When roars from the grandstand erupted at the Shanghai International Circuit as Mercedes' 19-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli won his first Formula 1 race, the city felt the same excitement, as it embraced a flood of visitors by hosting this internationally renowned pinnacle of motorsport.
Over 230,000 people poured into the Shanghai International Circuit for the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix, the most since the race first came to China in 2004. As many as 79 percent of the spectators were non-Chinese Shanghai residents and 16 percent had traveled from overseas for the March 15 event.
Carmen Paclos, from Spain, was in Shanghai for the first time. Not only was she impressed by the "amazing atmosphere" of the race, but she also enjoyed a shopping spree in the city.
"We went to the business district and shopped at the Adidas store. There is so much cool Chinese stuff. I saw a lot of people wearing Chinese-style, red Adidas jackets, which I think they only sell in China. I really want to get one," she said, holding a local milk tea — also a must-try for visitors as deemed by travel guides.
The buzz even extended to Huangpu district in central Shanghai, which is 40 kilometers away from the Grand Prix circuit. The historical buildings, which feature traditional Chinese architecture, are an ideal subject for travel photography, a consumption model combining tourism, photography and cultural experiences that has gained rapid popularity among visitors.
Zheng Lingling works as a manager at a travel photography shop in Yuyuan Garden, a landmark spot in Huangpu district that embodies classical Chinese landscaping and bustling bazaars.
"Foreign visitors make up nearly 70 percent of our clients, mostly from Europe, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan and South Korea. Therefore, the price list is available in multiple languages," she said.
A love for Shanghai seems to be the consensus among those who have lived in or visited the city. The number of foreign visitors may serve as one indicator. The city received over 9.36 million inbound visitors last year, up 39.58 percent from 2024.
A more recent indicator is the 2026 list of the world's 50 best cities from the March 11 edition of the British city-culture magazine Time Out. Shanghai came in second overall, behind only Melbourne. Shanghai received the highest overall affordability score, with 88 percent of locals agreeing that it is cheap to eat out at restaurants and 90 percent saying the same for grabbing a coffee and going to the cinema. It was also ranked among the most cycle-friendly cities on the list, with 78 percent of local residents saying it is easy to get around on two wheels.
Now in its 10th edition, the Time Out annual ranking of the best global cities was first published in 2016. Surveying 150 cities worldwide and gathering feedback from over 24,000 respondents this year, the list evaluates 44 indicators, including food, culture, nightlife, affordability, happiness and overall atmosphere. Shanghai ranked 17th in the 2021 edition and rose to the ninth position last year.
Sammi Sowerby, a Time Out editor, said Shanghai's steady ascent on the list reflects the ongoing transition in the international community's understanding of China. Outdated perceptions are giving way to curiosity about China's culture, cities and innovation.
How Shanghai's historical architecture coexists with cross-disciplinary projects is one appeal of the city. For coffee lovers, Shanghai also satisfies the most discerning tastes, as it proudly possesses the highest number of coffee shops in the world, according to the China Urban Coffee Development Report 2024.
"You'll likely pass multiple specialty coffee counters on a single block, with each pushing increasingly creative concoctions," Sowerby said.
Official data from the municipal government shows that Shanghai was already home to 9,115 cafes by the end of 2024, overtaking New York, London and Tokyo.
For coffee aficionados, there is more to look forward to, as the Shanghai International Coffee Culture Festival will be held from April 30 to May 4 along the North Bund in the northeastern part of the city. Spanning 2.3 kilometers, the festival will offer more than the aroma of coffee. More than 300 brands specializing in camping, esports and even intangible cultural heritage will be present, as the organizers aim to bring comprehensive experiences combining culture, commerce and leisure.
Shanghai's Party secretary Chen Jining stressed in January that festivals and signature events held in the city should serve as key pivots to address the latest consumption trends and enrich consumption scenarios. Culture, business, sports and exhibitions should be further integrated so that the city can truly stand on the frontier of consumption, he said.
He Qi contributed to this story.
