Most galleries are open from 10am to 6pm, with the majority closed Mondays.
oShànghǎi Natural History MuseumMUSEUM
(上海自然博物馆, Shànghǎi Zìrán Bówùguǎn GOOGLE MAP ; %021 6862 2000; www.snhm.org.cn; 510 West Beijing Rd; 北京西路510号 adult/teen/under 13yr ¥30/12/free; h9am-5.15pm Tue-Sun; mLine 2, 12, 13 to West Nanjng Rd)
Perhaps not quite on the same scale as the Smithsonian, Shànghǎi's new sleek space would nevertheless be a fitting choice for a Night at the Museum movie. As comprehensive as it is entertaining and informative, the museum is packed with displays of taxidermied animals, dinosaurs and cool interactive features. Its architecture is also a highlight, with a striking design that is beautifully integrated in its art-filled Jìng’ān Sculpture Park (静安雕塑公园, Jìng'ān Diāosù Gōngyuán GOOGLE MAP ; 128 Shimen 2nd Rd; 石门二路128号 h6am-8.30pm; mLines 2, 12, 13 to West Nanjing Rd) setting.
oJìng’ān TempleBUDDHIST TEMPLE
(静安寺, Jìng’ān Sì MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 1686-1688 West Nanjing Rd; 南京西路1686-1688号 ¥50; h7.30am-5pm; mLine 2, 7 to Jing’an Temple, exit 1)
With the original temple dating back to AD 1216, the much-restored Jìng’ān Temple was here well before all the audacious skyscrapers and glitzy shopping malls. Today it stands like a shimmering mirage in defiance of West Nanjing Rd’s soaring modern architecture; a sacred portal to the Buddhist world that partially, at least, underpins this metropolis of 24 million souls.
oJade Buddha TempleBUDDHIST TEMPLE
(玉佛寺, Yùfó Sì MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Anyuan & Jiangning Rds; 安远路和江宁路街口 high/low season ¥20/10; h8am-4.30pm; mLine 7, 13 to Changshou Rd, exit 5)
One of Shànghǎi’s few active Buddhist monasteries, this temple was built between 1918 and 1928. The highlight is a transcendent Buddha crafted from pure jade, one of five shipped back to China by the monk Hui Gen at the turn of the 20th century. It's a popular stopover for tour buses, so be prepared for crowds. In February, during the Lunar New Year, the temple is very busy, as some 20,000 Chinese Buddhists throng to pray for prosperity.
The first temple on your immediate left upon entering is the Hall of Heavenly Kings, holding the statues of the Four Heavenly Kings who each look upon the four cardinal points. Directly opposite is the twin-eaved Grand Hall, the temple's most significant building, where worshippers pray to the past, present and future Buddhas. Also within the Grand Hall are splendidly carved luóhàn (arhats), lashed to the walls with wires, and a copper-coloured statue of Guanyin at the rear. Passing through the Grand Hall you'll reach a gated tranquil courtyard, where stairs lead up to the Jade Buddha Hall. The absolute centrepiece of the temple is the 1.9m-high pale-green jade Buddha, seated upstairs and carved from one piece. Photographs are not permitted. Walking further into the complex is the Reclining Budda Hall, which contains a small reclining white jade Buddha from Burma that's displayed in a glass cabinet.
The complex was renovated recently, which saw several halls demolished and replaced with new buildings to the right of the entrance.
To get here, take Changshou metro station exit 5 and walk along Anyuan Rd, passing by a lively produce market and street-food vendors. A vegetarian restaurant is also within the temple complex around the corner.
Pǔdōng 浦东新区
The main attractions of Pǔdōng are the high-altitude observation decks, hotels, restaurants and bars in the rocketing towers of the Lùjiāzuǐ area. They offer ringside seats onto some of China’s most mind-altering urban panoramas. A few sights are scattered around Century Park, including the Science & Technology Museum and the Himalayas Museum.
