Shanghai

Shanghai usually wows visitors. Some of the world's tallest buildings line the Pudong skyline and all along The Bund the art deco buildings of Swingin' Shanghai of the 1920s are an incredible sight.

Shanghai lies in the Yangtze River Delta and grew rich on trade along the many waterways in and around the city. Today Shanghai is one of the most important shipping ports in the world, and the international trade has brought development to Shanghai. The new area of Pudong is a marvel of modern architecture, while the older part of town, Puxi, is rich in local culture and history. The main sight is The Bund, the former habour that has now been turning into a promenade from which you can see the skylines of both sides of the Huangpu River. Shanghai came into power when the foreign traders started coming here in the 17th century, and much of the city has a distinct foreign influence. Inside Chinatown you can see a part of the original city as it was before the booming development. In here the narrow alleys are lined with people playing mahjong and selling vegetables, while the laundry is densely packed over your head. The local food market in here is one of the best in Shanghai, while both the City God Temple and the Yuyuan Garden offer glimpses into traditional Chinese belief systems.

Other sights include the Jade Buddha Temple with the stunning one-ton green jade Buddha, the Moganshan Art District, where local artisans display their art and the very good Shanghai Museum, with artefacts from throughout Chinese history. In addition an unexhaustable selection of smaller temples, tree-lined shopping streets, fantastic museums and sights related to later Chinese history all awaits you here.