Shanghai boasts an abundance of shopping options, ranging from popular tourist destinations like Tianzifang, Nanjing West Road, and Xintiandi, to lesser-known markets that promise unique finds and unbeatable bargains.
Join us as we unveil a curated list of Shanghai street markets, ensuring an unforgettable shopping experience in Shanghai.
1. Wenmiao Book Market 文庙旧书市场
Wenmiao Temple, located on Wenmiao Street close to Yuyuan Garden, is Shanghai’s only Confucian site in the city center. It’s also where the city’s first second-hand book market was located.
The Wen Miao book market is perhaps the biggest open-air second-hand book fair in Shanghai. With 50 stalls, it’s perfect for spending an entire day hunting for budget-friendly books.
Although it’s not as crowded as it once was, the market still offers a great selection of incredibly cheap novels, periodicals, catalogs, brochures, children’s books, and foreign language titles (although you may need to do some digging). And for those feeling nostalgic, there are also old photos, diaries, and comic strips to explore.
Address: 215 Wenmiao Road, Huangpu District 文庙路215号
2. Yuyuan Old Street 豫园老街
Shanghai Yuyuan Market, also referred to as Yuyuan Bazaar, is a lively marketplace situated in the historic Old Street (Chenghuangmiao) district.
Built in 1907, Yuyuan Old Street boasts a collection of antique buildings adorned with distinctive national characteristics, stretching over 100 meters. The street is lined with an array of shops, including Jewelry shops, boutique shops, local food restaurants, and local specialties shops.
Drawing in approximately 200,000 visitors daily, this destination is a bustling hub for both shopping and dining. The market boasts a wide variety of goods, including chopsticks, traditional Chinese medicine, fans, silk umbrellas, bamboo furniture, pottery, and much more.
Address: 238 Fuyou Road, Yuyuan Street, Huangpu District 黄浦区豫园街道福佑路238号
3. Dongtai Road Antique Market 东台路古玩街
Shanghai Dongtai Road Antique Market, located near the Old City, is a bustling street market filled with outdoor vendors offering a variety of items such as igurines of Mao and Buddha, buttons from the 1950s, old poster reprints, calligraphy brushes, antique (or antique-looking) porcelain dishes, jewelry, ashtrays, pipes, lanterns.
Address: 8 Dongtai Road, Jing’an District 静安区东台路8号
4. Qiujiang Road Electronic Market 虬江路电子市场
This market is renowned as Shanghai’s largest electronic flea market, famous for its affordability and extensive selection. In fact, if you can’t find it here at Qiujiang Road Market, you won’t find it anywhere else in the city. With three main sections—New Qiujiang Electronic Mart, Haizheng Digital Square, and Shanghai Acoustic City—this market offers a vast array of products to suit every need.
Address: 500-526 Qiujiang Road, Hongkou District 虹口区虬江路500-526号
5. Painter’s Street 文定路画家街
This street is a treasure trove for anyone in search of affordable replicas of well-known art pieces and more. Here, you’ll find rows of artists meticulously crafting multiple copies of requested items. If you have something particular in mind that you’d like replicated, this is the perfect destination.
Address: 212 Wending Road 212文定路
6. Muslim Street Market 清真一条街
This street food market in Shanghai is truly one-of-a-kind and full of excitement. Every Friday afternoon, the Muslim community in Shanghai gathers outside Huxi Mosque to cook traditional Middle Eastern dishes. It’s a lively scene with Uyghur samsa, delicious pastries filled with lamb, and naan bread baking in the ovens. The aroma of juicy kebabs grilling adds to the atmosphere. The mosque itself is a stunning attraction, welcoming tourists to explore its ornate halls and beautiful architecture.
Address: Zhejiang Zhong Road, Huangpu District 黄浦区浙江中路
7. Caojiadu Flower Market 曹家渡花鸟市场
Located on Wanhangdu Road opposite the Caojiadu Catholic Church of Saint Michael, the flower market is one of the largest and liveliest of its kind in the entire Yangtze River Delta.
The Caojiadu Flower Market offers a wide variety of fresh and artificial flowers at more affordable prices compared to other florists in the city. This market is especially vibrant during Lunar New Year when it beautifully decorates its stalls and offers festive bouquets.
Address: 33 Wanhangdu Hou Road, Changning District 长宁区万航渡后路33号
8. 50 Moganshan Road Art Community M50 创意园区
Nestled along the Suzhou Creek is a bustling artists’ quarter, centered around No. 50 Moganshan Road, famously known as the Shanghai M50 Art Community. Once an industrial textile mill, this area has been revitalized into a dynamic complex housing galleries, studios, and creative spaces, along with quaint cafes and eateries. It’s the premier destination to discover Shanghai’s top contemporary artists and emerging talents alike.
Address: 50 Moganshan Road, Putuo District 普陀区莫干山路50号
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