Best Time to Visit Songjiang

Spring and autumn: the sweet spots

April is Excellent here, and May and March are Good. Days warm up from cool to comfortable, and you can walk all day without sweating through your shirt. It still rains on about eleven days a month, so a small umbrella is part of the kit. October is our top pick, with the least rain of the warm months (eight wet days) and mild evenings. November also rates Excellent, and it's a bit cooler and calmer.

These months suit the Songjiang sights best. You can stroll the old Fangta Garden (Fangta Yuan), look up at the Square Pagoda (Xingshengjiao Pagoda), and wander the Ming-era Zuibaichi Garden without a hot sun on your neck. Songjiang is also known for the Sheshan hill area, with its hilltop basilica, which is a pleasant walk in cool air.

Summer: hot, wet and sticky

June to August are all rated Poor. June is the wettest month, with 207 mm over 17 days. July and August are the hottest, tied at a 32°C high and a 26°C low, so nights don't cool down much. The air feels heavy, and showers can arrive fast.

If you come anyway, plan indoor stops for the afternoon and save gardens for the morning or after a storm. Travelling with kids? Summer holidays run through July and August, so expect more local families at attractions. The upside is that the city is easy to reach by Metro Line 9 from central Shanghai, so you can dip in for a half day and escape the heat. Early September stays warm and damp, and it rates Fair.

Winter: quiet, grey and cold

December is Good, with the least rain of the year (42 mm) and a touch more sun. January and February are Fair. Highs sit around 9 to 11°C, and lows get close to freezing. It's damp cold, which feels sharper than the numbers suggest, and homes and some older buildings aren't well heated.

If you hate crowds, this is your window. Gardens are quiet, and a bowl of hot noodles or local Songjiang perch dishes feels earned. Chinese New Year, which falls in late January or February, is the big exception. Many shops and restaurants close for a few days as families travel home, so check opening times for anywhere you really want to visit. The Mid-Autumn Festival in September or early October brings mooncakes and family gatherings, and it fits neatly with a trip in early autumn.