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Travel Guides: Shanghai
General Information
Shanghai, home to almost 12-million people, is China's largest city and is situated in the centre of the coastline where the Yangtze River flows through its delta into the East China Sea. The name of the city means 'on the sea', and most of the city (including Chongming Island) is only a few metres above sea level, criss-crossed by a maze of natural waterways of the Taihu drainage basin.
Shanghai is China's industrial and commercial capital. It is a busy seaport, and a science and technology centre, and has a vibrant business community. Visitors come to Shanghai not for its scenic beauty or history (the city is too young to have cultivated a classical heritage), but those who arrive on business can find plenty of off-duty entertainment and relaxation. Just walking the busy streets and soaking up the vibrant atmosphere is worthwhile, and there are some temples and gardens to visit along with an excellent museum.
This great cosmopolitan metropolis has a colourful colonial background which had the edge rubbed off of it during half a century of Communist rule. It was the first Chinese coastal port to be opened to Western trade in 1843, resulting in an influx of British, French and American diplomats and business interests, each of which established their own independent enclaves. In the 1920s and 30s Shanghai was regarded as a glamorous, decadent and fashionable place to visit. It all ended with World War II and the coming to power of the Communist party, but since the early 1990s a dramatic re-building programme has been underway which is aimed at putting Shanghai back on the map as a major international finance and trade centre. The World Financial Centre, completed in 2008, is one of the tallest buildings of them all and the world's tallest hotel.
Getting Around
Taxis are the preferred mode of transport for visitors in Shanghai. The metered Volkswagen cabs in primary colours are easy to identify and plentiful. The smaller, older cars are generally cheaper. All can be hailed on the street or booked by telephone. Self-driving in a rental car is not a good option in the teeming tangle of streets, and visitors are required to submit their driver's license in order to obtain a license, which will be given back on leaving the country. Many visitors opt to join the city's estimated seven million cyclists and rent bicycles from their hotels or one of the numerous hire shops in the city. To cover longer distances the Shanghai subway, costing just a few cents a ride, is the perfect solution, covering the downtown area. It is still being extended, ultimately to connect to the airports. Public buses are extremely cheap, but very uncomfortable and inconvenient, being hot, crowded, unreliable and preyed on by pickpockets.
Activities
Hangzhou, Shanghai
Hangzhou, about 120 miles (190km) south of Shanghai, is one of China's designated seven famous ancient capital cities. It is also the provincial capital of Zhejiang province. Known for its scenic beauty it has been tagged 'Paradise on Earth'. Hangzhou touts two scenic resorts: the West Lake and another section encompassing the Fuchun River and Thousand-Islet Lake. These resorts are dotted with 'willow pattern' scenes like weeping willows, peach trees, stone bridges, rockeries and painted pavilions, interspersed with ancient tombs, monasteries and temples.
Yuyuan Gardens, Shanghai
The Yuyuan Gardens date back to 1559 to the Ming Dynasty, and are the best example of Chinese classical gardens in Shanghai. The relatively small gardens are laid out in an intricate design with pavilions, rockeries, ponds and a traditional theatre arranged in an ornate maze. The gardens are on Yuyuan Street in downtown Shanghai and can be reached via the Town God Temple Market, a warren of shops and stalls that is becoming increasingly popular as a tourist bazaar.
Shanghai Museum, Shanghai
The new Shanghai Museum is situated on the People's Square, the political and cultural centre of Shanghai. The square itself boasts a giant musical fountain and some attractive green recreational areas where locals dance and fly kites. It is surrounded by the City Hall, an underground shopping centre and the Grand Shanghai Theatre. It is the Shanghai Museum, opened in 1996, however, that draws the most interest. The building is shaped like a giant bronze urn, and the museum contains a collection of 123,000 cultural artefacts in 21 categories. Chief among the museum's collections are bronze ware, ceramics, calligraphy and art works.
Getting There:
Bus 46, 71, 123, 574
Opening Times:
Daily 9am to 5pm
Admission:
Free
The Bund, Shanghai
The picturesque Bund, Shanghai's waterfront promenade stretching for one mile (2km) along the bank of the Huangpu River, was once the most famous street in Asia, and is still renowned for its strip of Art Deco buildings. One of the grandest of these buildings, formerly the City Communist Party headquarters, is now the home of the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank. The wide riverfront promenade on the east bank of the river provides a captivating view of Shanghai, particularly at night. From the Bund visitors can take a river trip down the Huangpu to the mouth of the Yangtse. Boats leave regularly from the Shiliupu Pier south of the Bund and the trip takes about three hours.
