expensive city to visit or live in, especially for visitors seeking food and accommodation of western standard. However, there are still plenty of fun things to do in Shanghai without breaking your wallet but gaining a real taste of what this amazing mega city is like. Here are our picks for the 6 best free things to do in Shanghai, which includes the top-notch sights, brilliant museums, local markets and even popular parks as well as art houses.

Without costing a dime, you could have a glimpse of the most remarkable facet of Shanghai. The city's fabulous skyline could be captured along the eastern waterfront of Huangou River, where a cluster of colonial buildings and modern skyscrapers are neatly packed at Lujiazui. The soaring high-rises come to life with fancy lights in the evening, illuminating the night sky and the glittering river in a tasteful way. There's no better way to see these architectural wonders than taking a free stroll along the promenade of the Bund. It is a big delight to sight-see the amazing views of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the Shanghai Tower, Jing Mao Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center, and soak up the great bustle of Chinese tourists from all other places as it is such an iconic attraction and a must-do in Shanghai.

Shanghai boasts loads of museums, and luckily some best of them are free of charge, like the Shanghai Museum. Centrally located alongside the People's Square, Shanghai Museum is a landmark site blessed with an extensive collection of ancient treasures and relics up to 120,000 pieces, including bronze cooking vessels, ceramics, calligraphy works, paintings, jade articles, ancient coins, furniture and sculptures from the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is recommended to spend a half day to dig into Chinese culture, and you will not encounter learning problems since most of the exhibits have explanations in English. The museum is free for visit, but the museum issues only a specific number of free tickets each day in a variety of time slots. So you'd better reach there early to get a free admission. By the way, if you want to beat the crowds, don't go at weekends.

Shanghai is no shortage of free parks. However, if seeking a place to mingle with locals and have a personal experience of Shanghai culture, you shall not miss the People's Park. Popular among Shanghai locals, the People's Park is wonderful for you to get a close look at the life-style of China's biggest city: senior folks gathering for morning exercises of Taichi, grannies walking their grandchildren and folk musicians practicing their instruments. Moreover, the Marriage Market of People's Park on every Saturday and Sunday is quite a scene. You will encounter hundreds of parents and grandparents gathering in the park who try to find potential partners for their single adult children. They advertise their sons and daughters with profiles of personal portraits, education level, current job, income, etc. Though it is not a place tourists could participate in something, it offers an interesting look into the dating culture in modern China.

For both independent and guided travelers in Shanghai, the French Concession should be a stylish and charming highlight to see. As a former French-occupied neighborhood, the leafy quarters are now brimming with embassies, boutiques, cafes, restaurants, lively bars, elegant villas and antique stores. The expense in the lanes might be a bit pricy as they are usually targeted towards expatriate community. The most ideal way to soak up the French Concession is to take a walk or bike the back alleyways. You can not only shoot some amazing photos of traditional Shanghai neighborhoods, but also fall into the illusion of waking into France itself.

Also known as the Urban Ghetto of Shanghai, M50 is a contemporary art district housed in a former complex of dilapidated warehouses and manufacturing centers. There are more than one hundred artists and art merchants establishing their studios and galleries in the zone, and most of them are open to public with free entry. An array of cutting-edge innovative exhibitions are displayed and renewed periodically. At the famous Moganshan Road, you could have a glance at the famous Graffiti Wall, and for further explorations, many influential galleries and art centers are awaited for stops, such as the Shanghai ART and Eastlink. You can spend hours there savoring the best of Shanghai's contemporary artworks and learn more about the local artists since most of them could communicate in good English.

Also named China Art Museum, Shanghai Art Palace is housed in the former China Pavilion from the 2010 Shanghai Expo. The structure of the museum itself is a spectacle to behold by resembling a red upside-down pyramid. The museum demonstrates the birth and growth of Chinese art by showcasing more than 8,000 pieces of relics and art works, mainly including traditional Chinese landscape ink painting, oil painting, printmaking and sculptures. The museum is free for entry, but it charges an additional fee of CNY20 if you wish to have a glance at the electronic edition of the Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival (Qing Ming Shang He Tu).