I have long harboured a great interest in China and its culture. A few years ago, I finally answered my inner call to learn the language and delve deeper into the history, culture and aesthetics of China. My trip to Beijing in the winter of January 2025 was like coming home and refreshing memories.

How did I end up travelling to Shanghai in winter?

I was invited by my Chinese friend from Beijing to spend two weeks with her. I have another friend in Shanghai and as we wanted to do some travelling around the country anyway, we decided to visit Shanghai and its outskirts.

In the blog post PEKING IN WINTER you will find further information.

Where exactly is Shanghai and what are the special features of the city?

Shanghai is located about 1200 kilometres south of Beijing, on the east coast. At first glance, Shanghai does not necessarily look Chinese. Shanghai is modern and the atmosphere is very fresh and lively. However, Shanghai is a very old city. The coastal strip on which the city stands was built more than 6,000 years ago. The city is very much characterised by the colonial era and there are various European districts, which are also architecturally shaped accordingly. Due to its proximity to the coast, Shanghai was an important trading city, among other things.

The high-speed train takes about 5 hours from Beijing to Shanghai. The stations are clean, everything is well organised and the legroom on the trains is a pleasure.

The climate in Shanghai in winter

The climate in Shanghai is subtropical and maritime in character due to its proximity to the East China Sea. The harbour city is also influenced by the monsoon. In summer, it is hot and humid with a humidity of up to 100 per cent. In winter, on the other hand, it is cold, especially at night, with heavy frost in some places.
Source: www.wetter.de

The climate was quite pleasant for me after the dry cold in Beijing. It was around 6 degrees centigrade. Despite the low temperatures, the vegetation is green and there were grapefruits hanging from the trees.

Advantages and disadvantages of travelling to Shanghei in winter

Advantages

The travelling time before the Chinese New Year was perfect. Everything was already beautifully decorated with lanterns and lots of red, which created a particularly cosy atmosphere, especially at night with the lighting. There were few tourists around and in the tranquil Tong Li 同里 outside Shanghai, we were practically the only tourists. We were able to see everything in peace, have a chat with the people in the restaurants and shops and just enjoy ourselves. It wasn't too cold during the day and the countryside was greener than in Beijing in winter.

Disadvantages

In the southern part of China, there is no heating in the houses. This meant that it was very, very cold in the guesthouse (a beautiful old Chinese house). The air conditioning did give off some heat, but it was under the ceiling and as the rooms are very high, the heat didn't reach the bed. So if you are travelling to the south of China in winter, you need to be aware that the outside temperature can drop below 0 at night and that it is warmer outside than in the room during the day. Good equipment is required!

The food in Shanghai

The food in the south is sweeter than in the north. My absolute favourite was the baked pumpkin biscuits filled with sweet black bean paste. They were a culinary sensation. They look unassuming but taste delicious. From sweet stuffed rice balls to meat in sweet soya sauce, there is everything to make your culinary heart beat faster.

Places of interest in Shanghai and the surrounding area

Tong li 同里

Coming from Beijing, we made our first stop in the tranquil little water town of Tong li 同里. It is located around 100 kilometres west of Shanghai and has an unmistakable Chinese charm.

The small town, which until 25 years ago was only accessible by water, has a population of 30,000.
The main attraction is the ‘Garden of Retreat and Reflection’ 退恩园。 The narrow alleyways lead along small canals into the old town. With its 29 stone bridges, it feels like a labyrinth at first. Restaurants, teahouses and small craft shops invite you to linger, shop and chat.

Shanghai 上海

My friend from Shanghai showed me around Shanghai for a day. As she likes to drink Bavarian beer, she took me to the Paulaner restaurant, where she happily enjoyed her beer and I enjoyed my ginger tea. That's why I didn't have much time left for the historical part of Shanghai, but I won't have been there for the last time.

Vom Hotel haben wir uns auf den Weg entlang des Flusses Richtung der Uferpromenade Bund (Waitan 外滩) gemacht, eine der Hauptsehenswürdigkeiten des modernen Shanghai. Einst legten hier Schiffe an, versuchten sich die diversen Kolonialherren und Firmen gegenseitig zu übertreffen und es befanden sich hier die Zentralen des europäischen Asiengeschäfts.

Shanghai is a modern shopping city with a historic old town. Visiting the Bund in the evening is an absolute recommendation. The illumination of the skyscrapers is very impressive.

My overall impression of Shanghai and my whole trip to China is very, very positive. I'm already planning my next trip, but first I need to improve my Chinese...

Here you can find my blog articles on ‘Beijing in winter’: