A Solo Traveler's Guide to 8 Must-Explore Hidden Lanes in Shanghai

I've been wandering around Shanghai for three years, and on weekends, I most often toss on a canvas bag, put in my headphones, and dive into those little tree-lined alleys that only locals seem to know about. The Bund is packed with people, and Nanjing East Road is like a chaotic Spring Festival travel rush. If you really want to understand this magical city, you need to hit up the eight "hidden main roads": Yuyuan Road, Wukang Road, Anfu Road, Yongjia Road, Fumin Road, Hengshan Road, Sinan Road, and Xinhua Road. Together, they're less than 20 kilometers, but they break down a century of Shanghai into eight different flavorful bites, and the more you chew, the better it gets.

Yuyuan Road: High Insta-factor, but calm

I stepped out of Jing'an Temple station, grabbed an Aussie white coffee from Ribone Cafe, and turned onto Yuyuan Road. This street is like a time zipper: vintage Western-style houses on the left from the 1920s, and a brand new boutique that just opened last week on the right. There’s always someone taking pictures in front of Money Shop, so I headed straight to the second floor and scored an old Shanghai map from 1998; the display window at Artist La Pie changes every two weeks, and you can enjoy air-conditioning while checking out free exhibits.
At the end of Yuyuan Road, I take a right into Zhangyuan, a cluster of Shikumen houses with no entrance fee, just stroll in. I usually treat this spot as my "lunch break lounge," sitting on the old brick steps to finish my snack before wandering over to Jing'an Sculpture Park to watch grandpas fly kites.

My route: Jing'an Temple subway → Yuyuan Road (Ribone → Money Shop → Artist La Pie → Fanji) → Zhangyuan → Jing'an Sculpture Park, about 2.3 km, 40 min walking, plus 2 hours for pictures and shopping.

Wukang Road: 1000 meters, 14 heritage buildings, and a phone memory hog

I took a bus to Wukang Building, looked up to snap a pic of "Shanghai’s most Instagrammable ship bow," and started looping through Wukang Road - Wuyuan Road - Fuxing West Road - Yongfu Road. The intersections here lack traffic lights, but there are always newlyweds posing for wedding photos.
Here’s my secret route:

1. Wukang Building → 2. Dayin Bookstore (183 Wukang Road, grab a copy of "Shanghai Ziji" as a souvenir) → 3. Song Qingling’s Former Residence (20 yuan admission gets you a bottle of sparkling water) → 4. Romeo Balcony (288 Wuyuan Road, pretend you're in Florence for a photo).
   After finishing the loop, I end up at Shanghai Library subway station, drop in to use the restroom, and continue on to the next stop.

My route: Wukang Building → Dayin Bookstore → Song Qingling’s Former Residence → Romeo Balcony → Shanghai Library, total 1.5 km, 3 hours for pictures and visiting.

Anfu Road: Under 1 km, hipster density at its peak

Turning off Huaihai Middle Road onto Anfu Road, I felt like I accidentally stumbled backstage at a fashion week. The walls of Wiggle Wiggle are covered in colorful phone chains, and the giant doll at 13DE MARZO is practically blocking the entrance, while the staff at NU SHOP look more fashionable than the customers. The shops may be small, but the pace is fast, so I challenged myself to a "30-minute speed shop":

• 0-10 min: Buy a smiley face shoelace at Wiggle Wiggle
• 10-20 min: Try on three pairs of sunglasses at D.Desirable for some selfies
• 20-30 min: Snap a pic with the astronaut outside 13DE MARZO
  Time’s up, and I have to escape quickly, or my wallet won’t survive.

My route: Huaihai Middle Road subway → Anfu Road → Wukang Road, total 700 m, set aside 1 hour, and you can totally enjoy without even stopping for coffee.

Yongjia Road: Outrageously expensive, yet stunningly beautiful to see

Yongjia Road is known as "Shanghai's most expensive small street," where one old villa could buy half a street on Huaihai Road. I always take the little loop of Yongjia Road - Jianguo West Road - Taiyuan Road - Yongkang Road, treating the "expensive" views as the main attraction. Coffee Bread Good Weather always has a line out the window, so I duck into the neighboring GOOSE ISLAND TAPROOM, order a draft beer, and sit outside on a high stool, watching fancy cars and shared bikes navigating the narrow street, which is both magical and fitting.

