Chinese Shanghai is the second most populous city not only in the Middle Kingdom, but also in the world. The largest seaport on the planet is located here, and Shanghai itself has long become an important financial and cultural center of the country. The answer to the question of what to see in Shanghai will certainly include many points: old authentic quarters full of exotic oriental charm; a modern business center with skyscrapers propping up the sky; shady parks, arranged according to all the laws of feng shui; colorful bustling markets, where antiques are still sold, and, of course, famous Chinese restaurants, where you will be offered to taste the best dishes of the national cuisine.
TOP 10 attractions in Shanghai
Oriental pearl
In the late 90s of the last century, a television tower appeared in Shanghai, which has become one of its most recognizable landmarks. It was called the Eastern Pearl, thanks to the eleven spherical elements that resemble precious gifts that have been born since ancient times by the East China Sea. The largest spheres are 50 and 45 meters in diameter. The upper one is connected to the lower one by means of three columns, the space between which is occupied by five small balls. Each of them contains the Space Hotel rooms.
The height of the Eastern Pearl is 468 meters, and the tower is ranked fifth in the rating of the tallest TV towers in the world.
Climbing the tower, you can look at Shanghai from above and dine at a restaurant. Its halls are located at an altitude of 267 m. The dance club in the karaoke bar is at a height of 270 meters, and the coffee shop is completely lost in the clouds.
At night, the Shanghai TV Tower is illuminated and looks especially futuristic.
Bund Bund
On the opposite bank of the Huangpu River, you will find the Bund, the name of which means "outer bank". This street is one of the most beautiful in the city. The Shanghai waterfront is home to colonial buildings dating back to the 19th and 20th centuries, and Bund is often referred to as the Museum of World Architecture. Special attention of tourists on the embankment of Shanghai will certainly be awarded to:
- Peace Hotel. It was built by Sir Victor Sassoon, known as "the master of half of Shanghai." Today, the hotel's café often hosts jazz music evenings, where famous world stars perform.
- In 1923, the HSBC Building appeared on Waitan, called the most luxurious building between the Bering Strait and the Suez Canal. It was built for the Hong Kong-Shanghai Banking Corporation and is now the headquarters of Pudong Development Bank.
- The clock, surprisingly reminiscent of London's Big Ben, can be seen at the Shanghai Customs mansion. The building was built in 1927.
A total of 52 magnificent examples of architectural styles of baroque, neoclassicism, bozar and, of course, art deco are collected on the Bund. Unsurprisingly, the beautiful street has become the city's most popular tourist area.
Yu Yuan Garden
The Chinese are great masters of landscape design, and the Yu Yuan Garden in the old part of the city only confirms this. Even just hearing the name of the magnificent park, visitors tune in to a special contemplative mood, and the "Garden of Leisurely Rest" does not disappoint its guests.
Its first owner was the treasurer Yunduan, who lived in the Ming era. In 1559, the official decided to build in Shanghai an analogue of the imperial garden of Beijing, in order to please his father. His plans were not destined to come true due to the beginning of financial problems, and only the new owners were able to bring the matter to mind in 1709.
The most beautiful alleys lead guests to the openwork carved pavilions in the oriental style. There are flower beds on shady lawns, and goldfish swim in the cleanest ponds. Bridges are thrown across numerous canals, from which picturesque views of the ideal compositions of dwarf trees and stones along the banks open.
The basis of the landscape composition of the garden is a combination of water and stone, which symbolizes the interweaving of pliability and severity, the traditional concepts of "yin" and "yang" in Eastern philosophy.
To get there: bus. N11, 45, 126, 911.
French Quarter
Tourists who miss European civilization should go to the French Quarter of Shanghai to look at an urban area full of Parisian romance, unusual for this part of the world. In the middle of the 19th century, French emigrants began to settle it, and after the events of 1917, Russian noblemen poured into the French Quarter.
Hiking in the area is especially pleasant for a European. Here you will find shops and cafes serving croissants for breakfast, stucco mansions and Michelin-starred restaurants, hear Parisian chanson and buy a Chanel purse.
To get there: Shanghai metro L1, stop. S. Shaanxi Road and Xujianhui.
Jin mao
Despite the fact that the Jin Mao skyscraper occupies only 14th place in the hierarchy of its kind in the world, in China it is famous more than many others. During its construction, the number 8 was used, which in the East is considered a symbol of prosperity. The Jin Mao Tower has 88 floors, it is divided into 16 segments, built on an octagonal base, and the skyscraper was opened on 1998-28-08.