Pǔdōng
1Top Sights
1Aurora MuseumB3
2Oriental Pearl TV TowerB2
3Shànghǎi History MuseumA2
4Shànghǎi TowerC3
5Shànghǎi World Financial CenterC3
1Sights
6Jīnmào TowerC3
7Riverside PromenadeA2
2Activities, Courses & Tours
8Huángpǔ River Cruise (Pǔdōng)A2
4Sleeping
Grand HyattC3
9Mandarin Oriental PudongC1
10Park HyattC3
11Ritz-Carlton Shanghai PudongB2
5Eating
Baker & SpiceB2
12Food OperaA2
Grand CaféC3
6Drinking & Nightlife
Cloud 9
FlairB2
7Shopping
13IFC MallB2
8Information
Tourist Information & Service CentreB2
oShànghǎi TowerNOTABLE BUILDING
(上海中心大厦, Shànghǎi Zhōngxīn Dàshà MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.shanghaitower.com.cn; cnr Middle Yincheng & Huayuanshiqiao Rds; ¥160; h9am-9pm; mLujiazui)
China’s tallest building dramatically twists skywards from its footing in Lùjiāzuǐ. The 121-storey 632m-tall Gensler-designed Shànghǎi Tower topped out in August 2013 and opened in mid-2016. The spiral-shaped tower houses office space, entertainment venues, shops, a conference centre, a luxury hotel and ‘sky lobbies’. The gently corkscrewing form – its nine interior cylindrical units wrapped in two glass skins – is the world’s second-tallest building at the time of writing. The observation deck on the 118th floor is the world's highest.
The twist is introduced by the outer skin of glass which swivels through 120 degrees as it rises, while atrium ‘sky gardens’ in the vertical spaces sandwiched between the two layers of glass open up a large volume of the tower to public use. The tower is sustainably designed: as well as providing insulation, the huge area of glass will vastly reduce electrical consumption through the use of sunlight. The tower’s shape furthermore reduces wind loads by 24%, which generated a saving of US$58m in construction costs. Before the tower even went up, engineers were faced with building the 61,000m³ concrete mat that would support its colossal mass in the boggy land of Pǔdōng.
Uppermost floors of the tower are reserved for that obligatory Shànghǎi attraction – the world’s highest skydeck above ground level – with passengers ferried skywards in the world’s fastest lifts (64km/h), designed by Mitsubishi (and the world’s tallest single-lift elevator). Visitors can gaze down on both the Jīnmào Tower and Shànghǎi World Financial Center below. A six-level luxury retail podium fills the base of the tower.
oOriental Pearl TV TowerNOTABLE BUILDING
(东方明珠广播电视塔, Dōngfāng Míngzhū Guǎngbō Diànshì Tǎ MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021 5879 1888; 1 Century Ave; 世纪大道1号 ¥160-220; h8am-10pm, revolving restaurant 11am-2pm & 5-9pm; mLujiazui)
This 468m-tall poured-concrete tripod tower is the most iconic contemporary building in the city, and its image is flashed around town on everything from postcards to T-shirts. Love it or hate it, the Deng Xiaoping–era design is inadvertently retro; a certain mix of sci-fi meets Soviet brutalist architecture. Inside, the highlight is the Transparent Observatory (259m), where you can peer way down through the glass-bottomed walkway. Also don't miss the excellent Shànghǎi History Museum in the basement.
oAurora MuseumMUSEUM
(震旦博物馆, Zhèn Dàn Bówùguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021 5840 8899; www.auroramuseum.cn; Aurora Bldg, 99 Fucheng Rd; 富城路99号震旦大厦 ¥60; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun, to 9pm Fri, last entry 1hr before closing; mLujiazui)
Designed by renowned Japanese architect, Andō Tadao, the Aurora Museum is set over six floors of the Aurora building and houses a stunning collection of Chinese treasures. Artefacts and antiquities on display include pottery from the Han dynasty; jade dating back from the Neolithic to the Qing dynasty; blue-and-white porcelain spanning the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties; as well as Buddhist sculptures from the Gandharan and Northern Wei period. Don't miss the jade burial suit of 2903 tiles sewn with gold wire.
oShànghǎi World Financial CenterNOTABLE BUILDING
(上海环球金融中心, Shànghǎi Huánqiú Jīnróng Zhōngxīn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021 5878 0101; www.swfc-ob
servatory.com; 100 Century Ave; 世纪大道100号 observation decks 94th fl adult/child ¥120/60, 94th, 97th & 100th fl ¥180/90; h8am-11pm, last entry 10.30pm; mLujiazui)
Although trumped by the adjacent Shànghǎi Tower as the city’s most stratospheric building, the awe-inspiring 492m-high Shànghǎi World Financial Center is an astonishing sight, even more so come nightfall when its ‘bottle opener’ top dances with lights. There are three observation decks – on levels 94, 97 and 100 – with head-spinningly altitude-adjusted ticket prices and wow-factor elevators thrown in.
oShànghǎi History MuseumMUSEUM
(上海城市历史发展陈列馆, Shànghǎi Chéngshì Lìshǐ Fāzhǎn Chénlièguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021 5879 8888; 1 Century Ave; 世纪大道1号, Oriental Pearl TV Tower basement admission ¥35, English audio tour ¥30; h8am-9.30pm; mLujiazui)
The entire family will enjoy this informative museum with a fun presentation on old Shànghǎi. Learn how the city prospered on the back of the cotton trade and junk transportation, when it was known as ‘Little Sūzhōu’. Life-sized models of traditional shops are staffed by realistic waxworks, amid a wealth of historical detail, including a boundary stone from the International Settlement and one of the bronze lions that originally guarded the entrance to the HSBC bank on the Bund.
