5 Ancient Towns Near Shanghai Most Travelers Never Find
Rania Zheng
Shanghai is where most China trips begin. But an hour outside the city, there are canal towns that barely anyone visits — quieter, older, and completely different in pace. For travelers looking for a more mindful, unhurried side of Shanghai, these are the places worth knowing.
Each one has its own character. None of them are trying to impress you.
A Different Kind of Shanghai Experience
The city is easy to love — the food, the energy, the architecture. But slow travel in Shanghai means something else. It means taking the metro to the end of the line, walking into a Song Dynasty salt town, and sitting in a teahouse that has been there for three hundred years.
These five towns are that version of Shanghai. All within reach. All still largely left alone.
Before You Go
- All five towns are free to enter
- DiDi (China's ride-hailing app) works well for the final leg if buses feel complicated
- Weekday visits are noticeably quieter than weekends
- Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are the best times to visit
01 · Xinchang 新场 — The Town That Stayed Itself
A Song Dynasty salt town, Xinchang is the only ancient town near Shanghai currently nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status. The Qing-era teahouse still hosts live storytellers. Pipa music drifts into the lane. Film crews have found it quietly over the years — the old stones seem entirely unbothered.
Getting there: Metro Line 16 → Xinchang Station (Exit 2), then Bus 628 or 1068 → Xinchang Town Bus Station. About 50 minutes from the city center. A shared bike or short taxi covers the last 3km to the old street.
02 · Jinze 金泽 — Five Bridges, Four Dynasties
Five bridges span a single stretch of river — Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing, each built in a different era, all still standing. Known locally as the "No. 1 Bridge Town of Jiangnan," Jinze is the least-visited town on this list. Locals fish in the canals. In autumn, golden ginkgo leaves settle on temple steps.
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Getting there: Metro Line 17 → Dongfang Lüzhou Station, then the Qingpu–Jinze bus → Jinze Bus Station. About 1.5 hours from the city center. Pairs well with Zhujiajiao — both are on Line 17.
03 · Liantang 练塘 — Daily Life on the Canal
No commercial shops. No crowds. Just elderly residents in shaded corridors and river water moving past the eaves. The town runs along both banks of Shihe Creek — two streets facing each other across the water. Order the braised wild rice shoots for lunch. This is the Jiangnan people picture but rarely find.
Getting there: Metro Line 17 → Zhujiajiao Station, then the Qingxiao Line bus → Liantang Bus Station. About 1.5 hours from the city center. DiDi recommended for the final leg — the bus connections require patience.
04 · Chuansha 川沙 — The Town That Built Shanghai
The craftsmen of Chuansha built some of Shanghai's most recognizable colonial-era architecture — and then the city moved on without them. A Ming Dynasty wall, built in 1557 to hold off pirates, still stands along the old streets. East meets West in the stonework. The town carries a quiet pride that takes a moment to notice.
Getting there: Metro Line 2 → Chuansha Station (Exit 2), then Bus Line 24 or a short taxi to the ancient town entrance. About 45 minutes from People's Square. The most metro-accessible of the five — a natural first stop for anyone new to Shanghai day trips.
05 · Fengjing 枫泾 — Where Farmers Became Artists
Fengjing straddles an ancient provincial border — for centuries, two regions each governed half the town. In the 1970s, local farmers began painting vibrant, color-saturated folk works that were eventually exhibited around the world. 52 bridges cross the canals, the oldest from the Yuan Dynasty. At night, hundreds of red lanterns hang over the water.
Getting there: Metro Line 1 → Jinjiang Park Station → West Meilong Bus Station → Fengmei Line bus → Fengjing Pailou stop (terminal, about 45 minutes). Around 1.5 hours from the city center. The furthest of the five — the bus passes paddy fields the whole way, and that's part of the experience.
Shanghai Is Where Many Puyu Journeys Begin
For a lot of our guests, Shanghai isn't just a stopover — it's the first real breath of the trip. It's where China starts to feel tangible. And for those who arrive a few days early, we occasionally run day immersion programs in and around Shanghai: unhurried days in canal towns, a tea ceremony, time to settle in before heading deeper into the country.
From Shanghai, our retreats continue into the mountains of Huangshan, the tea forests of Wuyishan, and the living TCM culture of Guangzhou. The canal towns are a gentle way to begin — slow, grounded, and quietly extraordinary.
If you're thinking about joining a Puyu retreat and want help planning your Shanghai days, we're happy to point you in the right direction.