China Shanghai

hidden in the backstreets north and south of Huaihai Lu (Shanghai's premier shopping street) is the former French Concession, with tree-lined streets, 1930s architecture, and cafes and bars. At its west end is a major collection of Western restaurants and bars.

Continuing southeast, you come to the massive shopping intersection of Xujiahui. Farther south is Shanghai Stadium. Western Shanghai is dominated by Hongqiano, a hotel/conference centre/office zone. Farther west is Gubei, an expat area. Northeastern Shanghai has an industrial feel and is home to several universities. Farther northwest is Zhapei and Shanghai train station. On the east side of the Huanpu is Pudong, a special economic zone of banks, skyscrapers and new residential complexes. Street names are given in Pinyin, which makes navigating easy, and many of the streets are named after cities and provinces.

Because of its open to foreigners and its coastal location, Shanghai is endowed with rich tourist attractions related to its long and complicated history. Many buildings, constructed in various foreign styles, are well preserved in the Bund area, and western tourists will feel a sense of familiarity when strolling around the long street, which resembles those in European cities. This blending of eastern and western styles has given the Bund a reputation as a "World's Fair of Architecture." Many buildings from the 1920s and 1930s have also survived in the Old City section of Shanghai. A visit to the Old City is easily combined with a stop at Yuyuan Garden, a well-restored Suzhou-style garden created during the Ming Dynasty. The garden is immensely popular with local residents and visiting Chinese. In addition, Jade Buddha Temple, located in northwest Shanghai, is the most popular Buddhist temple in this city, drawing both worshippers and tourists. It is famous for two jade Buddha statues, one of which is reclining and the other seated.

Shanghai is well known both at home and abroad not only as prosperous metropolis with rich cultural resources, but also for a number of new tourist attractions that have been developed in recent years. Standing on a boat on the Huangpu River, one can enjoy a panoramic view of the river and city skyline. The river sparkles with giant ships sailing busily by; the banks are filled with skyscrapers of different styles. On the modern Pudong side of the river, the futuristic Oriental Pearl TV Tower, with a giddy height of 468 meters, stands as the world's third tallest TV tower, after the 553-meter CNN Tower in Toronto and the 535-meter Moscow TV Tower. It has already come to symbolize Shanghai and is honored as one of the ten best views in the city. The Jin Mao Mansion is another famous building in the Pudong New Area. Because of its brightly illuminated skyscrapers, Shanghai enjoys international fame as the "Pearl of the Orient".

Shanghai is also a great destination for shoppers, and the best-known shopping street in China - Nanjing Road - is located here. This exciting avenue is lined with well-known shops and department stores selling clothing, food and specialty goods. Shanghai is a paradise for gourmets, too. Here, visitors can enjoy a taste of all the different kinds of food in the world. Shanghainese cuisine, however, is a special hybrid. There are several famous old restaurants in Shanghai that are not to be missed.