Stand on Zhongshan Middle Road in the late afternoon and the Xilin pagoda rises above the temple rooflines to your right, while a short walk east along the same road brings you to the square silhouette of the Fangta pagoda. Songjiang rewards that kind of slow, on-foot wandering: pagodas, a classical garden, a mosque older than most buildings in Shanghai, and two hills with a basilica on top.
This guide suits travellers who have already seen the Bund and the skyscrapers and want a day or two at the outer edge of the Shanghai metro, plus anyone staying near Songjiang University Town. Almost everything here is reachable on Metro Line 9 or with a short bus or taxi ride from it.
Below are the sights and experiences worth your time, followed by a one-day plan that strings the best of them together.
Top things to do in Songjiang
1. Zuibai Pond Garden (Zuibaichi)
One of the five classical parks in Shanghai, Zuibai Pond Garden is built around a central pond with pavilions, terraces and a maze of paths, and it holds relics including the Square Hall, the Boat-like Hut, the Reading Hall, the Straw-hut over the Pool of the Qing Dynasty, Baocheng Pavilion, the Plum Blossom Hall and Zhao Mengfu's handwriting from the Yuan Dynasty. There is also a modern museum dedicated to paintings inside.
The garden is known for a different display each season: peony in spring, lotus in summer, chrysanthemum in autumn and plum flower in winter. It opens 8AM-5PM and costs ¥12; the nearest metro stop is Zuibaichi Park station.
2. Fangta pagoda
The square pagoda stands in the south-east of Songjiang at 235 Zhongshan East Road, in a garden that has been newly renovated and includes a large peaceful area and some 600-year-old trees. It is a genuine change of pace from central Shanghai.
From the Xilin pagoda and the central city area it is about a 30-minute walk east along Zhongshan Lu, which makes the two pagodas an easy pairing. The garden costs ¥12, with an extra charge at the pagoda itself. Note that electric boats and auto scooters for children at the outer edges of the park cut into the quiet.
3. Xilin pagoda
A 46.5-m-high pagoda with a temple, set in the western part of Songjiang near the intersection of Zhongshanzhong Lu and Xilin Bei Lu. The original pagoda dates back to 1440 and stands within a Buddhist temple that has been renovated.
The pond here is crowded with fish, and visitors can touch them. The temple area and garden are free, though there may be a ¥6 charge on certain days, and the pagoda itself is not accessible for climbing.
4. Songjiang Mosque
The oldest Islamic building in Shanghai, Songjiang Mosque dates back to the Yuan dynasty and merges Chinese with Arabic architecture. A large-scale repair in 1985 restored much of the original beauty.
It sits at No. 75, Gangbeng Alley, a short walk north of Zuibaichi Park Station on the Shanghai Metro, which makes it a natural stop before or after the garden. Entry is ¥6.
5. Guangfulin Cultural Relics Park
A park centred on the Guangfulin archaeological site, where many ancient artefacts have been unearthed, and it includes several museums and temples. General opening hours are 09:00-17:00, with the museums and temples shutting at 16:30.
Tickets are sold separately: ¥30 for the archaeological museum, ¥5 for the ancient pottery museum, ¥5 for the art museum and ¥30 for the Guangfulin Culture Exhibition Hall, or ¥70 for an all-in-one ticket. To get there, take a metro train to Songjiang University Town Station on Line 9, then bus 15, 24 or 98 and get off at the East China University of Political Science and Law.
6. Sheshan
Two hills with large and often crowded paths and stairs. At the top of the biggest hill sit a large Catholic basilica built in 1935 and an observatory.
Reach it from Sheshan station on Line 9, at No. 9258, Waiqingsong Highway. Go early if you want the climb before the crowds build on the stairs.
7. Thames Town
A very convincing English-style village complete with pubs, cobbled lanes and a church. Only residents are missing, and the empty stores and streets make the place look like a film set, even though it is popular with newly-weds photographing themselves in front of the massive church.
It is worth a visit for its eerie, unlikely atmosphere. Opening hours are 9AM-10PM; from Songjiang Xincheng station on Metro Line 9, take bus 12 or 16 east.
8. Shanghai Happy Valley
A theme park at 888 Linhu Rd in Songjiang. It is the obvious choice if you are travelling with children or want a full day of rides rather than pagodas and gardens.
Entry is ¥200. Set aside the better part of a day rather than trying to squeeze it in alongside the sights on Zhongshan Lu.
9. Yuncaitang Spa
A large complex of Japanese-style spa at 1501 Meijiabang Road, with a reception open 10:30AM-11:30PM. The ¥39 entrance fee covers wet and dry sauna, jacuzzi and other water pools and tubs, a children's play room, heated pebble beds and many types of relaxation rooms and beds.
Bathing is men and women separately, and the restaurant, mahjong and massage are paid services on top. It is possible to stay overnight for an extra ¥30 with a passport, in four-bed rooms. Note that inscriptions are only in Chinese and Japanese. From Songjiang University Town station on Line 9 it is a 400m walk.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Xilin pagoda on Zhongshan Middle Road, where the temple garden is free and the pond fish come to your hand. Walk east along Zhongshan Lu for about 30 minutes to the Fangta pagoda and spend the rest of the morning in its peaceful garden and among the old trees.
Afternoon: Head to Zuibai Pond Garden near Zuibaichi Park station, open 8AM-5PM, for the pavilions, the central pond and the seasonal planting. On the way in or out, walk north of the station to the Songjiang Mosque, the oldest Islamic building in Shanghai.
Evening: Take Metro Line 9 to Songjiang Xincheng station and bus 12 or 16 east to Thames Town, open until 10PM, for cobbled lanes, pubs and the church, and for the odd atmosphere of a village with no villagers. If you would rather end the day indoors, Yuncaitang Spa near Songjiang University Town station stays open late and takes overnight guests.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get around Songjiang without a car?
Metro Line 9 serves the area, with stations including Zuibaichi Park, Songjiang Xincheng, Sheshan and Songjiang University Town. From those stations, local buses and short walks cover the sights: bus 12 or 16 east from Songjiang Xincheng to Thames Town, and bus 15, 24 or 98 from Songjiang University Town to Guangfulin Cultural Relics Park.
Can I climb the pagodas?
The Xilin pagoda is not accessible for climbing. At the Fangta pagoda there is an extra charge at the pagoda beyond the ¥12 garden entry, so check on arrival before planning on going up.
Which sights cost money, and how much?
Zuibai Pond Garden is ¥12, the Songjiang Mosque is ¥6, and the Fangta pagoda garden is ¥12 with an extra charge at the pagoda. The Xilin pagoda temple area and garden are free, though there may be a ¥6 charge on certain days. At Guangfulin Cultural Relics Park you pay per venue or ¥70 for an all-in-one ticket. Shanghai Happy Valley is ¥200 and Yuncaitang Spa is ¥39, with overnight stays an extra ¥30.
When is the best time to see the gardens?
Zuibai Pond Garden is planted for all four seasons, with peony in spring, lotus in summer, chrysanthemum in autumn and plum flower in winter, so any visit has something in bloom. For Guangfulin Cultural Relics Park, arrive well before 16:30, when the museums and temples close.
Pick your season, check the Line 9 stops against the list above, and you have everything you need to start planning a day or two in Songjiang.