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Sightseeing
Guide to Sightseeing in Shanghai
Many of the attractions in
this dichotomous city are crammed into a fairly compact area west of
the Huangpu River, making sightseeing reasonably straightforward.
Expect to wander between skyscrapers and ancient temples, from
traditional Chinese tea shops to colonial Art Deco buildings.
Predictability is something that Shanghai doesn't do.
Walk the Bund
 One of Shanghai's most historical streets, the Bund (or Zhongshan
Lu) stretches along the west bank of the Huangpu river, and has an
air of space and freedom about it.
First built by the British after the 19th-century Opium Wars, on a
muddy embankment by the river, the Bund gradually gained status as
the "foreign street" of Shanghai where companies and consulates from
all over the world set up shop, giving it a cosmopolitan atmosphere
as well as a large cash injection.
Many of the Art Deco colonial buildings from the 1930s remain and
you could be forgiven for thinking that you've been temporarily
transported to Europe. One of the most architecturally impressive
edifices here is the former Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank at number
14, now the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank.
The most amazing views of the skyscrapers of the modern Pudong
district can be seen across the river, especially at night. For
maximum enjoyment, take a ferry (Duration 10 minutes. Tickets:
CNY0.50. Nearest metro Lujiazui) from Pudong to the south end of the
Bund, taking in the view first and then visiting some of the old
buildings.
People's
Square (Renmin Guangchang)
 Formerly a racecourse, this 140,000 square metre area was converted
into a city square after the war and serves as a central park, where
locals and tourists converge to escape the madness of Shanghai's
streets for a few hours.
Surrounding the verdant foliage and fountain are the handsome
buildings of the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Grand Theatre, Municipal
Government Mansions and Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall,
giving the place a somewhat grander feel than an ordinary park
Getting there: People's Square station, metro line 1 and 2.
Shanghai
Museum
 Situated on the southern side of People's Square is the visually
striking and totally modern Shanghai Museum designed according to
ancient Chinese philosophy, the square base of the building
symbolising the earth and the round upper part, the sky.
Inside is one of the best displays of traditional Chinese art and
artefacts in the country. The permanent collection consists of over
120,000 items including intricately carved seals, jade jewellery,
antique furniture and bronze as well as impressive collections of
ceramics, Chinese paintings, calligraphy, sculpture and some
fascinating artefacts from minority tribes. The museum also holds
regular temporary exhibitions.
Open: Sun-Fri 09h00-17h00 (until 20h00 Sat).
Admission: CNY60 for museum, art gallery and theatre; CNY40 for
museum and theatre. Audio tours are also available in various
languages.
Lu-Xun (Hongkou)
Park
 As well as being a pleasant place to enjoy some (relative) peace and
quiet, a visit to the large Lu-Xun Park in the north of the city is
a great way of witnessing a fascinating slice of Shanghai life.
Seemingly a cross-section of the entire population comes here to
relax or play, from the tots causing havoc in the children's
playground (many of them dressed up to the nines at weekends for
their day out) to groups of ageing men practising the slow, graceful
moves of tai-chi or exercising on basic aerobics machines installed
in the park (in what looks like a playground for the over-60s).
For foreign visitors the most entertaining sight has to be the
groups of retired musicians and singers who seem to crop up on every
corner playing traditional Chinese songs - imagine the Chinese
equivalent of a pub knees-up in the middle of Hyde Park and you get
the general idea.
The park also famously houses the Lu-Xun Museum and Burial Tomb.
Admission: CNY8. Getting there: Bus 21 from near the Bund, or the
Pearl line metro to Hongkou stadium station.
Lu-Xun Museum
 Lu-Xun (1881-1936) is nationally revered as one of the greatest
20th-century Chinese writers and indeed the father of modern Chinese
literature.
Among his most famous works are "A Madman's Diary" and "The True
Story of Ah Q". The museum showcases his life and work, a must for
Lu-Xun fans, but also of interest to anyone wanting to learn more
about modern Chinese literature. The museum shop sells his works in
Chinese and English, as well as those of other modern Chinese
authors.
Open: daily 09h00-16h00.
Admission: CNY8 (including entrance to the park), adults; CNY2,
students.
Jade Buddha
Temple
 Arguably the most beautiful temple in Shanghai, the Jade Buddha
Temple, or Yufo Si, is a Buddhist sanctuary, built in 1882 and still
very much in use. The two Buddha statues brought from Burma for
which the temple is famed - one seated, the other reclining - are
quite stunning, made from an unusual, almost translucent white jade,
giving them an appropriately other-worldly appearance.
