Shanghai

Shanghai is China's most dazzling, outward-looking city — a skyline of supertall towers across the Huangpu River from the colonial architecture of the Bund, and a street-level patchwork of French Concession cafés, art-deco lanes and gleaming malls. It's the country's commercial heart and, for many travellers, the easiest introduction to China.

Spend a morning walking the Bund and the former French Concession, an afternoon in Yu Garden and the old city, and an evening up one of the observation decks for the light show across the river. Shanghai is less about monuments than atmosphere — take it slow, eat well, and let the city's energy do the work.

Getting there: Pudong (PVG) and Hongqiao (SHA) airports serve a huge range of international and domestic flights. Hongqiao is also a high-speed rail hub linking Shanghai to Beijing, Hangzhou (45 minutes) and Suzhou in a matter of hours.

Getting around: Shanghai has one of the world's largest metro systems — fast, clean and fully signposted in English. A ride from Pudong airport on the maglev is a fun, quick option. Use Alipay's transit QR or a metro card, and fall back on Didi for late nights.

Shanghai's pride is xiaolongbao — soup dumplings filled with hot, savoury broth — and their pan-fried cousin shengjianbao. Also seek out hairy crab in autumn, hongshao rou (red-braised pork) and the sweet-and-savoury Shanghainese cōngyóu bànmiàn (scallion-oil noodles). The Jia Jia Tang Bao-style dumpling houses are unmissable.

Mar–May and Sep–Nov (comfortable, dry)

Avoid the Chinese New Year and October "Golden Week" holidays, when the city empties but tourist spots jam. Get an Alipay account set up before you land, and note that many venues now prefer online booking. The best Bund views are from the Pudong side at dusk.