Stand on the stone bridge at the west edge of Guyi Garden and you will see what draws people out to this corner of northwestern Shanghai: a classical garden on one side, a canal-side old town on the other, and steamed bun shops in between. Jiading was a separate city from Shanghai until the 1950s, and its historic core still reads that way, with a moat where a city wall once stood and old streets threading through the middle.
It suits travellers who have already seen the Bund and want a half-day or full day at a slower pace, and anyone in Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix. Distances are real, so plan around the Metro Line 11 corridor and pick one or two clusters rather than trying to cover everything.
This guide covers the sights in Anting, Nanxiang and Jiading Town, plus the motor racing venue, with a one-day plan that strings the best of them together.
Top things to do in Jiading
1. Guyi Garden
One of Shanghai's famous old gardens, now a hybrid between a classical garden and a family-friendly public park. It was owned by magistrate Min Shiji during the Jiajing era of the Ming dynasty, became communal property in 1789, and gained pavilions, shrines, shops, taverns and restaurants along its west edge.
It sits 600 metres southwest of Nanxiang Station on Metro Line 11, which makes it the easiest classical garden in Jiading to reach. It opens at 07:00 and closes at 18:00, though between May and October the last exit is at 18:30 at the south gate and 19:30 at the west gate. Combine it with Nanxiang Old Town next door.
2. Nanxiang Old Town
A picturesque and peaceful area with canals, bridges, pavilions and tourist-oriented shops, and some streets that are old or renewed while keeping the old style. Other parts are modern residential blocks with an old look at ground level, and on side streets you can find tables of locals sitting around gambling.
This is the home of the original Nanxiang Xiaolongbao, the steamed bun that became known as Shanghai-style xiaolongbao, so eat here rather than in the city centre. It shares the 218 Huyi Highway address with Guyi Garden, so the two fit naturally into one visit.
3. Jiading Town
The historical centre of Jiading, which was a separate city from Shanghai until the 1950s. It was surrounded by a circle-shaped city wall and a moat; only the moat remains, which you can see on any map. In the centre of the circle are old streets with canals and bridges where the tourist bazaar is, with gates at each end, and it is free to enter.
Within the circle you will find parks, the Shanghai University campus and several of the attractions below. Reach it from North Jiading Station on Metro Line 11, then take bus 12 or 13, or walk.
4. Confucius Temple
A large and well preserved temple built in 1219, now mostly a museum of the Chinese imperial examination. It is also known as the Shanghai China Keju Museum, and the district government funded the Shanghai Museum of the Imperial Examination System in 2005.
It opens 08:00 to 16:30 with the last exit at 17:00, and entry is free. It is on Jiading South Street, reachable by bus 6A, and sits next to Huilongtan Park, so pair the two.
5. Fahua Pagoda
A 40.85-metre tetragonal brick-and-wood tower with seven floors, first constructed during Emperor Kaixi's reign, and the symbol of Jiading. As of 2018 it is not possible to climb the pagoda, but it is free to walk around it and to visit the Gu Weijun Exhibition Hall in the same yard.
Gu Weijun was a Jiading native diplomat and one of the founders of the United Nations. Bole Square across the canal is just a modern square, but since you are nearby, the small park at its edge is worth a visit. It is on Jiading South Street and opens 08:00 to 16:30.
6. Qiuxia Garden
Built in 1502, this is one of Shanghai's famous old gardens and the former private garden of Gon Hong, a head of the Ministry of Works in the Ming dynasty. It is pleasant, compact and classical.
It opens 08:00 to 16:30 on Dongdajie Street. Note that the Jiading Museum's backyard pond looks across to the wild Qiuxia Garden, but there is no direct access between them, so visit each on its own.
7. Jiading Museum
A history museum with a modern design and exhibits in real size: Chinese pavilions, craftsmen at work and large animals. There is a ceramic exhibition in the basement as of 2018.
The backyard has an elegant pond with water lilies. It is on Bole Road and opens 08:00 to 16:30, with free entry.
8. Shanghai Auto Museum
The automobile museum at 7565 Boyuan Road, about 1.7 km south of Anting Station on Metro Line 11. You can walk from the station or catch bus 112, 116 or 134.
