Shanghai

When visiting Shanghai, you need to understand the main thing - 24 million people live here and this is the largest city in the world in terms of population (wiki). It is also included in the TOP20 cities by the number of international tourists (~8 mln per year). But the main fact is...

Shanghai is visited by 276 million domestic tourists per year (link, 2015)! 276 million! The most visited country in the world - France, has about 85 million international tourists a year.

Here everything is the biggest: the largest port, the longest subway, the highest observation deck, the fastest and highest elevator, the largest number of high-rise buildings.

You need at least 3 days to visit Shanghai. One day for the Pudong area and two days for the Bund, center and the old town. Of course, only if you are the active walkers.

Shanghai districts for orientation


More detailed map of the center. In general, you will walk within this map.


We moved by metro and taxi. The metro is new and very modern. Shanghai has the longest subway network in the world (2017). All the inscriptions are translated into English. Tickets are bought in vending machines, there are single tickets, one day and three-day tickets. The price of a single ticket depends on the number of stations, the longest trip costs $1.3.

Taxi is inexpensive. A trip up to 10 kilometers will cost about $5. Use only official taxis with meters, since guys on the street deceive foreigners, as elsewhere. We were tired after the plane and paid $20 for the same 10 kilometers. Of course, you need to have a text with a destination in Chinese.

Shanghai is also a very suitable city for hiking. We had a great weather and walked 15-20 kilometers a day.

On holidays in tourist places of Shanghai are real hell. Here, for example, the central embankment during the Tomb-Sweeping Day.


Here is a "pleasure" boat


And here is an entrance to the old city


Have you changed your mind about coming here? As it turned out, not everything is so bad. Just do not come on holidays, do not be lazy and get up early.

The most elite hotels in Shanghai are located in skyscrapers in the Pudong area and cost around 400 euros. We did not stay there since those hotels do not offer a view of the Pudong. Lived in the hotel Shanghai Bund South China Harbor View (booking.com). The room on the top floor cost 120 euros per night. Here is a view from the window.


Actually, this is the best view for such money and the hotel has no competitors. But there is one problem, the windows are covered with a yellow film, so the photos will not be ideal. But you can sit and watch people on the Bund.


Endless barges on the Huangpu River and the Pudong area.


But the real beauty begins in the evening.


The Pudong District is the main attraction of Shanghai. I think everyone saw the famous gif, which depicts two photos of Shanghai - from 1990 and 2010. In 15 years, this small piece of land has become the business and financial center of China.


4 major buildings here:

 - Jin Mao skyscraper (421 m, stands in front of the "bottle opener"), was opened in 1998 and became the first skyscraper in China above 400 meters.

 - East Pearl TV Tower (468 m), the fifth by height in the world (2017). There is an oceanarium near the tower.

 - World Financial Center (492 m) or "bottle opener". Known for the fact that during the design process the round hole (the symbol of Japan) was replaced by a rectangular one.

 - Shanghai Tower (632 m), the tallest building in China and the second in the world (2017).

Each of these buildings features a hotel and an observation deck. We visited the observation deck in the "bottle opener".


A good layout of the central part of Shanghai in the hall.


We came to the opening and were the only visitors.


The roof of the Jin Mao. In January 2017 there opened the most unusual observation deck in Shanghai - follow this link to see the photos.










The area is very well maintained and modern. By the way, there are not so many tourists here as on the other side of the river.








Shanghai's main airport has the same name - Pudong, it was built together with the region. Do not miss the opportunity to get to the city on the fastest land-based public transport in the world. Shanghai Maglev at the moment is the only commercial train line on a magnetic cushion. Accelerates to 431 km/h.

Along the whole district, there is a well-developed embankment.










A funny scene - a couple is offered to buy a turtle.


This place is good because it is not crowded and even during the day you can walk freely along the embankment. It overlooks the old Shanghai and the colonial embankment. You can get to the other bank by metro, ferry or in the tram of the tourist tunnel Bund Sightseeing Tunnel.

In the area of Pudong, we also visited the huge Century park (the metro station with the same name). The park was created by the British in 1996-2000. There are no tourists here, although it is very beautiful and there is much to do. You can just walk around like we did, rent a boat or bicycle, feed pigeons or even go fishing.










And in the area of the old city, the number of tourists is quite large. As we already mentioned, there is no sense to walk there during weekends. Therefore, we walked in the morning and in the evening.

