Top Tourist Attractions in Shanghai
Shanghai, being China’s largest city, is a dynamic metropolis full of energy, commerce, amazing dining options and designer shopping malls. It’s hard to explain the sense of optimism and excitement that you feel when you walk through Shanghai – it’s a city that is just alive and buzzing. The city offers a great mix of old and new – on the one hand you can see old-school produce markets in the streets, eat traditional cuisine, and witness time-honored customs, but on the other hand you see a rapidly expanding skyline that is so gleaming and futuristic. Shanghai is situated at the mouth of the Yangtze River and hence, is a huge port and commercial hub.
Things to Do in Shanghai
Despite having a population of more than 24 million, Shanghai offers many things to do – Famous landmarks in Shanghai include Nanjing Road, Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the Bund and the World Financial Center. Other top city attractions are Old Shanghai, Century Park, the Ocean Aquarium and the Yu Garden. Popular museums in Shanghai are the Bund Museum, Science Museum, Insect Kingdom and the Urban Planning Museum.
Travel Shanghai in Spring – From March to May
When to go
- Generally, in China spring starts in late February or early March, and ends in May, making this season a lovely time for travelling; less people and less costs, except from May 1st to May 4th, which is known as the Chinese citizens’ travel season.
- For Shanghai, spring is a perfect time to smell the spring flowers and get the feeling of being touched by the warm spring breeze to refresh your day.
The Bund
The Bund is Shanghai’s most popular attraction. Bund, Anglo-Indian name, means an embankment or an embanked quay. This famous area once once housed numerous banks and trading houses from the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Italy, Russia, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, and Belgium, as well as the consulates of Russia and Britain and has area has retained a European feel making it very popular with tourists. naby old English and French buildings have been converted to restaurants. Various architecture styles visible here include Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque, Neoclassical, and Renaissance influences. Sightseeing tours depart from here to see the confluence of the Huangpujiang and Yangtze rivers. The 1,700-meters (1,859 yards) long flood-control wall, known as ‘the lovers’ wall’, located on the side of Huangpu River from Huangpu Park to Xinkai River and once was the most romantic corner in Shanghai in the last century. The views, people watching and long walk were all great. The Bund, particularly in the evening when all buildings are colorful illuminated, is simply spectacular. If you haven’t visited the Bund, you haven’t seen Shanghai. It’s all lit up. In the evening’s a great time to enjoy the surroundings and take pictures!
Pudong New Area 
Modern architecture, beautiful landscapes, panoramic views from the skyscrapers – This is 21st century China. The area is full of towering skyscrapers and is quite a sight to see at night. Many of the showcase building are designed by famous architects from Italy, Japan, Spain and the United States. The land used to be occupied by marshes, farms, once-story building and rice paddies. There’s an elevated walkway where you can take in the main buildings, and afterwards can hop on the ferry back over to The Bund. Take a taxi to Pudong start with the Shanghai tower after walk to the water front and take many pictures of the high buildings then take the little train under the water and walk along the Bund. Definitely one of the best views of Shanghai during the day and the night time.
Take a ride on the Maglev — the world’s fastest train
A ride in the Maglev train from Pudong Airport to the city center is a perfect way to feel super-modern Shanghai. At 431 kph (270 mph, twice the speed of a theme park roller coaster), this air-conditioned, super-clean, magnetically-levitated train covers 30 km (19 miles) in only 8 minutes, though you hardly feel you’re moving! The train line connects Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Longyang Road Station (in the outskirts of central Pudong), where passengers can interchange to the Shanghai Metro to continue their trip to the city center. Construction of the line began in March 1, 2001. Shanghai Maglev trains don’t have wheels: They use magnetic levitation technology to move without touching the ground.
Environmentally friendly: There is no waste gas produced.
Visit the Maglev Museum to understand the engineering feat and its history. Address: Maglev Longyang Road Station, floor 1. More on the Maglev
Shanghai Museum
Located on the People’s Square near Nanjing Road, the “glassy” Shanghai Museum has a large collection of rare cultural relics — over 120,000 pieces. An example of artifacts include over 400 beautifully decorated bronzes. Founded in 1952, the Shanghai Museum has five floors of very impressive displays with artifacts from each of China’s dynasties. Among the items are bronze, ceramics, jade, ancient calligraphy and seals. Over 8000 visitors visit this place every day. The museum’s structure – a round building on a square base – also holds echoes of China’s history. Ancient buildings in China were constructed like this because of the belief that heaven was round and the earth square.
Bird’s-eye view the city from the World Financial Center
Building 1, No.100 Century Ave, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, China
+86 21 6877 7878
There are two level observatories in this building, one on 94th floor and the other on 100th floor with a sky walk. With a height of 492 meters and 101 floors, SWFC is the third tallest buildings in China (next to SWFC is Shanghai Tower which is the tallest one in China at present with a height of 632 meters) and the fifth tallest building in the world. The building competes with the Oriental Pearl TV Tower for greatest elevated views in the Shanghai metropolitan. The Shanghai World Fnancial Center is a ultra modern 101 storie skyscraper. Business, conference center, retail, and restaurants as well as a Park Hyatt Hotel
Although you can view the scenery from various floors, make sure to go to the world’s highest observatory — The Sky Walk — on the 100th floor where you can see the Chinese metropolis from 474m (1,555 feet) above the ground. Witnessing sunset/sunrise from this observatory is recommended.
Have Fun at Disneyland Park
Shanghai Disneyland Park is the first Disney theme park in mainland China, which blends the magic of Disney and unique cultural elements of China. There are six themed lands in the park.
On entering the park, you will be captured by the feeling of being in another world with countless excitement and adventures. It is a good place to visit with family and friends. Learn more about Shanghai Disneyland Park.
The Oriental Pearl TV Tower
Standing 468 meters (1,536 feet) tall, this building was completed in 1995 and is most well known icon of Shanghai.
Not only do you get to enjoy sitting inside a revolving hotel in this revered and outstanding land mark, but you also get to see Shanghai metropolis from a “Space Module” — the highest observatory level set at 350 meters (1,148 feet) above the ground. There are three large spheres including the top sphere, known as the space module. Then there are five smaller spheres and three decorative spheres on the base. The entire structure rests on rich green grassland and gives the appearance of pearls shining on a jade plate.
Visitors travel up and down the Oriental Pearl TV Tower in double-decker elevators that can hold up to fifty people at the rate of seven meters per second. The elevator attendants recite an introduction to the TV Tower in English and Chinese during the rapid 1/4-mile ascent. Once you reach your destination, you will be amazed at the variety of activities available as the various spheres and columns actually house places of interest, commerce, and recreation.
The attractive building has 3 legs, 11 spheres and 15 observatory levels.
Get to know the city via the various artifacts exhibited at the Shanghai Municipal History Museum located in this building. See more on the Oriental Pearl TV Tower.
