- Shanghai parks and gardens
- Changxing Island
- Children in Shanghai
- Shanghai landmarks
- Shanghai restaurants and cafes
- Shopping in Shanghai
Chinese Paris, the financial capital of the PRC, the most European metropolis in the Far East, the largest city in the world in terms of population - all this is Shanghai. It is also called the "Queen and Pearl of the East", and the city dates back to the 10th century. When asked where to go in Shanghai, fans of traveling in the Middle Kingdom are ready to answer in detail and in detail. The list of city attractions includes old pagodas and modern skyscrapers, museums and historical memorials, exotic markets and Christian cathedrals. Shanghai people carefully preserve the traditions of their ancestors, and a reverent attitude towards their own culture in the modern metropolis is found at every step. You will find authentic Chinese restaurants in the city, theaters with plays by local authors, and shops selling real silk and gorgeous jade products.
Shanghai parks and gardens
Despite the status of the largest metropolis on the planet, Shanghai boasts a huge number of green areas, where locals and tourists walk, admire nature, arrange photo shoots, do jogging and martial arts, feed ducks, roller-skate, play with children, in a word, do all that, which is common in parks and gardens. Do you want to spend time in Shanghai in a varied and exciting way? You should go for a walk in one of its parks:
- Yu Yuan Garden in the southern part of the old city is called the most picturesque corner of Shanghai. The park was laid out in the 16th century. during the Ming dynasty, and the work on the landscape continued for 18 long years. Yu Yuan is divided into several zones and you will see goldfish ponds, artificial slides, bridges and arches, galleries and pagodas. The oldest plant in the garden is magnolia, which was planted five centuries ago.
- Century Park is adjacent to the highest skyscrapers of the Pudong area, and it owes its name to the time of its opening: the park appeared at the turn of the last centuries. The combination of western and eastern landscaping techniques makes this green space in Shanghai very attractive, and tourists should go for a walk to Century Park in late spring, when there is an international flower sculpture competition there.
- The ideal place for a family vacation is Yuehu Park. It consists of four sections, symbolizing the seasons. Sculptural compositions have been installed against the backdrop of landscape art objects in Yuehu, while boat and fishing equipment rentals, a shooting range and a climbing wall are open for active visitors.
35 km from the center of Shanghai in the Nanhui region, there is a national park of wild animals, which is interesting to go to naturalists and just lovers of smaller brothers. The park is home to golden monkeys, South Chinese tigers, Asian elephants and the pride of the Celestial Empire - the giant panda. The park is engaged in the conservation of rare and endangered species, and excursions allow visitors to get acquainted with the unique representatives of the planet's fauna.
Changxing Island
The fresh air, the scent of flowering orange trees, the soothing views of the goldfish ponds are all sure signs that you are on Changxing Island. Located a half hour boat ride from Wusun Pier, the island attracts tourists with the opportunity to experience the classic entertainment of the Chinese.
In Changxing, you can admire the art of bonsai and glide on bamboo rafts on the calm surface of the lakes. Here is a plantation of orange trees, exquisitely fragrant during flowering and bending under the weight of bright fruits at the end of summer. There are sandy beaches on the bank of a small river, and the classic atmosphere of the ancient southern gardens of the Celestial Empire is recreated in the Hanging Beads Park.
The best seasons to visit the island are spring or early autumn, when the orange picking festival takes place.
Children in Shanghai
The younger generation of Chinese people cannot be imagined without modern gadgets - smartphones or tablets with ingenious games and programs that keep the child busy for many hours. However, the Chinese believe that the best upbringing is communication, and therefore great attention is paid to children's leisure in the Celestial Empire.
When asked where to go with their children in Shanghai, local parents will suggest a zoo, interactive museums and amusement parks where the whole family can spend time:
- You will find the Jinjiang action amusement park near the center of the metropolis. A huge Ferris wheel, the cabins of which soar to a height of 108 m, can serve as a reference point.
- In "Happy Valley" both children and adults forget about time and business. Dozens of rides, including the highest and most dangerous slides in this part of the world, are able to give a sea of positive emotions to all visitors to the Shanghai park.