My route: Jiashan Road subway → Yongjia Road → Coffee Bread Good Weather (photo op) → GOOSE ISLAND (grab a drink) → Yongkang Road night market, total 1.8 km, 2 hours for strolling and eating.

Fumin Road: French vibes mixed with local street life, perfectly blended

At 7 PM, the "Golden Triangle" of Julu Road - Fumin Road - Changle Road lights up. I first head to Fumin Road No. 38 to buy a crispy cream puff from Zetian Honke, then I pop into bistro11 for a 98-yuan steak and fries, and finally go to Cat-er to chill with cats over coffee. The tree leaves cast fragmented light from the street lamps, falling on the sidewalk like a free projection, and eating alone isn't awkward because the table next to me is also taking selfies.

My route: Jing'an Temple subway → Julu Road → 38 Fumin Road → bistro11 → Cat-er, total 1 km, 2 hours for a night stroll, budget 150 yuan for food.

Hengshan Road: Old Shanghai’s Champs-Élysées, night runs are even better than daytime

Hengshan Road is like a retired old chap during the day, only coming alive after 8 PM. I start at Hengshan Road No. 8, stroll through the open-air bars in Yongping Li, and then slip into Xujiahui Park to watch the aunts dancing tango. The sycamore branches slice through neon lights into fine shards of brilliance, and with "Night Fragrance" playing in my headphones, my steps seem to move in sync.

My route: Hengshan Road subway → Hengshan Road No. 8 → Yongping Li → Hengshan Fang → Xujiahui Park, total 1.4 km, 1.5 hours for a night stroll, 0 yuan to soak in Old Shanghai’s nightlife.

Sinan Road: A hundred years of Shanghai unfolded for you

On Sunday afternoons, I specifically choose to stroll down Sinan Road. The Sinan Mansions 53 often hosts free exhibitions, tickets to Zhou’s Mansion are cheap and come with old photo postcards; at Sun Yat-sen’s Former Residence, the garden allows pictures but prohibits loud talking, like a natural mute button. When I'm tired, I slip into Sinan Bookstore, order an 18-yuan Americano, and sit by the window on the second floor, watching sycamore leaves fall on the pages of my book, as time slows down to half-speed.

My route: Xintiandi subway → Fuxing Middle Road → Sinan Road → Sinan Mansions → Zhou’s Mansion → Sun Yat-sen’s Former Residence → Sinan Bookstore, total 1.2 km, leisurely cultural stroll 3 hours.

Xinhua Road: Flowers in every season, beautiful scenery at every step

Xinhua Road is my go-to for "Shanghai's Top Flower Street." In spring, it’s crabapple blossoms; summer, crepe myrtles; autumn, ginkgo trees; and winter, plane trees—they come with their own filters all year round. I get off at Kaixuan Road, first snapping a pic of the English-style chimney at Xinhua Villa, then pop into One Foot Garden for an 88-yuan garden pasta, and lastly, head to Vila le bec321 for a glass of wine on their terrace, watching planes fly low overhead.

My route: Yan’an West Road subway → Kaixuan Road → Xinhua Villa → One Foot Garden → Vila le bec321, total 1 km, 2.5 hours for photos and dining.

A quick look at how to explore these 8 roads

FAQ: Afraid of getting lost while exploring alone?

Q: I want to cover all eight roads, how should I plan it best?
A: Use Jing'an Temple station as your center and pick two roads each day. In the morning, hit Yuyuan Road + Wukang Road, in the afternoon Anfu Road + Yongjia Road, and in the evening Fumin Road + Hengshan Road, saving Sinan Road and Xinhua Road for the next day—your feet won’t give out.

Q: What if I need to use the restroom?
A: You can use the restrooms for free at Shanghai Library, Sinan Bookstore, One Foot Garden, and Dayin Bookstore—just walk in confidently.

Q: Is it awkward eating alone?
A: All the mentioned places welcome solo diners. You can choose bar seats, window seats, or outdoor tables, and the staff are often more shy than you, so just order freely.

Q: Will I be kicked out for taking photos?
A: Just avoid using flash, blocking the entrance, or shooting staff’s faces, and generally, nobody will mind; just hit Wukang Building and Romeo Balcony before 7 AM to have the place to yourself.