Tours and holidays with added interest
Shanghai
- Name in Chinese characters: 上海
- Name in Pinyin: Shànghǎi
- Status: Municipality
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Location within China
General Overview
Shanghai must be one of the most infamous cities in the world. Even before the Charlie Chaplin movie, the term Shanghaied came into common use ... as that is where so many unwilling sailors ended up.
You don't need an enforced service on a merchant ship to get you to Shanghai these days. Shanghai has two international airports, the original one at Hongqiao (code: SHA) and another at Pudong (code: PVG) which is connected to the downtown by a maglev railway line. With a top speed of 430 kilometres per hour the journey time is only 8 minutes; truly an experience not to be missed.
Shanghai is still a port but actually it lies quite a way inland on the Huangpu River, a tributary of the mighty Yangtse River. Most of the heavy trade takes place down at the modern facility at Yangshan.
Shanghai is perhaps better known these days as the financial hub of China. Many banks have the base for their Chinese operations here and the Shanghai Stock Exchange is the busiest on the mainland.
Attractions For Visitors
A good place to start understanding Shanghai is the Urban Planning Museum. Though not usually a top feature on city tours, the one in Shanghai is excellent and well worth a visit. You can see plans for the city's future, including one huge scale model, and then go out to one of the many towers for a bird's eye view of the current state.
Shanghai Museum is also well worth a look. The collections are presented cleverly so that your visit will contain a few surprises; a nice touch for those who have seen too many 'old things in glass boxes'.
One of the most popular destinations is the waterfront area, known as The Bund. One side of The Bund is lined with classic buildings dating back to Imperial times when concessions were awarded to foreign powers. Probably the most famous of these buildings is the Peace Hotel, built by Victor Sassoon. The side by the river is a public park, with great views over the Huangpu River to the ultra-new Pudong District with its distinctive Oriental Pearl Tower. The two sides are linked by a tourist tunnel which is a delight, especially for kids. River cruises leave regularly throughout the day and evening.
The area around the Yu Yuan Gardens is also popular. The gardens are pleasant but so famous that you may well not appreciate the crowds. The Longhua Gardens are quieter for those who prefer.
For shoppers, Nanjing Lu and its side streets offers a fantastic mix of international boutiques and small local shops. It could easily take a day to explore and find the best bargains. For more specific browsing try Wanshang Bird and Flower Market, where all manner of pets and pet-related items are for sale, or Dongtai Road Antiques Market.
In the evening, you can stroll along the Bund and look at the amazing lights or see the world famous Shanghai Acrobat Show.
Shanghai is well connected to other nearby towns including a series of water towns that offer a complete contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city streets. The water towns have been preserved with their classic houses intact and connected by a network of canals. The old ways have moved on but not disappeared altogether.
It is also easy to visit other nearby cities from Shanghai, even as daytrips. Suzhou, Hangzhou and Ningbo can all be reached comfortably though it does depend upon your other travel plans as to whether you would be better to stay in these overnight. Also nearby are the mountains of Huang Shan, a scenic spot, and Putuo Shan, a Buddhist site on an island off the coast.
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