Things to Do in Shanghai

Shanghai’s Old French Concession, an area once leased to the French in the Luwan and Xuhui districts of the city, is a reminder of an older Shanghai. The visitor-friendly area is packed full of beautiful colonial mansions and hotels dating back to the first three decades of the twentieth century. The French took control of the area in 1849, but it wasn’t until the 1920s when the neighborhood reached its peak of popularity as one of Shanghai’s most elite neighborhoods.

When you walk through the heart of the area on the tree-lined streets between Julu Road and Huaihai Road, you’ll find a collection of nicer restaurants and boutique shops occupying the surviving historic structures alongside Shanghai locals going about their day to day life. The French Concession is a good place to grab some food as there are so many choices; you’ll find almost everything here from Indian to French, Spanish and Thai food.

A few of the French Concession’s historic buildings now house museums, including Sun Yat-sen’s Former Residence and Zhou Enlai’s Former Residence. Both are inexpensive and will give you a better understanding of the history of the neighborhood and the city.

The Huangpu River, extending over 71 miles (113 kilometers), flows through the middle of Shanghai’s, dividing the city into two parts – Pudong to the east and Puxi to the west. The port where the river empties into the East China Sea has now become the largest port in China and in 2012 became the world’s busiest container port.

Walking along the Huangpu River juxtaposes the colonial buildings of Old Shanghai with the towering, ultramodern skyscrapers that now dominate the skyline. While it’s possible to experience the Huangpu River from the banks with a walk along the Bund, the best way to see both sides is on a river cruise.

Most cruises start from the Bund and go upstream before turning south towards the Yangpu bridge. Boats depart throughout the day, but after the sun sets and the buildings to either side of the river light up, the Shanghai skyline becomes even more impressive than usual.

Pudong, the area of Shanghai east of the Huangpu River, is home to many of Shanghai’s most famous modern buildings. Formerly an agricultural area, Pudong is now Shanghai’s financial district and commercial hub -- a stark contrast to the colonial buildings of the Bund just across the river.

Pudong’s skyline includes notable buildings like the Oriental Pearl Radio and TV tower, Jinmao Tower Observatory, Shanghai Ocean Aquarium and the International Convention Center. Pudong New Area is also home to Century Park, the largest park in the city, as well as some of Shanghai’s best shopping opportunities, like Nanjing Road.

Before visiting Pudong, take a walk along the Bund for the best views of the iconic Shanghai skyline across the river. Once you’ve crossed over, set aside some time to ride to the top of the Oriental Pearl Tower, the 1,535-foot (468-meter) tall space age building that stands out among the other skyscrapers of Shanghai. Within you’ll find an observation floor, shopping mall, revolving restaurant and the Shanghai History Museum in the basement.

Since its opening in 2000, the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel has become one of Shanghai’s most popular attractions among domestic tourists. Contrary to what the name would have you believe, you won’t be seeing any of the Bund’s sights when you ride the automated subway car from the Bund beneath the Huangpu River to Pudong on the other side.

This rather bewildering by nonetheless entertaining trip takes less than five minutes, and along the way, you’ll experience a bizarre LED light show with menacing sound effects and random flailing blowup dolls to complete the trippy experience. If you need to get across the river, taking a cab might be the cheaper option, but the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel is certainly more entertaining, if not perplexing.