As the Year of the Horse gallops in, Shanghai dons a festive robe woven with time-honored traditions and contemporary vibrancy. It is transformed into a wonderland of glowing lanterns, aromatic feasts, and cultural treasures for the Spring Festival, offering both locals and tourists an immersive journey through the soul of Shanghainese celebration.

Here are some highlighted itineraries, packages and mouthwatering meal options:

Routes:

Exclusive Chinese New Year Experience Tour for International Guests

Day 1: Huxinting Teahouse (Pingtan performance) → Yuyuan Garden

Day 2: Ningguo Temple → Long Museum (West Bund)

Day 3: Write Spring Festival couplets in a shikumen (stone-gated) house and learn to cook a Chinese New Year's Eve family dinner

Day 4: Experience the flavor of Spring Festival in Zhujiajiao → Lantern Festival and night water tour in Nanxiang Ancient Town

Day 5: Art walk in Suhewan → M50 Creative Park → The Bund

Day 6: Yuyuan Road → Experience Shanghai-style shadow puppetry in Qibao Ancient Town

Day 7: Free time

Contact: Wei Dan, 13310938474

Experiencing Shanghais Intangible Cultural Heritage Gems

Day 1: Duoyunxuan Art Center → Xujiahui MetroCity Commercial Area → Shanghai Library Ancient Books Restoration Center

Day 2: Shanghai Museum of Arts and Crafts → Shanghai Botanical Garden Bonsai Garden

Day 3: Huang Daopo Memorial Park → Longhua Hospital Gu's External Medicine Heritage Base

Day 4: Shanghai Jingju Theater → Xuhui District Cultural Center

Day 5: Shanghai Silk Group Co Ltd

Day 6: Shanghai Tou-Se-We Museum → Zikawei Library

Day 7: Caohejing Intangible Cultural Heritage Market → Xuhui Binjiang Sports Park

Contact: Hu Ying, 4006900520

Fuxing Island Charm & Suzhou Creek Vibes

Day 1: Yangpu Fuxing Island → Green Hill → Shanghai International Fashion Center → Daxue Road

Day 2: The Bund's International Architecture Exhibition → Bund Finance Center (BFC) → Yuyuan Garden → City God Temple

Day 3: Hengfu (Hengshan-Fuxing Roads) Historical Conservation Zone → Soong Ching Ling's Former Residence → Xujiahui Catholic Church → Grand Gateway 66

Day 4: Shanghai Disney Resort

Day 5: Zhujiajiao Ancient Town → Kezhi Garden (Zhujiajiao) → Dianshan Lake

Day 6: Jiading Ancient City Wall → Zhouqiao Old Street → Elite Valley

Contact: Qi Fang, 18458337576

Jing'an Gifts - Four-Day Journey Through Jing'an

Day 1: Jing'an Temple & Yuyuan Road → Yongquanfang → Nanjing Rd W. Area

Day 2: Shanghai Time-honored Brands Museum → Shanghai Natural History Museum → Tong'ren Road → Nanyang Road → Wujiang Road → Shanghai Circus World

Day 3: Zhangyuan Garden → Fengshengli → Memorial Hall of Second National Congress of the Communist Party of China → Fudeli Park → Former Residence of Liu Changsheng → Former Residence of Cai Yuanpei → Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall → The Bund & Huangpu River Cruise

Day 4: Jing'an District Cultural Center → Moller Villa → Jing'an Temple Commercial Area

Contact: Fu Rui, 021-32128663/17321024668

Meanwhile, time-honored restaurants and hotels in the city are cooking up a Spring Festival feast catering to tourists from home and abroad.

Hotels of Donghu Group have launched about 60 themed products as well as a lineup of activities to celebrate the festival.

Xijiao State Guest Hotel, Dongjiao State Guest Hotel, Hengshan Garden Hotel Shanghai, and Hongqiao State Guest House will host New Year gathering options full of festive atmosphere.

Xijiao State Guest Hotel has launched horse-themed suites as the year 2026 marks the Year of the Horse.

During their stay at Hengshan Garden Hotel Shanghai, guests can experience Shanghai-style culture by exploring the historic Picardie Apartments on Hengshan Road and appreciating the hotel's profound historical and cultural heritage.

Sugar art masters and Shanghai craftsmen will demonstrate sugar art making at Xijiao State Guest Hotel during the Spring Festival holiday, alongside dough modeling performances and chocolate making. Dongjiao State Guest Hotel will launch New Year-themed fun handcraft DIY activities such as lantern DIY as well as Spring Festival movie screenings.

InterContinental Shanghai Ruijin will hold themed activities such as calligraphy of Spring Festival couplets, clown balloon shows, Spring Festival flower arrangement classes and guided tours.

The Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, or nianyefan, is the biggest annual meal for Chinese people to celebrate the year's achievements and accomplishments and greet the new year.

Sunya Cantonese Restaurant on Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall is one of Shanghai's oldest Cantonese-style eatery, with a history dating back to 1926.

The "treasure-filled family reunion pen cai" is one of the highlights of the New Year's Eve dinner at Sunya. "Treasure-filled" symbolizes a life of abundance and good fortune, while "pen cai" (a traditional Cantonese layered hot pot) represents "a basin full of blessings and a happy reunion", perfectly aligning with Shanghai people's tradition of seeking good luck in the New Year. The secret abalone sauce is simmered with scallops, fish maw, and abalone, making it rich, fragrant, and not greasy.

Sunya's signature stir-fried shrimp – fresh, tender, and light on the palate – is another must-try for the nianyefan table.

The restaurant has also continued its dine-in and New Year's Eve dinner take-home package model, offering a variety of take-home sets to meet demand.

Built in 1934, Park Hotel was once the tallest building in the Far East and continues to serve as an architectural symbol of old Shanghai. Beyond its Art Deco façade, it is famously recognized as the birthplace of Shanghai-style butterfly pastries.

For the 2026 Chinese New Year's Eve reunion dinner, the hotel has prepared two signature dishes from the Beijing cuisine repertoire – braised sea cucumber with scallions and yellow croaker fillets in rice wine sauce. Meticulously prepared using traditional techniques, these dishes infuse the festive feast with timeless classic flavors.

The braised sea cucumber is tender, with a gelatinous texture that melts in the mouth, while the crispy scallions offer a subtle sweetness and a lingering savory aftertaste. The yellow croaker fillets are delicately infused with the mellow aroma of fermented rice wine.

Guangmingcun, meanwhile, is famous for long queues for fresh meat mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival, or for festive deli items during holidays.

As the year draws to a close, Guangmingcun encapsulates the authentic flavors of local Shanghai cuisine in its New Year's Eve feast. The braised crab with lotus leaf rice highlights the natural freshness of the crab, with the delicate fragrance of lotus leaves balancing the crab's inherent coolness, resulting in a warm and comforting dish.

The double-flavored baked shrimp features plump, fresh shrimp prepared with two distinct seasonings – one showcasing the clean taste of shrimp, and the other offering a unique, spicy kick of wasabi. The two flavors complement each other perfectly.