The high-tech structural system used in the construction of the skyscraper allows it to withstand the force of hurricanes. The tower is capable of handling earthquakes up to 7 on the Richter scale.
Translated from Chinese, the name of the skyscraper means "Tower of Golden Prosperity". Its upper floors are occupied by the rooms of the Grand Hyatt Hotel and, having rented a room, you can look at Shanghai and admire the magnificent panoramas opening from a 350-meter height.
Longhua Pagoda
The same eight, sacred to the Chinese, is also guessed in the architecture of the ancient pagoda of the Longhua temple ensemble. The octagonal building is one of the most beautiful structures not only in Shanghai, but throughout the entire Middle Kingdom. It was built in the middle of the 3rd century by order of Song Quane, who was then the ruler of the Three Kingdoms of the Wu Dynasty.
Longhua Pagoda rises 40 meters into the sky. Its seven floors are crowned by a roof with a high spire, and the ends of the roofs of each tier are decorated with carved sculptures of mythical creatures and bells that drive away evil spirits, according to Chinese beliefs. The openwork building is surrounded by a beautiful park with peach trees and thousands of peony bushes.
To get there: metro stop. Longcao Road, aut. N 41, 733, 809, 933.
Mount Sheshan
To escape from the rhythm of the huge metropolis and spend time among the most beautiful natural landscapes will help a walk along Mount Sheshan. The upland in the southwest of the city is one of the famous tourist attractions. The park area contains many opportunities for entertainment and recreation, from hiking trails to forest hotels.
Tourists' favorite routes on Mount Sheshan lead through the bird garden, Hushu Pavilion, cable car, Catholic basilica, butterfly park, observatory and village shop. By the way, shopping on Mount Sheshan will be very popular with fans of organic and exotic goods. You can buy honey-covered peaches, orchid and bamboo sprouts, the best varieties of green tea in the park.
Autumn is the time for festivals and holidays. In Shanghai, many of them are held just on Mount Sheshan. The most popular are the Lan Sun Cultural Festival and the Sand Sculpture Festival.
To get there: Shanghai Metro L9 stop. Sheshan Road, then bus. Songqing line to the stop. Sheshan Road.
Museum of Urban History
At the foot of the TV tower, you will find an exposition of the most interesting city museum dedicated to the history of Shanghai. In it you can look at original photographs that tell about the past decades, get acquainted with priceless relics, some of which are especially ancient and valuable, and literally feel the atmosphere of the old city. For this, the exposition is arranged in such a way that museum visitors are immersed even in the sounds and smells of old Shanghai, and the wax figures are so realistic that there is no doubt that the Chinese have invented a time machine.
Antiquity lovers will appreciate the antique embroidery, bronze cannons and jewelry. In the museum you will find old trams, a pharmacist's shop, visit a fishmonger and the hall of the stock exchange, imagine how the traditional tea ceremony and fortune-telling on a magic crystal take place.
To get there: Shanghai metro L2, stop. Lujiazui station.
Shanghai Zoo
More than 600 species of representatives of the animal world, collected from all over the planet, are waiting for you at the Shanghai Zoo - the best place to relax with the whole family! Half a century ago, it opened its doors to guests and since then thousands of tourists come here every day.
The main attraction of the Shanghai Zoo is the cute pandas that the Chinese simply idolize. It is a pleasure to watch the black and white bears, because in the spacious enclosures they have created conditions that are as close as possible to those in which pandas live in the wild.
You will surely enjoy the good-natured elephants and funny chimpanzees, energetic kangaroos and majestic swans. The Butterfly Pavilion will introduce guests to hundreds of beautiful inhabitants of the tropical forests, and the aquariums generously display the fauna of the underwater world of the southern seas.
To get there: Shanghai Metro L10 stop. "Zoo".
Postal Museum
The history of the mail message, like so much else in China, is fascinating and unlike its counterparts in other parts of the world. In the museum, you will see hundreds of exhibits that tell about the postage business, which existed already 1,400 years ago, when fire was used to convey messages, and turtle shells were used as postcards. The collection of rare stamps will delight philatelists. The museum exhibits especially valuable specimens from all over the world.
The exposition demonstrates postal carriages and printing machines, models of postal stations and the main post office of Shanghai, built in 1924.
