Lonely Planet Pocket Shanghai , livre ebook

Contents

QuickStart Guide

Welcome to Shanghai
Top Sights
Local Life
Day Planner
Need to Know
Shanghai

Explore

The Bund & People's Square
Local Life - Hongkou
Old Town
French Concession East
French Concession West
Jing'an
Pudong
Top Sights - Qibao

Best

The Best of Shanghai
North Bund
French Concession
Architecture
Temples & Churches
Views
Museums & Galleries
Boutiques
Markets & Antiques
Entertainment
Massage & Spas
Food
Drinking
Taichi & Martial Arts
For Kids
For Free
Green Spaces
Tours

Survival Guide

Survival Guide
Before You Go
Arriving in Shanghai
Getting Around
Essential Information
Language
Behind the Scenes
Our Writer
Welcome to Shanghai
Positively electric, Shanghai is where China’s aspirations come to life. A symbol of the country’s burgeoning status, a byword for opportunity and sophistication, the city is all that and more. Whether you’re after food, fashion or futuristic skylines, Shanghai’s buzzing confidence and nonstop action make for a veritable roller-coaster ride: hang on to your hat, and have fun.

Tianzifang alleyway TOM LAU/GETTY IMAGES ©
1
Shanghai Top Sights

The Bund
Mainland China’s most iconic concession-era backdrop, the Bund encapsulates Shanghai with its postcard-perfect good looks. A dazzling curve of bombastic masonry, it leads the way as one of the city’s most stylish addresses.

MANFRED GOTTSCHALK/GETTY IMAGES ©

Shanghai Top Sights
Shanghai Museum
Shanghai’s best museum by a long shot, this must-see is a marvellous tribute to the path of Chinese beauty throughout the millennia, from ancient bronzes and transcendent landscape paintings to gorgeous ceramic masterpieces.

ALAN COPSON/GETTY IMAGES ©

Shanghai Top Sights
Yuyuan Gardens & Bazaar
For some, the Old Town’s piecemeal charms are a must. This classical garden – a delightful array of traditional feng shui design features and history – is a fitting contrast to Shanghai’s 'future now' mantra.

LONELY PLANET/GETTY IMAGES ©

Shanghai Top Sights
Qibao
Should you tire of Shanghai’s slick, international modernity, head for the quintessentially Chinese landscapes beyond the city centre. Qibao is the closest of the nearby canal towns, a mere half-hour away on the metro.

KPZFOTO/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO ©

Shanghai Top Sights
M50
Located in a former cotton mill, industrially chic M50 is the city’s main creative hub. Edgy galleries and occasional events make this an absorbing place to wander for anyone interested in art (and people watching).

XU ZHEN – PRODUCED BY MADELN COMPANY, COURTESY OF ARTIST AND SHANGHART GALLERY IN M50

Shanghai Top Sights
Tianzifang
This engaging (and crowded) warren of shikumen (stone-gate house) architecture and hip boutiques is perfect for browsing while soaking up the flavours of the ever-elusive traditional Shanghai neighbourhood. Getting lost is half the fun.

JOHN KERSHAW/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO ©

Shanghai Top Sights
Jade Buddha Temple
Despite first impressions, the city does have a strong current of religious tradition, best observed in this century-old Buddhist temple, which plays host to a continual stream of worshippers throughout the day.

HOLGER LEUE/GETTY IMAGES ©

Shanghai Top Sights
Xintiandi
A visitor favourite, this prettified strip of traditional Shanghai housing is perhaps unique in its combination of fine dining, designer shopping, shikumen architecture and Chinese communist credentials (the CCP was born here).

KYLIE MCLAUGHLIN/GETTY IMAGES ©
l
Shanghai Local Life Local Life

Insider tips to help you find the real Shanghai Local Life Shanghai is much more than the Bund and Xintiandi – to truly experience the city, you need to get under its skin, an experience best had by delving into small lanes, leafy side streets and old alleyways.

East Nanjing Road
A Historic shops
A People watching
Once China’s most famous shopping street, East Nanjing Rd is perennially thick with eager shoppers, out-of-towners and neon signs illuminating the night. Take a deep breath, push your elbows out and plunge in, but shrug off English-speaking girls dragging victims to overpriced cafes.

East Nanjing Road KARL JOHAENTGES/LOOK-FOTO/GETTY IMAGES ©

Old Town Backstreets
A Temples
A Antique vendors
Explore the Old Town, following twisting alleyways and stopping to contemplate incense-wreathed temples along the way. There are some fantastic spots to pick up souvenirs, from faux antiques and local knick-knacks to tailor-made clothing.

Concession-Era Architecture
A Famous residences
A Cute boutiques
The French Concession’s tree-lined lanes are a world away from Shanghai’s busy central neighbourhoods. It’s charming, European in feel and slower in tempo, so take the time to browse through the local boutiques and admire the stylistically diverse 19th-century villas as you go.