Some exhibits are hands-on or accompanied by creative video presentations. The city’s transport history gets a look-in; you can size up an antique bus, an old wheelbarrow taxi and an ornate sedan chair.
oShànghǎi DisneylandAMUSEMENT PARK
(上海迪士尼乐园, Shànghǎi Díshìní Lèyuán GOOGLE MAP ; %021 3158 0000; www.shanghaidisneyresort.com; Shànghǎi Disney Resort, Pǔdōng; adult/child 1.0-1.4m & senior ¥499/375; h9am-9pm; mDisney Resort)
Disney has magicked-up a spectacular theme park in Shànghǎi, offering a subtly Chinese take on Mickey and co. Six themed areas encircle Disney’s biggest-ever Enchanted Storybook Castle, with attractions including a TRON roller coaster joining high-tech reboots of old favourites like Pirates of the Caribbean. With an estimated 350 million people living less than three hours away, expect long queues for rides – arrive before 9am if you plan to do it all in a day.
Jīnmào TowerNOTABLE BUILDING
(金茂大厦, Jīnmào Dàshà MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021 5047 5101; 88 Century Ave; 世纪大道88号 adult/student/child ¥120/90/60; h8.30am-10pm; mLujiazui)
Resembling an art deco take on a pagoda, this crystalline edifice is a beauty. It’s essentially an office block with the high-altitude Grand Hyatt (金茂君悦大酒店; Jīnmào Jūnyuè Dàjiǔdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021 5049 1234; www.shanghai.grand.hyatt.com; Jīnmào Tower, 88 Century Ave; 世纪大道88号金茂大厦 d ¥1500-2000; aiWs; mLujiazui) renting space from the 53rd to 87th floors. You can zip up in the elevators to the 88th-floor observation deck, accessed from the separate podium building to the side of the main tower (aim for clear days at dusk for both day and night views).
Alternatively, sample the same view through the carbonated fizz of a gin and tonic at Cloud 9 (九重天酒廊; Jiǔchóngtiān Jiǔláng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021 5047 8838; http://shanghai.grand.hyatt.com; 87th fl, Jīnmào Tower, 88 Century Ave; 世纪大道88号金茂大厦87楼 h5pm-1am Mon-Fri, 2pm-2am Sat & Sun; mLujiazui) on the 87th floor of the Grand Hyatt (accessed on the south side of the building), and photograph the hotel’s astonishing barrel-vaulted atrium.
Riverside PromenadeWATERFRONT
(滨江大道, Bīnjiāng Dàdào MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mLujiazui)
Hands down the best stroll in Pǔdōng. The sections of promenade alongside Riverside Ave on the eastern bank of the Huángpǔ River offer splendid views to the Bund across the way. Choicely positioned cafes look out over the water.
Pǔdōng, Shànghǎi | HELLORF ZCOOL/SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Hóngkǒu & North Shànghǎi 虹口
The highlight of Hóngkǒu and North Shànghǎi is just wandering the streets, soaking up the Jewish history and admiring the art deco and heritage architecture. The Ohel Moishe Synagogue makes for a good starting point before a stroll around the North Bund area to check out the Astor House Hotel, Broadway Mansions, Main Post Office and Embankment Building. You can easily combine a day out strolling historic Duolun Rd and the Lu Xun Park area.
oOhel Moishe Synagogue & Jewish Refugees MuseumMUSEUM
(摩西会堂; Móxī Huìtáng GOOGLE MAP ; %021 6512 6669; 62 Changyang Rd; 长阳路62号 ¥50; h9am-5pm, last entry 4.30pm; mTilanqiao)
Built by the Russian Ashkenazi Jewish community in 1927, this synagogue lies in the heart of the 1940s Jewish ghetto. Today it houses the synagogue and the Shànghǎi Jewish Refugees Museum, with exhibitions on the lives of the approximately 20,000 Central European refugees who fled to Shànghǎi to escape the Nazis. There are English-language tours every hour, from 9.30am to 11.30am and 1pm to 4pm.
