Shanghai is the essence of cosmopolitan China, from the elegant ‘Paris of the East’ to futuristic towering skyscrapers. China’s past, present and future in one amazing metropolis.
Shanghai, is one of the world's largest seaports and is essentially split into two sections by the Huangpu River. Its residents are known for their business talents, fashions and standards of products. Services are more international than other Chinese cities and its shopping is the best in China.
Ancient & modern Shanghai offers an eclectic contrasting mix of historic splendour and progressive modernism. With no central ancient sites to be discovered, it is very much a city to be enjoyed at your own leisurely pace.
Shanghai holiday highlights
• To foreign colonialists, the Bund was regarded as the ‘Wall Street of the East’ where fortunes were quickly made and lost, as well as a centre of Shanghai's commerce and consulates. Today it is a mesmerising collection of 52 differing building styles, from Gothic to Baroque, Romanesque to Renaissance, with many shops, bars and restaurants that are now flourishing in and around it.
• The leafy French Concession area delights with innumerable boutiques in Fuxung Road and Changle Road, quaint delis and tempting restaurants.
• Xintiandi was in the early part of the 20th century a collection of shikumen, traditional houses with elaborate stone-framed doorways. Fully restored to its original architectural glory, fashionable bars, upmarket restaurants and designer shops have injected a healthy dose of life and vibrancy into this former run down district.
• Pudong, the fast developing financial district, is flourishing with each new skyscraper more impressive than the last.
• Shanghai is fast becoming a shoppers paradise. The main shopping area is situated on the central Nanjing Road. Huaihai Road is famous for its up-scale boutiques, Shanxi Nanlu for a wealth of colourful shoe shops. Yu Yuan market offers a more traditional shopping atmosphere, selling a wide variety of fake antiques, souvenirs and clothing.