China’s largest city excites with its art, history, culture and architecture and dazzles with the beauty of its natural surroundings.
Magnificent temples, vast museums, fascinating architecture and plenty of big-city thrills, Shanghai Province has lots going on to keep you entertained and engaged. Investigate the city's art scene, visit ancient shrines and explore the nearby islands.
A good way to start your visit is with a walk along the Bund, Shanghai’s historic waterfront. It features some of the city’s most recognizable buildings. Note the different architectural styles, including art deco, Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque. They contrast markedly with the modern skyscrapers of Pudong, which lie across the Huangpu River. These towering structures are an even more fascinating sight when they are lit up at night. Another example of stunning architecture is the vast Shanghai Exhibition Center in Jing’an.
Among the city’s most beautiful and intriguing buildings are its temples. In the western part of Shanghai, find tranquility at the Jade Buddha temple, an early 20th-century place of worship that houses two jade Buddha statues. See one of Shanghai District’s most impressive temple complexes in the town of Nanxiang. The Yun Xiang Si Temple encompasses seven temples, a scripture library and a large hall for up to 700 worshippers.
The beauty of Shanghai’s architecture is also mirrored in its art. Browse examples of Asian contemporary art at the Shanghai Gallery of Art and at the Museum of Contemporary Art located within People’s Park. Walk along Mogoshan Road, where every possible surface is covered in graffiti.
Shanghai Province has many places to unwind, surrounded by natural beauty. Wander among the redwoods, gingkoes, cherry trees and flowering magnolias of the Yuyuan Gardens. Stroll through the colorful gardens of Guyi Gardens and rent a boat for a trip across its lake.
Take a daytrip out to the islands off Shanghai’s coast. Hike through the forests on Changxing or Hengsha and go bird watching at Dongtan Wetland Park on Chongming. While you are on this island, stop by Yingdong Ecological Village for boating, fishing and more bird watching.
A visit to Shanghai Province promises bright lights and big-city bustle as well as lots of nature and traditions.