Selected Travel Guide:					Adjust Font Size:

The Bund
The picturesque Bund, Shanghai's waterfront promenade stretching for one mile (2km) along the bank of the Huangpu River, was once the most famous street in Asia, and is still renowned for its strip of Art Deco buildings. One of the grandest of these buildings, formerly the City Communist Party headquarters, is now the home of the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank. The wide riverfront promenade on the east bank of the river provides a captivating view of Shanghai, particularly at night. From the Bund visitors can take a river trip down the Huangpu to the mouth of the Yangtse. Boats leave regularly from the Shiliupu Pier south of the Bund and the trip takes about three hours.

Shanghai Museum
The new Shanghai Museum is situated on the People's Square, the political and cultural center of Shanghai. The square itself boasts a giant musical fountain and some attractive green recreational areas where locals dance and fly kites. It is surrounded by the City Hall, an underground shopping center and the Grand Shanghai Theater. It is the Shanghai Museum, opened in 1996, however, that draws the most interest. The building is shaped like a giant bronze urn, and the museum contains a collection of 123,000 cultural artifacts in 21 categories. Chief among the museum's collections are bronze ware, ceramics, calligraphy and art works.
Address: 201 Renmin Avenue
Phone Number: (0)21 6372 5300
Website: www.shanghaimuseum.net/en
Transport: Bus 46, 71, 123, 574
Hours: Daily 9am to 5pm
Admission: Free

Yuyuan Gardens
The Yuyuan Gardens date back to 1559 to the Ming Dynasty, and are the best example of Chinese classical gardens in Shanghai. The relatively small gardens are laid out in an intricate design with pavilions, rockeries, ponds and a traditional theater arranged in an ornate maze. The gardens are on Yuyuan Street in downtown Shanghai and can be reached via the Town God Temple Market, a warren of shops and stalls that is becoming increasingly popular as a tourist bazaar.

Hangzhou
Hangzhou, about 120 miles (190km) south of Shanghai, is one of China's designated seven famous ancient capital cities. It is also the provincial capital of Zhejiang province. Known for its scenic beauty it has been tagged 'Paradise on Earth'. Hangzhou touts two scenic resorts: the West Lake and another section encompassing the Fuchun River and Thousand-Islet Lake. These resorts are dotted with 'willow pattern' scenes like weeping willows, peach trees, stone bridges, rockeries and painted pavilions, interspersed with ancient tombs, monasteries and temples.

Related Shanghai Content

Related China Content

China City Guides: Beijing Guide Shanghai Guide Xian Guide