Jing’an Lanes
A Lilong architecture
A Diverse shops
Away from the commercial buzz of the main drag (West Nanjing Rd), this area is charmingly detailed with pleasant lilong (alleyways), its character supplied by a profusion of period architecture.

Hongkou
A Local markets
A Street-side snacks
This gritty and somewhat run-down neighbourhood is off most tourist itineraries, but it's well worth a visit for its captivating street life and authentic vibe. Visit a local food market, a discount-clothing bazaar and the fabulous Concession-era architecture of the Shanghai Post Museum.

Other great places to experience the city like a local:
Yang’s Fry Dumplings
Jesse
Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant
Wujiang Road Food Street
Fuxing Park
Din Tai Fung
Bainian Longpao
Yifu Theatre

Taichi in Fuxing Park AURORA PHOTOS/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO ©
R
Shanghai Day Planner

Short on time? We’ve arranged Shanghai’s must-sees into these day-by-day itineraries to make sure you see the very best of the city in the time you have available.

Day One
M One day in Shanghai? Rise with the sun for early-morning riverside views of the Bund as the city stirs from its slumber. Visit landmark buildings such as the Fairmont Peace Hotel and the HSBC building before strolling down East Nanjing Road to People’s Square and the Shanghai Museum or the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall.
R After a local lunch on Yunnan Road Food Street , hop on the metro at People’s Square to shuttle east to Pudong. Explore the fun and interactive Shanghai History Museum or contemplate the Bund from the breezy Riverside Promenade , and then take a high-speed lift to the super-high observation decks inside the Shanghai Tower or Shanghai World Financial Center to put the city in perspective.
N As evening falls, return to the Bund for dinner. Try Lost Heaven for Yunnanese, M on the Bund for views or perhaps a simple meal at Shanghai Grandmother . Afterwards, head to any of the nearby bars for cocktails or take an evening river cruise .

Day Two
M Two days? Pre-empt the crowds with an early start at the Old Town’s Yuyuan Gardens & Bazaar before poking around for souvenirs along Old Street or at the Dongtai Road Antique Market. While you’re wandering the alleyways, don’t miss the Chenxiangge Nunnery or the delightful neighbourhood around the Confucius Temple .
R Make your next stop Xintiandi for lunch – think five-star dumplings at Din Tai Fung , dim sum at Crystal Jade or molecular creations at T8 . Don’t linger over your meal for too long, however, as you’ll need time to visit the Shikumen Open House Museum afterwards. From here, taxi it to Tianzifang for the afternoon, where you can browse start-up boutiques to your heart’s content.
N Stop by Cafe des Stagiaires for an aperitif before getting the evening’s dinner sorted. The French Concession is absolutely bursting with choices, so do your homework first. Good picks are Di Shui Dong and Jian Guo 328 . Afterwards, wind down with a foot massage .

Day Three
M It’s another early start to the day – absorb the morning’s clarity at Jade Buddha Temple before a visit to M50 , where you can plug into China’s burgeoning modern-art scene. Still in a Buddhist frame of mind? Time for a meal at Vegetarian Lifestyle .
R From Jing’an Temple it’s only one stop on the metro to the French Concession West, where you can check out some of the area’s more obscure sights, such as the Propaganda Poster Art Centre or the old villas along Wukang Road . If Shanghai’s consumerism beckons, be sure to check out local fashion and vintage boutiques such as NuoMi and Lolo Love Vintage .
N Time for dinner – Xibo is a fine choice for Xinjiang cuisine, while Shanghainese classic Jesse is sure to offer a boisterous and lively atmosphere. You’re in the right place to go out for a nightcap or hit the clubs; otherwise head back to Jing’an to spend an evening with the acrobats .

Day Four
M Most of the city’s main sights have been checked off the list by now, so today offers the opportunity to visit some lesser-known areas. Begin the day strolling through the busy streets of Hongkou , which is also home to the Ohel Moishe Synagogue – now the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum.
R If you need a break from the city, hop on the metro for a trip out to Qibao , an erstwhile canal town and a popular destination for domestic tourists. Qibao has several low-key sights, but the main activity here is wandering among the old-style buildings – don’t miss the teahouse with its traditional (albeit incomprehensible) storytelling performance. For an entirely different experience, head to the AP Xinyang Fashion & Gifts Market to fish for fresh- and saltwater pearls or pick up bargain T-shirts and shoes.
N Time for one last blowout meal. For classy, old-fashioned ambience head to Ye Shanghai or Fu 1039 ; alternatively, turn on the Sichuan heat with a searing array of dishes at Spicy Joint or a delicious line of tapas at Commune Social .
Need to Know


Currency
Ren