Damian Harper - Lonely Planet Shanghai

The engine of Chinas future, Shanghai dazzles, beckoning millions with promises of reinvention and glamour.

Pudong wasnt built in a day, but it sure didnt take much longer than that. And while Shanghai may be renowned for its record-setting skyscrapers there was nothing but farmland on the other side of the river in the early 1990s its the sheer diversity of building styles that makes the city unique. By no means should you skip out on a night in one of the worlds highest hotels, but dont forget to do some exploration at ground level too: from Jesuit cathedrals, Jewish synagogues and Buddhist temples to streamlined art-deco apartment blocks and the home-grown longtang laneway housing, Shanghais architectural heritage is like nowhere else.

Shanghai is most alive at the end of the day, when workers pour out of the offices, the neon lights flicker on and the restaurants begin to fill up. As in the rest of China, food is at the centre of social life. Its over a meal that people catch up with friends, celebrate and clinch business deals, and newsflash Shanghai has the most exciting culinary scene in the Middle Kingdom. So whatever it is youre hungry for, make sure you do as the Shanghainese do and dig in with those chopsticks.

As modern Chinas ground zero, the city exudes a style thats unlike anywhere else in the country. Often portrayed as a blend of East and West, Shanghai, with its voracious appetite for new styles and trends, is above all cosmopolitan and cutting edge. Pop-up boutiques, bustling markets and new brands created by the aspiring young designers flocking to the city these are only some of the pleasures of shopping in Chinas fashion capital. Theres no doubt you could create an entire itinerary devoted solely to the art of retail therapy: the question is, what are you waiting for?

Beijing often takes all the credit as Chinas cultural nexus, but for what is essentially a town of wheelers and dealers, Shanghai is surprisingly creative. Many art galleries are first-rate, offering a window into the contemporary Chinese art scene, while nightlife offerings have expanded exponentially in the past decade. Massage is always a favourite with visitors, as is the inevitable acrobatics show. Even Shanghais music and club scene has made great strides: from unpretentious jazz and indie venues to all-night hip-hop and electro dance parties, the city swings with the best of them.

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Why I Love Shanghai

By Christopher Pitts, Author

My favourite thing to do in Shanghai is to roll out of bed, grab my notebook and maps and head straight for the nearest hand-pulled noodle stall. Like all megacities, Shanghai can be overwhelming at times, but its while watching the crowds hurry by as I plan my day that I feel most connected to the place and the people in it. Its that rare moment of early morning tranquillity, when the day feels ripe with promise, and you think: anything could happen today. And then I finish my noodles, scribble a few more notes, take one last look at the map and dive in.

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Shanghais Top 13

The Bund ()

Mainland Chinas most iconic concession-era backdrop and a source of intense local pride, the Bund is Shanghais standout spectacle. A gorgeous curve of larger-than-life heritage architecture, the buildings here may be dwarfed by the citys modern high-rises, but they carry in their stones an old-fashioned gravity that simply cant be matched. As a monument to the unbridled pursuit of wealth, its no surprise that the Bund was left to languish during the communist years, but with Chinas economic renaissance it has once again found its place among the citys most stylish destinations.

The Bund & Peoples Square

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Shanghai Museum ()

Shanghai has never been a city to bother with the rear-view mirror, and this obvious disregard for tradition is what most distinguishes it from the rest of the country. The one glaring exception, however, is the standout Shanghai Museum, a marvellous tribute to the path of beauty throughout the millennia, from ancient bronzes to gorgeous ceramic masterpieces from the Qing dynasty. Come here for Chinese landscape paintings, sea-green celadon jars, Buddhist statuary and a taste of a world that has since disappeared.

The Bund & Peoples Square

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French Concession Fashion ()

In the early 20th century, Shanghai single-handedly shaped the image of the modern Chinese woman through calendar posters, which were printed in the millions and distributed throughout the rural hinterland and beyond. Ever since, it has worn the crown of Chinas most fashionable city, and theres no better place to get a feel for the latest trends than the French Concession. Browse boutiques for sequin-covered shoes, Tibetan-inspired jewellery, silky summer dresses and the hip new styles of a growing crop of local and international designers.

French Concession

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