Shanghai Attractions: What to See in Shanghai

The Bund, 1.5 km in length, is considered as the embodiment of Shanghai for a long time. Here, you can admire the Pudong skyline on the east; on the west side there are many beautiful old buildings from the colonial era. Honored as a “World Architectural Fair”, including all kinds of buildings like the gothic style, the baroque style, the roman style, the classical style, the renaissance style and the combination of Chinese and western style. It is a romantic place for loves. The breathtaking night views when buildings on both side of the river are all lit up could hold your breath.

Nanjing Road, about 5.5 kilometers long, is the main shopping street of Shanghai. It comprises two sections, Nanjing Road East and Nanjing Road West. Nanjing Road East was pre-1945 Nanjing Road, extending from The Bund west to People’s Square. Nanjing Road West is from People’s Square and extends western towards to Jing’an District. With a walk along Nanjing Road, you’ll not only see the middle-end and high-ends brands and do some shopping, but also feel the special charm of Shanghai’s modern metropolitan style.

Being a new landmark of Shanghai in 21st Century, the 468 meter-high Oriental Pearl TV Tower is the highest in Asia and the third highest in the world. Within the tower are multiple observation decks, a revolving restaurants and shops. It faces the Bund across the Huangpu River. And the Shanghai Municipal History Museum is located at the base of the tower. For the tower creates an admirable image, it is described in an ancient Chinese verse as: large and small pearls dropping on a plate of jade.

First established in 1577 Ming Dynasty, Yuyuan Garden is not only a famous classical garden in South China, but also a major historic and cultural site under state protection. It is made up six scenic areas: Grand Rockery (features peaks, cliffs and gorges), Heralding Spring Hall, Inner Garden (ornamental ponds and pavilions), Jade Magnificent Hall, Lotus Pool and the Ten Thousand Flowers Tower.

Jade Buddha Temple with a history of more than 100 years was built in the reign of Guangxu. It was said that a huigen monk from Putuo Mountain in Zhejiang Province, welcomed five jade Buddha statues of different sizes from Burma. When he passed Shanghai, he left two jades statues of Sakyamuni, one of which in a sitting position and the other reclining. Many ancient statues, paintings and a set of Buddhist scripture-dazangjing, printed in the Qing Dynasty and more than 7000 Buddhist scriptures are kept in the temple, representing a major collection of Buddhist scripture.

Located on People’s Square, Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center is a six-story building, with two basement levels, which displays Shanghai’s urban planning and development. Entering the exhibition center, you’ll see the huge scale model of the city of Shanghai, showing all existing and approved buildings. There is a small theater room housing a 360° screen. By viewing of the video, visitors could have a general idea of the future of Shanghai.

Jinmao Tower is the second largest building in China (the tallest building is its neighbor, the Shanghai World Financial Center). With both modern and traditional characteristic, Jinmao Tower is a symbol and landmark in Shanghai.

The tower covers an area of 23000 square meters, with 3 stories underground, 88 stories above the ground and 6-story skirt-shaped rooms. Within the tower, there are office buildings, Jingmao Kaiyue Hotel and sightseeing hall. The 88th story sightseeing hall is the largest sightseeing hall in China at present. Visitors could have a broad view of the grand metropolitan scenery along the Huangpu River. The two lifts running at 9.1 meters a second may take tourist from the first floor underground to the 88th sightseeing hall in 45 seconds. You may appreciate the rosy dawn and sunset in the Sightseeing Hall.

Shanghai Museum is mainly a museum for ancient arts with a collection of more than 12000 rare cultural pieces. Among the holding of the Museum many item are superlative works of art and are unique in the entire country. At present it is divided into ten sections. These are: ancient Chinese bronzes, sculpture, ceramics, jades, seals, calligraphy, coin and currency, paintings, Ming and Qing-dynasty furniture, and crafts of China's national minorities. The museum also has a library collection of more than 200,000 books on Chinese art and history.

The building itself is a work of art, incorporating the ancient Chinese principles of Feng Shui, and is said to resemble an ancient Chinese cooking port from a distance.

Xintiandi, the New Heaven and Earth in Chinese, is an area providing an interesting window on Shanghai’s yesterday, today and tomorrow. It becomes a new landmark for Shanghai where tradition and modernity meet. Xintiandi is composed of traditional mid-19th century Shikumen houses and houses served as book stores, cafes and restaurants and shopping malls. It is a good place for cafe, dining, shopping, entertainment and leisure exploration.

Tianzifang, located in French Concession area, has become a popular tourist destination in Shanghai. It is an example of preservation of local Shikumen architecture, with some similarities to Xintiandi.

Tianzfang, hidden from the neighboring streets, is known for small craft stores, coffee shops, trendy art studios and narrow alleys. Visitors need to walk about 50m through the local residential houses including bicycles, hanging laundry etc. and get access to the commercial developed area.