Shanghai can only be described as being a city filled with superlatives. There are 24 million people living there, which makes it the largest city in the entire country and even the world. The fastest passenger train is present and it can reach 430 kilometers per hour and you can find the Shanghai Tower, which is the second tallest of all the world’s buildings. Hundreds of thousands of people go to Shanghai every year with Cathay Pacific flights to enjoy countless tourist sites, with the following being among the top anyone can experience.
The Bund
The Bund is where you can see some of the most spectacular views Shanghai has to offer. It is close to the beautiful Huangpu River, a waterfront promenade place lined with hotels, restaurants, and buildings from the colonial era. We can say this is a great place for sightseers and people looking to take great pictures. Take a stroll and then you can even experience a Huangpu river cruise so you see even more incredible views.
Xintiandi – Tianzifang
These are two lovely, trendy neighborhoods located in the Shanghai French Concession area. They are filled with restaurants, boutique shops, and bars. The reason why Tianzifang is popular among tourists is that it has some beautiful Shikumen buildings and narrow streets. In Xintiandi, you can enjoy another fantastic pedestrian-friendly experience. The neighborhood is more modern and still lively, right in the middle of Shanghai. These two together showcase the French influence the city has, which is something few tourists even know about. But, you can fully experience it with a visit.
Yu Garden
The Yu Garden is an incredible classic Chinese architecture display. It is located to the south of the above-mentioned Bund and is practically a connection of shops, rockeries, and ponds, all in a bazaar that is 100% Chinese-style.
The garden is older than you might think as it was initially inaugurated in the 1500s. This was during the Ming Dynasty years. You can find several souvenirs when you visit so you can take them home to your family.
Nanjing Road
Shanghai’s most important pedestrian street is Nanjing Road. It is also a very busy shopping street, one of the busiest in the entire world. It covers a distance of 5 kilometers between Bund and Jing’an. You want to visit because it contains several high-end restaurants, hotels, and shops. And there are hundreds of such places to experience.
On Nanjing Road, you can also find many historic shops that have their roots way back in time, during the Qing Dynasty. This includes jewelry, medicine, and clock boutiques.
The only problem with the street is that it is often very busy. This is especially the case during weekends and holidays. If you want to avoid crowds, the best thing you can do is visit when it is lunchtime, which is noon to 1 PM.
Oriental Pearl Tower
We are talking about a television and radio tower that is instantly iconic when you look at the skyline of Shanghai. It has a height of 468 meters (this is 1,535 feet). The main purpose of the tower is that of an observation deck, a hotel, and a broadcasting center. It is very important that you book in advance and you do it online when you want to experience the observation decks. This is because they get really busy and you do need an appointment as a result.
Shanghai Museum
If you want to experience Chinese art in a way that you never did before, there is a very good possibility you will be able to do this at the lovely Shanghai Museum. It is a free museum located in the People’s Square and you can visit in order to better understand the rich culture and ancient civilization of China.
There are way over 120,000 artifacts you can see in the Shanghai Museum. This includes bronzeware, paintings, and sculptures. As a result, everyone interested in Chinese history and art should absolutely visit the astonishing Shanghai Museum.
Jade Buddha Temple
This temple is located in Anyuan Lu. It houses 2 Shakyamuni statues. They are important because Huigen monks brought them there from Burma. The building you see now was erected in the year 1928 in order to replace the 1882 original temple. It is now divided into two courtyards and three halls.
If you have limited time available to visit, the top thing to see is the Hall of the Kings Of Heaven (locally known as Tian Wang Dian). There are some beautiful statues here presenting the heavenly kings and there are also two Shakyamuni sculptures present. One of the statues is close to 2 meters high and is made out of white jade. You find it in Wentang Main hall, which is also the place where several Buddhist manuscripts are kept. You can find the smaller of the statues in the courtyard to the west.
If you have a little more time, you can also consider Daxiong Baodian (Hall of the Great Hero). It presents Buddhas of 3 ages and 18 remarkable Luohan figures.
Jing’an Temple
Last but not least, another Buddhist temple complex you do want to experience is Jing’an Temple. It was built close to 800 years ago. When you go inside, you can find several Chinese traditional structures, monks who bring the entire temple to life, and several white jaded halls. You can also see the largest of the sitting Buddha statues made out of jade in the entire country.
What is interesting is that this temple is actually surrounded by skyscrapers and shopping malls. It is historic and instantly stands out as a contrast to the bustling and modern side of Shanghai.
As you can instantly notice, Shanghai has a lot to offer. As expected, you can see several items and locations connected to China’s past and art. And there are also several other attractions that will cater to practically all the needs you might have. On the whole, Shanghai is a very busy city with so much more to offer than what you initially thought. You will definitely love it.