- The Children's Museum is a real city in miniature. Once here, your child can easily find a school and shop, theater and hospital. A similar principle lies in the design of Eday town - a town where children can try on one of the popular professions. Young visitors will be offered to put on the uniform of a policeman, stewardess or firefighter, try themselves in business, get a salary and spend it in the nearest store.
- In the city zoo, the largest number of visitors usually gathers near the panda enclosures. In addition to the hulking, but very cute bears, you will see elephants, giraffes, kangaroos, tigers and many other representatives of the animal kingdom of the region and the entire planet.
Every park in Shanghai has playgrounds for young guests, and museums of science, technology and urban planning have interactive displays that allow you to touch, move, and even taste the exhibits.
Shanghai landmarks
The list of places to go in Shanghai is truly huge, but the most popular tourist routes are usually called by guidebooks:
- The French Quarter with its old brick mansions, luxury boutiques, expensive restaurants and pastry shops.
- Chibao Ancient City is a true Chinatown with authentic sounds, smells and views.
- The Bund, where dozens of historical buildings are located, built in various architectural styles - from the Gothic to the Renaissance and Baroque.
- The Oriental Pearl TV Tower is a symbol of Shanghai and one of the world's tallest landmarks. From its observation platforms, magnificent views of the city open, and in the main hall of the tower visitors are greeted by exhibits of the Museum "The History of Shanghai in Dolls".
The collection of the Shanghai Museum of Ancient Chinese Art is of great interest to all visitors. Its halls display ancient engravings and unique samples of silk painting, vases of the Ming dynasty and ancient books, sculptures and weapons, coins and jewelry. The famous exhibit of the museum is a "transparent" bronze mirror of the Han dynasty, of which only three copies have survived in the world. Scientists consider jade figurines, wood furniture decorated with carvings and ceramic utensils to be valuable items of the collection.
Shanghai restaurants and cafes
Chinese cuisine is not the only possible menu for a traveler who finds himself in the largest metropolis in the world. In Shanghai, you will find restaurants with French, English, Arabic, Thai and even Russian dishes, but when choosing a place for lunch or dinner, it is also important to consider the level of service and views from the windows. In this sense, these establishments may seem the most amazing:
- 100 Century Avenue on the 91st floor of the highest skyscraper in the Middle Kingdom will make the guest feel at their best in every sense. The view of the Huangpu River and the city will favorably set off the taste of Oriental and European cuisine. There is a menu in English!
- The Epicure on 45 Restaurant at 45F, 88 Nanjing Road also guarantees an ideal view to the four directions of the world. The institution makes a complete revolution on its axis in two hours, which will be enough to enjoy the masterpieces of Chinese, Indian and European cuisine.
- Each dish with a twist is the principle of the Shintori chef's work. There is no sign at the entrance, the interior looks rather minimalistic, but the culinary abilities of the masters working in the kitchen will not allow doubting the correctness of the choice. You will find the establishment at 805 Julu Road.
It is best to have a cocktail on a romantic date or smoke a hookah in Barbarossa on the lake shore in a park in the central square of Shanghai, and get acquainted with the classic cuisine of the Yunnan province in Lost Heaven at 17, Yan'an East Road.
Shopping in Shanghai
Considering that the lion's share of all goods produced in the world is produced in the Middle Kingdom, shopping in China promises to be exciting, varied and profitable. The largest shopping streets in the city are Nanjing, Huaihai, North Sichuan and Central Tibetan.
The first on the list stretches for five kilometers and contains about 600 stores. Prices on Nanjing Street are not the cheapest, but the quality of goods is almost always high.
The boutiques on Huaihai have a rich assortment of luxury branded apparel and accessories.
If you are looking for Chinese tea, head to the Tien Shan Tea Market. It is most profitable to buy electronics at a cybermarket at the intersection of Middle Huai Hai and Xi Zang streets.
In the fabric market on Lujiabang Road, you can not only choose natural silk, but also order individual tailoring of any product in the workshops.
A wide range of jewelry is available at First Asia Jewelry Plaza, and pearls are inexpensively sold at the Sunshine Market at the intersection of Hong Mei Road and Hong Qiao Road.