Events
Shanghai Chinese New Year
New Year starts with a bang in Shanghai, where exuberant and exceedingly loud fireworks displays rock the city all night long on this, China's most merry of celebrations. Not everyone appreciates the scale of the fireworks, but traditionally the noise is necessary to frighten off evil spirits for the coming year. During the national holiday the Bund and clubs throughout the city are thronged with revellers, making for a city-wide party. In 2008 the Year of the Rat begins.
Date:
23 February 2011
Venue:
Throughout the city
Shanghai Tourism Festival
The massive Shanghai Tourism Festival showcases not only all the city has to offer visitors, but is the perfect event for locals and foreigners to discover the fascinating Chinese culture and history. The opening ceremony takes the form of a grand-scale parade of floats and international performance troupes telecast live to the whole country. Millions of locals and visitors participate in the hundreds of events and activities presented at the festival ranging from Chinese cooking classes and bicycle tours to fireworks displays.
Date:
10 September to 31 October 2011
Venue:
Various
China Shanghai International Arts Festival
Shanghai becomes the focus of arts fundis during the month-long festival hosted by the Ministry of Culture annually since 1999. The varied programme features more than 150 performances covering everything from symphony orchestras, dance, and opera to acrobatics, magic and drama. Allied events are an international piano competition, magic festival and contest, an Asia music festival and an arts and crafts fair.
Date:
27 September to 27 October 2011
Venue:
Various sites throughout the city
Moon Festival
One of China's most beloved cultural celebrations is the Moon Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival, marking the end of the harvest season. Main symbol of the festival is the baking and eating of Moon Cakes: round pastries with sweet fillings. In Shanghai the favourite filling is red bean paste. Houses are decorated with coloured animal-shaped paper lanterns and altars are piled with round fruits to symbolise the shape of the moon. The evening is spent moon-gazing and enjoying the company of family, before enjoying a feast at midnight.
Date:
12 September 2011
Chinese F1 Grand Prix
A new circuit in the Formula One Grand Prix, Shanghai's International Circuit welcomes the deafening noise, prestige, speed and the very best in motor racing that comes with such a spectacle.
Date:
April 2012 TBA
Venue:
Shanghai International Circuit
Restaurants
The Camel
If you're looking for a sports bar in Shanghai where you can have a pint and watch the game, The Camel is the best place in town. The restaurant is broken up into three viewing areas, so multiple games can be seen simultaneously on the 14 flat-screen televisions. The menu is standard gastropub, serving classics like fish and chips, steak, burgers and pies, and there's a good selection of beers and cocktails to go with them.
Address:
1 Yue Yang Road (near Dong Ping Road)
Din Tai Fung
This Shanghai restaurant serves Chinese staples like wonton soup, sweet-smoky fried fish and braised bamboo shoots, but what it's known for is the best xiao long bao(steamed soup buns) in the city. They're roughly ten times what you'd pay at a street stall, but most who have tried them say they're worth it! Located in the Super Brand Mall, the walls are covered in watercolour sketches of famous Chinese celebrities. Din Tai Fung is a child-friendly restaurant, and even has special Mickey Mouse cutlery for kids.
Address:
Super Brand Mall, Xitiandi
Lost Heaven
Lost Heaven borrows a bit from nearly every country in Asia when creating its mouth-watering dishes. Traditional Yunan methods combine with Thai spices and Vietnamese ideas to create a special experience for visitors to Shanghai. Located on a quiet road, the rooftop lounge offers a relaxed place to enjoy a drink, as well as terrific views of the Shanghai skyline.
Address:
38 Gaoyou Rd (south of West Fuxing Rd)
Stiller's Restaurant and Cooking School
Stiller's Restaurant is the most popular place in Shanghai to find fabulous European food. Whether it's cheeses from France or wines from Germany, the food is authentic European with a German twist. Located on the seventh floor of a building in the 'Cool Docks' area of Shanghai, the rooftop lounge has one of the best views in the city.
Address:
7th floor, Building 13, 505 Zhong Shan Nan Road, The Cool
Docks
