Yu Garden

Visiting Yu Garden in early March felt like wandering into a Ming Dynasty painting come to life. The highlight was catching the plum blossoms (meihua) in full bloom—their soft pink and white petals looked stunning against the classical architecture and dragon walls. Walking across the famous Jiuqu Bridge (the zigzag one) gave charming views over the pond, where the Mandarin ducks and golden koi fish glided through the water. It was a peaceful, beautiful place, though I would recommend arriving early as the crowds build up by late morning.

I visited Yuyuan Garden, and it was a good and enjoyable experience. This place is perfect if you are interested in historical sites, traditional Chinese culture, and classical architecture. The garden is beautifully designed with traditional pavilions, ponds, bridges, rock formations, and ancient-style buildings, giving a real feel of old Shanghai and Chinese heritage. It is recommended to buy tickets online, as it is more convenient and helps avoid waiting in queues. Outside the garden, there is a lively shopping and food area, which is one of the top tourist attraction zones in Shanghai. You can find souvenirs, local snacks, and traditional shops nearby. If you are visiting Shanghai and want to experience history, culture, and shopping in one place, Yuyuan Garden is a must-visit. Love it.🇨🇳❤️

It’s worth a visit if you’re in Shanghai and visiting the shopping area. Expect to spend about 30 minutes. Somewhat run down and could be better kept up as many people are sitting around the common areas. Somewhat run down good photo ops.

Yu Garden 豫园 is a beautifully maintained classical garden that’s both popular and peaceful if you visit early. I booked tickets online through Trip.com, and the process was super simple—just scan and enter. Arriving around 9:30 am on a weekday, there were no queues at the South Gate at all. Inside, the grounds are clean, well cared for, and filled with security staff, which adds to the sense of order and safety. Despite being a major attraction, there are plenty of benches and quiet corners to sit, relax, and enjoy the scenery. A smooth, enjoyable visit overall.

It’s a complex of chinese building with many shop houses. Very beautiful especially at night when there are lights. You can dress up with Chinese costumes and take pictures here. It make your photos more prettier. Spend few hours here, drinking some coffee and tea, and checking out some stores.

Yu Garden can be a little confusing, it is the name of a classic Chinese garden, opens only during the day, as well as the name of the area surrounding the garden, full of curiosity shops, restaurants and snack stalls. The entire area is build in classic Chinese architecture, colourfully lid at night. A stroll there is an unforgettable and mesmerising experience. It was like an entirely different world from the rest of modern Shanghai. We deliberately stayed at a hotel next door, and managed to be there twice at night. Highly recommended.

I visited Yu Garden in Huangpu and it easily lives up to the hype. Picture classical Ming style in the middle of the city, koi ponds under carved pavilions, rockeries that twist into little caves, and the famous zigzag bridge leading toward the Huxinting teahouse. It is busy, yet the layout gives you plenty of corners to slow down for photos and a few quiet minutes. Timing makes a difference. Early on a weekday is calm and the light is soft for photos. Late afternoon is also lovely, since the surrounding bazaar starts to glow and you can wander straight out for snacks and souvenirs without losing that old Shanghai atmosphere. If you visit around Lunar New Year, the annual Yuyuan Lantern Festival usually runs from early January into mid February and the area turns into a glowing maze of themed lanterns. It gets crowded, but the spectacle is worth it.  Practical notes. The garden keeps typical hours around 9:00 to 16:30 with last entry about 16:00, and tickets are seasonally priced, usually in the 30 to 40 RMB range. You can buy on site or online, and an hour or two is enough for an unhurried loop if you are not rushing.  Getting there is simple by metro. Yuyuan Garden station sits a short walk away and connects to Lines 10 and 14, which makes this an easy stop to pair with the Bund or People’s Square in the same day. Right outside the garden you will find the Yuyuan Bazaar, a warren of traditional style storefronts that sell snacks, tea, trinkets, and a few touristy bits, fun for a short browse after your visit.  Overall, Yu Garden is a classic for good reason. It gives you a compact crash course in Jiangnan garden design, plenty of photo friendly moments, and a smooth link to the food and shopping right outside, all without needing to leave central Shanghai.

What an incredible place! It is a perfect example of classic Chinese architecture from the Ming Dynasty, serving as an oasis of tranquility amidst the city's hustle. An important note: the classic garden itself (Yu Garden) closes before dusk and has a paid entrance. The surrounding area, the Yuyuan Bazaar, is what becomes incredibly illuminated and, in my opinion, even more beautiful at night. Access to the bazaar is free and the view is magical.