Michelin Travel Publications (Firm) - Michelin Must Sees Shanghai

Unmissable historic, cultural and natural sights

aaa Unmissable

aa Worth a trip

a Worth a detour

No star Recommended

Shanghai Museum

Yu Garden

Confucius Temple

Fuxing Park

Lujiazui Development Showroom

Pearl of the Orient Tower

Science & Technology Museum

Shanghai Zoo

Heritage projects are ensuring the Bund retains its handsome 1920 and 30s architecture. This historic heart of the city's financial and commercial firms is a place to see Art Deco- and colonial-style buildings lining the promenade aaa along the Huangpu River, as well as to shop and dine. Begin with the People's Heroes Memorial in Huangpu Park and continue south, paralleling Zhongshan Dong Lu. Pass the Bank of China aa , the Customs House a and other grand buildings to end at the Bund Museum .

This massive public space and major shopping street are usually crowded with people. This walk provides an introduction to some of the major sights of the area. Start at the No. 1 Department Store at 800 Nanjing Dong Lu and walk west, crossing Xizang Zhong Lu, and passing the Park Hotel aa on your right. Continue west along the northern edge of People's Park and turn left onto Huangpo Bei Lu, at the corner where the Shanghai Art Museum sits. On your right rises Tomorrow Square , and farther down on your left, you can't miss the futuristic-looking Grand Theatre . Turn left onto People's Dajie Lu (People's Avenue) to stroll this grand boulevard that runs along the southern part of People's Park, where the Shanghai Museum aaa resides.

Architecture on the Bund

Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration

Pudong skyline

kalafoto/ Fotolia.com

South of People's Square lie the charming, tree-shaded streets of the old French Concession. It may be best to begin at the Arts and Crafts Museum at the corner of Fuxing Xi Lu and Fenyang Lu. Move east along Fuxing Xi Lu to see the Ruijin Hotel a , before turning left onto Maoming Nan Lu, home to trendy shops and cafes. You will come to the Jin Jiang Hotel aa , and opposite, the Former French Sports Club a . Across Changle Lu sits the 1931 Lyceum Theatre . Go east to Shimen Yi Lu and turn right to head south to Fuxing Zhong Lu. Turn left onto it to reach Fuxing Park a and Sun Yat-sen's Residence aa .

Home of Yu Garden aa , the old part of Shanghai also plays host to temples, markets and mosques. Begin at the Confucius Temple a on Wenmaio Lu. Walk east to Zhuangjia Jie and turn left to reach Fuxing Dong Lu. Head east (right) to Ziaotaoyuan Jie to see the Mosque of the Small Peaches Garden a . Continue on Fuxing Dong Lu and turn left onto Henan Nan Lu, walking north until you reach Fuyou Lu. Take a right and you'll see the Fuyou Lu Mosque . Then turn right onto Houjia Lu and continue south to end your walk at Fang Bang Zhong Lu Flea Market.

This "city" of towering skyscrapers on the east side of the Huangpu River may be somewhat intimidating to those on foot. But the walk along the river offers splendid views of both the Pudong's iconic high rises as well as the Bund's buildings on the other side. Start at the south end of the grand boulevard known as Binjiang Dadao, where the ferry from the Bund disembarks. Then head north along the river to the Pearl of the Orient Tower a . As you walk, look to your right and you'll see the Jinmao Tower aa and the World Financial Center aa in the background.

See Walking Tour .

The citys backbone, the Huangpu River has always played a key role in the lives of the Shanghainese: it opened Shanghai to the rest of China and to the world. Its route was honed over three centuries (1215C) by the hands of men; its downstream waters were diverted from the sea so the river would be directly linked to the Yangtze River and its vast fertile basin. In the middle of the 19C, the first Westerners established businesses on its banks, combining their offices with a warehouse and their place of residence.

The people of Shanghai gave a name to each side of the river bank: Puxi , or "West of the Huangpu, is the historic cradle of the city; the Pudong is "East of the Huangpu." This gigantic fluvial artery carries all manner of boats: ferries heading to Japan or Korea, cruise ships coming back from the Yangtze River, battleships at the dockside, tour boats and other ships moored in the middle of the river, and the well-known overloaded barges linked one to another.

You can appreciate the river (and the city as well) from a waterside perspective by taking a cruise aa on the Huangpu River. One hour-, 2 hour- and 3.5-hour cruises are available from the Bund. One of the most popular companies offering river tours is the Shanghai Huangpu River Cruise Company () or ask your hotel to make reservations for you. For details on river tours, see FOR FUN.