Sky RingFERRIS WHEEL
(天空指环; Tiānkōng Zhǐhuán MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021 3633 8833; www.shjoycity.com; 8F, North Bldg, Shànghǎi Joy City, 198 Xizang North Rd; 上海大悦城座8楼，西藏北路198号 ¥60; h10am-9.30pm; c; mQufu Rd)
Sky Wheel’s rooftop location in a rapidly developing neighbourhood is perfect for sweeping views contrasting old Shànghǎi with new. The 12-minute ride above a neighbourhood of historic lǐlòng (里弄) houses offers glimpses of the Huángpǔ River and, at the very top, Shànghǎi’s newest skyscrapers peeking over even newer riverside construction. When the ride is finished, head to the roof for boutique shopping and a closer look at the wheel itself. Book via smartphone to save time (but not money).
Kids under 1.2m tall ride free.
ART DECO ABATTOIR
1933ARCHITECTURE
(上海1933老场坊; Shànghǎi 1933 Lǎochǎngfáng GOOGLE MAP ; 10 Shajing Rd; 沙泾路10号 mHailun Rd)
This vast concrete former abattoir is one of Shànghǎi's unique buildings, today converted to house a number of boutiques, galleries and restaurants (though, sadly, none are of much interest). An extraordinary place built around a central core, its structure is a maze of flared columns, sky-bridges (across which cattle would be led to slaughter), ramps, curved stairwells – and jostling photo opportunities.
Xújiāhuì & South Shànghǎi 徐家汇
Yuz MuseumGALLERY
(余德耀美术馆; Yúdéyào Měishùguǎn www.yuzmshanghai.org; 35 Fenggu Rd; 丰谷路35号近龙腾大道 Tue-Fri ¥120, Sat & Sun ¥150; h10am-9pm Sun-Thu, to midnight Fri & Sat; mLine 11 to Yun Jin Rd)
A huge development for Shànghǎi's contemporary art scene, this enormous gallery is housed in the former hangar of Lónghuá Airport and sprawls over 9000 sq metres. The temporary exhibitions have been world-class and beautifully curated so far, making an important contribution to the fast-developing West Bund cultural hub. The airy atrium contains a cafe and gift shop. Check in advance what exhibitions and workshops (some held in English) are running.
Lónghuá Temple & PagodaBUDDHIST TEMPLE
(龙华寺、龙华塔, Lónghuá Sì & Lónghuá Tǎ GOOGLE MAP ; %021 6457 6327; 2853 Longhua Rd; 龙华路2853号 ¥10, incl incense ¥50; h7am-4.30pm; mLine 11 Longhua)
Shànghǎi's oldest and largest monastery is named after the pipal tree (lónghuá) under which Buddha achieved enlightenment. Trees are decorated with red lanterns, incense smoke fills the front of the grounds and monks can regularly be heard chanting, making this one of the city's most atmospheric sites. The much-renovated temple is said to date from the 10th century.
St Ignatius CathedralCATHEDRAL
(徐家汇天主教堂, Xújiāhuì Tiānzhǔjiàotáng GOOGLE MAP ; %021 6438 4632; 158 Puxi Rd; 蒲西路158号 mLine 1, 9, 11 to Xujiahui)
The dignified twin-spired St Ignatius Cathedral (1904) is a major Xújiāhuì landmark, closed while undergoing restoration at the time of writing. Its nave is a long span of Gothic arches, while the exterior is ornamented with rows of menacing gargoyles. Note how the church spires find reflection in much of the more recently built local architecture. The original stained glass was destroyed in
the Cultural Revolution, but the vivid colours of the recent red, azure and purple replacements (with archaic Chinese inscriptions from the Bible) are outstanding.
West Shànghǎi
oQībǎoVILLAGE
(七宝 GOOGLE MAP ; www.goqibao.com; 2 Minzhu Rd, Mǐnháng district; 闵行区民主路2号 high/low season ¥45/30; hsights 8.30am-4.30pm; mQibao)
If you tire of Shànghǎi's incessant quest for modernity, this tiny town is only a hop, skip and metro ride away. An ancient settlement that prospered during the Ming and Qing dynasties, it is littered with traditional historic architecture, threaded by small, busy alleyways and cut by a picturesque canal. If you can somehow blot out the crowds, Qībǎo brings you the flavours of old China. When you exit the station, head down Minzhu Rd and follow the signs to the Old Street.
Lonely Planet China Page 58