Bund (Waitan) is a popular place for morning exercises.


Another popular male hobby is the launching of kites.


As you can see, there are not many people here in the morning, but on weekends and holidays, the embankment is crowded. Be careful. On December 31, 2014, during the celebration of the new year, there was a tragedy here. According to press reports (which were denied by the police), from one of the buildings, somebody began to throw out flyers with congratulations, similar to US dollars. In the stampede died 36 people.

The main attraction on the waterfront is a view of the Pudong district.


And dozens of colonial buildings in a variety of styles.


Since we arrived in April, we did not miss the opportunity to visit Gucun Park (metro line 7, Gucun Park station, http://www.gucunpark.net/english/) and see cherry blossoms. The park is quite new (opened in 2011) and very large.














Then we returned to the Zhongtan Road metro station and started our 20-kilometer walk around the city. Went towards the center. It is impossible to get lost since you will walk along the river. On the banks are modern residential areas. Apartments here are expensive and the area is very well maintained and pleasant.






Moganshan Rd has many different graffiti and art workshops. This place is called M50 Art District.








Closer to the center, the streets will look like this.


Cats are available


The next landmark is Jing'an Sculpture Park. From the river turn to Daitan Rd. Very cozy and interesting park among skyscrapers.












The next street is Huanghe Rd. Here are some of the most popular fast foods and restaurants in the city with a basic dish - dumplings. Look for Jia Jia Tang Bao (90 Huanghe Rd) or Yang's Dumpling (88 Huanghe Rd). Sometimes they are overcrowded.


In addition to the restaurants on this street, we also ate in Din Tai Fung - a network of dumpling's restaurants and in Wagas - a fast food network of healthy food, mostly European.

In front of the People's Square, you will cross the main shopping street of Shanghai - Nanjing Road. It is pedestrian from this point to the river.

Huanghe Rd overlooks the central square of Shanghai - People's Square. It is huge, and most of it is occupied by a beautiful park, where there are also cherry blossoms. The area has an oval shape, as before there was a racetrack.












Find here a famous "marriage market", online dating site on the streets. Look for it on Wusheng Rd near the museum, but it can be in other places of the square too.


The next landmark is the Xintiandi metro station and the eponymous quarter. This area is built in the style of Shikumen - a mix of Western and Chinese architecture. It is also called the French Quarter, as the whole area looks completely European.






Next, we went through park Taipingqiao Park (West Gate) in the direction of metro Laoximen. You can also try to use this map. Huang Pi Nan Lu is the subway station Huangpi South Road.








Right behind the Laoximen metro station are the slums of Shanghai. This area has not yet been demolished and perhaps will not be, as the place is interesting and, unlike the Brazilian ones, it's safe.








Then we tried to visit the restored old city, but, as we already said, it's better not to do it on a day off. So we reached the Bund embankment and went to the hotel.






The old city is better to visit in the morning. Go to Yu Garden metro station and then walk along Fuyou Rd.




During the day this place is a huge market with thousands of tourists. And in the morning very quiet.








In the center of the old town are its main "pearls" - a tea house on the lake (1784) and the garden of Yu Yuan or simply Yu. To the house leads a bridge of nine turns, protecting from evil spirits, which walk only in a straight line. The tea house works as a cafe. Tea pod costs from $9 to $20.


Evening photo


Here is also an entrance to the Yu Garden, a classic private garden built in the 16th century. It was opened to public in 1961, after a five-year restoration. Opened from 8:30 to 17:00.




















A few more interesting places. SkySOHO building (another name Lingkong SOHO), by famous architect Zaha Hadid. The closest metro station is Songhong Road.




Promenade near the passenger port (metro station International Passenger Transport Center). Here was done a great job and appeared a large park, under which the port facilities are located. Pleasant and quite place.












Shanghai is so huge that it can not be seen in three days or in a week.

Useful links

http://www.meet-in-shanghai.net/ - official travel site
https://exploreshanghai.com/metro/ - a metro map with the route planner. Select the start and end station and get the route, price and time
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/ - portal about Shanghai in English
http://sh.gisocn.com/ - 3D map of Shanghai

Getting there: City can be reached from the airport both on the metro and the maglev to the metro station Longyang Rd. At night, the subway and the maglev not working. A taxi to the center costs $30.