Best things to do in Shanghai
Find out more about those top places in Shanghai
The city of Shanghai needs no introduction; it is one of those cities that is on every traveler’s “list of countries to visit”. Located on the Yangtze River Delta, it is one of the four municipalities of the central government of the People’s Republic of China. Often described as the “showpiece” of the Chinese economy, it is the most populous city in the world with over 26.3 million people.
What make Shanghai so special is its proper blend of ancient and modern architecture. On one side you have the architectural structures of ancient times like the Longhua Temple, then on the other you have various modern skyscrapers like the Shanghai Tower.
The city is a must for anyone interested in visiting China and even Asia as a whole.
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Shanghai Tower
Completed on the 6th of September 2014 the Shanghai tower is the tallest building in China and second tallest in the world. Designed by Jun Xia an architect from the design firm Gensler, it is a 128–story building. Tourists are known to visit the building to have a bird’s eye view of the city from its observation deck and to enter the World’s second fastest elevator found inside the Tower.
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The Bund
One of the famous sites of Shanghai is The Bund. Adored by tourists and locals alike, The Bund is a stretch of colonial buildings along the west bank of Huangpu River. Usually the starting point for most tourist visiting Shanghai for the first time, it features some attractions like the valentine (Lover’s) wall and The Astor House Museum. It also has sculptures littered around, most famous of all is the bronze statue of Chen Yi, who was the first Communist mayor of Shanghai.
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Yu Garden
Located beside the City God Temple, the garden was built in 1559 for Pan En by his son Pan Yunduan, and it is the only surviving Ming dynasty garden. The Garden occupies an area of 5 acres and is partitioned into six areas namely Sansui Hall, Wanhua Chamber, Diachun Hall, Huijing Hall, Yuhua Hall and Inner garden. Each of these areas are filled with their own personal attractions and are separated by a “dragon wall”. The exquisite garden is arguably the best place to relax and gather your thoughts in Shanghai.
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Shanghai Museum
China is a country of great history and a visit to the Shanghai Museum will certainly increase your knowledge about the nation. Located at the People’s Square in the Huangpu District, the Museum was established in 1952 and it is a major tourist site recording more than 2 million visitors in 2017. The museum features artifacts from different eras of China separated in eleven galleries. With over 120,000 pieces some items displayed include ancient coins, furniture, sculptures and paintings.
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Shanghai Maglev Train
Take a trip on the Shanghai Maglev Train the fastest commercial train in the world with a top speed of 431 km/h. The train is a display of the Chinese's technological advancement and it operates between the Longyang Road and Shanghai Pudong International Airport.
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Longhua Temple
Shanghai has several temples but the Longhua Temple is the largest and oldest in the city. The Buddhist temple was first built in 242 AD and occupies an area of 20,000 square meters. With its five main halls, the temple is one of Shanghai’s most sacred places. Only parts of the Longhua Temple are opened for public viewing.
