Yu Garden & City God Temple
豫园
A Ming-dynasty private garden at the heart of Shanghai's old walled city. It features the Nine-Turn Bridge, the Mid-Lake Pavilion, Nanxiang steamed buns and Lunar New Year lantern festivals. It is the most Jiangnan-flavoured corner of the city.
Yu Garden was built in 1559 during the Jiajing era of the Ming dynasty. It was a private garden created by Pan Yunduan, a provincial administrator of Sichuan, to honour his parents. It covers about 20,000 square metres and is divided into six scenic areas: Sansui Hall, Wanhua Tower, Dianchun Hall (the command post of the Small Swords Society Uprising), Huijing Tower, Yuhua Hall (home to Yulinglong, one of the 'Three Great Rocks of Jiangnan'), and the Inner Garden. The garden has five dragon walls, including the Dragon Wall and the Cloud-Piercing Dragon Wall, which are popular photo spots. Tickets cost RMB 40 in peak season (April to June and September to November) and RMB 30 in the off-season. Buy them through the 'Yu Garden' official WeChat account or on site. The garden is closed on Mondays, except on public holidays. Outside the garden, the Yu Garden Bazaar (City God Temple tourist area) is free to enter. The Nine-Turn Bridge and the Mid-Lake Pavilion teahouse, where the British Queen once had tea, are iconic images of old Shanghai. Musts include the crab-roe xiaolongbao at Nanxiang Mantou Shop (takeaway queues on the ground floor, dine-in upstairs), the sweet tangyuan at a Ningbo tangyuan shop, and the Lü Bo Lang Restaurant (famous for state banquet dim sum). The Shanghai City God Temple (RMB 10) enshrines Huo Guang and Qin Yubo and draws large numbers of worshippers. Each year, from the 1st to the 15th day of the first lunar month, the Yu Garden Lantern Festival (a national intangible cultural heritage since 2024) draws huge crowds, and advance booking is required. Nearby, you can extend your walk to Shanghai Old Street (Fangbang Middle Road), the Confucius Temple and the Bund. Getting there: Metro Lines 10 and 14, Yuyuan Station, Exit 1, 5 minutes' walk. It is best to visit the garden in the morning before exploring the bazaar, and to avoid weekend midday.
Opening hours
Yu Garden 9:00am–4:30pm (closed Mondays); mall 9:00am–9:30pm
Nearby sights
- Huangpu River Cruise
- The Bund
- Shanghai Confucian Temple (Wen Miao)
- Museum of Art Pudong
- Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street
- Oriental Pearl Tower / Lujiazui
- Shanghai Tower Top of Shanghai Observatory
- Jin Mao Tower