It opens Tuesday to Sunday, 09:30 to 16:30. Adult tickets are ¥60, and entry is free for children either less than 1.3 metres in height or no more than 6 years old. Pair it with Anting Old Street while you are in this part of the district.
9. Anting Old Street
The old street in Anting, on Xinyuan Road. It is the natural companion to the Shanghai Auto Museum, since both sit in the same part of the district around Anting Station on Metro Line 11.
Allow time for it after the museum, which closes at 16:30 and does not open on Mondays.
10. Yunxiang Temple
Established in AD 505, later destroyed and reconstructed in 2000. The drum tower and bell tower are remarkable for their height.
Outside, at the corner of the temple, there is a square with two old but well preserved stone towers. It is on Renmin Street in Jiading and entry is free.
11. Tanyuan
The private garden of Li Liufang, a scholar and artist of the Ming dynasty, where poets and scholars came to chant verse and revel. It was destroyed when the Qing dynasty replaced the Ming and reconstructed in 2011.
Scenic spots include the Bao Zun Hall, the Qing Hui Yard, the Ci Zui Hall, the Lotus Bank, a boat-shaped house and a gourd-shaped pool, with cavities and gullies throughout and winding corridors passing through the whole garden. It opens 08:00 to 17:00 at 5 Nanxiangzhen Huntanglong.
12. Huilongtan Park
A park next to the Confucius Temple, opening 08:00 to 16:30. Because it adjoins the temple, it is the simplest way to extend that visit rather than a separate trip.
Entry is ¥5.
13. Malu Vineyard
A vineyard on Dazhi Road in Malu. It sits along the Metro Line 11 corridor, which also serves Nanxiang, Malu, Jiading Xincheng, Baiyin Road, West Jiading and North Jiading.
Treat it as a stop to work into a day already using Line 11 rather than a destination on its own.
14. Shanghai International Circuit
The motor racing venue that hosts the Shanghai Grand Prix Formula One race, and the Chinese Grand Prix is held here each April. The next F1 race is 16-18 April 2027.
It is served by Metro Line 11's Shanghai Circuit station. Take the Line 11 train to Huaqiao and not the one to North Jiading, since this end of the line has two branches; the loudspeakers announce the terminus in Chinese, and the front of the train carries the terminal name in English.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at Guyi Garden when it opens at 07:00, while the classical garden is quiet, then walk into Nanxiang Old Town for xiaolongbao, the steamed bun that originated here. Both are a short walk from Nanxiang Station on Metro Line 11.
Afternoon. Ride Line 11 to North Jiading and continue by bus 12 or 13, or on foot, into Jiading Town. Work through the free sights inside the old moat circle: the Confucius Temple and the adjoining Huilongtan Park, then Fahua Pagoda and the Gu Weijun Exhibition Hall in the same yard, and Qiuxia Garden or the Jiading Museum if time allows. All of these close at 16:30, so keep moving.
Evening. Return to the old streets and canals of Jiading Town, where the bazaar sits between gates at each end and entry is free, and find dinner among the shops there.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Jiading from downtown Shanghai?
Metro Line 11 serves the district, with stations including Nanxiang, Malu, Jiading Xincheng, Baiyin Road, West Jiading, North Jiading, Shanghai Circuit, East Changji Road, Shanghai Automobile City and Anting. Lines 13 and 14 also serve parts of the district. By road, the Hujia Expressway connects Jiading to downtown Shanghai.
Which Line 11 train should I take for the racing circuit?
Take the train bound for Huaqiao, not North Jiading, because this end of the line has two branches. The loudspeakers announce the terminus in Chinese, and the front of the train shows the terminal name in English.
When is the best time to visit Guyi Garden?
It opens at 07:00 and closes at 18:00, but between May and October the last exit is at 18:30 at the south gate and 19:30 at the west gate. Going early also puts you in Nanxiang Old Town in time for xiaolongbao.
Do I need to pay to enter the sights in Jiading Town?
Several are free, including Jiading Town itself, the Confucius Temple, Fahua Pagoda and Yunxiang Temple. Huilongtan Park costs ¥5 and Qiuxia Garden ¥10.
Pick your cluster, check the Line 11 branch before you board, and you can plan a full Jiading day from this page alone.