There is an almost palpable sense of serenity in the temple complex
(unless your visit coincides with a large tour group, which
unfortunately is often unavoidable - it's best to get here first
thing in the morning to avoid the crowds), with monks wandering
around, the air thick with incense, a stark contrast to the modern,
bustling city outside its doors.
It's claimed that this well-loved temple only escaped destruction by
the Red Guards during the 1960s Cultural Revolution due to the
quick-thinking Abbot, who bolted the doors and covered them with
pictures of Chairman Mao, which the Red Guards didn't dare touch.
Corner of Jiangning Lu and Anyuan Lu in north-west Shanghai.
Nearest metro: Shanghai station (line 1 and Pearl line), about 1km
away.
Open: 08h00-17h00.
Admission: CNY20.
Longhua Temple
 Longhua Temple is one of the oldest in Shanghai, first founded in
the third century, though rebuilt several times since.
It is also the largest and its extensive grounds are home to an
attractive pagoda and the Longhua Revolutionary Martyrs' Park and
Museum. A half-day spent in this tranquil area will give a very
different perspective on Shanghai, normally known for its
cosmopolitan and sinful past.
2853 Longhua West Lu, in southwest Shanghai.
Nearest metro: Longcao Lu (Pearl line) or Shanghai stadium (Line 1).
Open: 06h00-16h30.
Admission: CNY10.
Nanjing Lu
Popular with Chinese tourists and extremely crowded at the weekends,
the pedestrianised stretch of Nanjing Lu from Henan Zhong Lu to
People's Square is one of the main shopping streets of Shanghai and
a good place to come if you want to see modern Shanghai in action.
This Mecca to consumerism is home to some of the oldest department
stores of the city as well as plenty of sparkling new, trendy shops
and fast food restau rants selling anything from burgers to chop suey.
If all the shopping tires your legs out you can catch one of the
electric carts riding up and down the street or if you're determined
to walk and wear out your shoe leather, this is a good place to buy
a cheap replacement pair of shoes (small feet only).
Pudong Financial District
The showcase of Shanghai's modernisation drive, the Pudong district,
just across the river from the Bund, is the holder of all the
"tallest", "biggest" and "newest" titles in Shanghai. The area that
has seen such rapid growth in recent years is now a serious
high-rise mini-city. Its most famous building is the Pearl TV Tower,
which, at 468m high, is the tallest television tower in Asia and
offers superb panoramic views of the city from its observation deck.
Just nearby is the equally gargantuan Jin Mao building, a sleek,
modern edifice using aspects of traditional Chinese design. Once the
fourth highest building in the world it houses restaurants, bars and
the Grand Hyatt Hotel as well as its own observation area.
Further out to the east is Century Park, Shanghai's largest
open-space, made up of grasslands, forests and lakes. Take note that
various activities often associated with trips to the park are
prohibited, including playing football, flying kites, walking dogs,
or being "improperly dressed" and offenders are reprimanded under
the "Shanghai Environmental Sanitation Management ". You've been
warned.
Pearl TV Tower:
Open: daily 08h30-21h30.
Tel: +86 (0)21-5879-1888.
Admission: CNY50 (upper sphere); CNY100 space module.
Century Park:
Open: daily 07h00-18h00.
Jin Mao building Open: daily 08h30-22h00.
Admission: CNY50.
Yuyuan Area
and the Yu Gardens
 You can't miss the souvenir, jewellery and antique shops in the
Yuyuan area of the city, which has a something of an old-world feel.
And it's worth having some tea at the famous Huxinting Tea House
nearby, overpriced but very atmospheric. The undoubted highlight of
this part of town is the classical Qing Dynasty Yu Gardens with
their pavilions and ponds linked by a maze of bridges, originally
built between 1559 and 1577 for the Pan family, rich Ming Dynasty
officials.
Though this district fell casualty to the devastation of the Opium
War of 1842 and the Boxer Rebellion, the gardens have been
faithfully restored, providing a place to escape the maddening
crowds (won't work on a weekend).
Yuyuan Shangcheng, Yuyuan Lu, South of the Bund close to the
junction of Henan South Lu and Fangbang Central Lu.
Gardens open: daily 08h30-16h30.
Admission: CNY35.
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