Shanghai – The New York of China

Shanghai was the first trip to another city I took when I was living in China. I visited during Golden Week, the national holiday that surrounds National Day (October 1^st). It was very busy. Shanghai’s normal population is somewhere in the region of 30 million, and with the influx of tourists for the holiday everywhere was packed.

I also visited when Typhoon Mitag was approaching the Chinese coast, so it was pretty stormy for some of the days I was there. It also limited what I could see and do in the city, so I’ll need to go back so I can add more to this page! Shanghai is susceptible to typhoons, so check the weather before going.

Shanghai is one of the most populous cities in the world, with a lot to see and do. It feels very different from other Chinese cities, and I would say it’s the most western of Chinese cities, hence why I call it the New York of China. Everything is big, flashy and full of tourists.

The city has a wide mix of cultural and architectural influences, having been occupied by various other countries over the last two centuries, including European and US concessions, and Japanese occupation. This is partly what makes Shanghai feel very different from other Chinese cities, as there is a larger cultural mix here.

the Bund

The Bund is the waterfront area along the western bank of the Huangpu River. This is the best place to see the modern skyscrapers across the river in Pudong.

The Shanghai skyline as seen from the Bund.

The Bund itself is home to many European-style buildings, as it is within the former Shanghai International Settlement. Walking past these buildings, you could be mistaken for thinking you were in a European capital.

If you visit on October 1^st, Chinese National Day, then you’ll be able to watch a show from the Bund.

The Shanghai skyline as seen from the Bund at night.

When I visited in 2019, there was a night-time laser and light show, while the following day there was a military helicopter flyby. Of course, the Bund was packed with people for these events.

Shanghai Tower

Shanghai Tower, Shanghai World Financial Centre, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and Jin Mao Tower are the four tallest buildings in Shanghai. They are all worth seeing, but as queues can be long and the view is generally the same from them all, it’s maybe worth going up only one or two of them.

At 632m tall, Shanghai Tower is the tallest building in China. Of the four tallest buildings in Shanghai mentioned above, this one should definitely be number one on your list to go up. On the basement levels there is a small museum about the tallest buildings in the world, then from there you’ll ride one of the world’s fastest elevators (top speed of 20.5 metres per second) up to the 118^th floor observation deck.

The view from the top is the best you’ll get in Shanghai. You’ll get a 360 degree view of the city, and you can see the other tall buildings that are clustered in the same area. You can see across the Huangpu River to the Bund and beyond.

Shanghai World Financial Centre

At 492m, the Shanghai World Financial Centre is the second tallest building in Shanghai after Shanghai Tower. This building resembles a bottle opener, and you’ll find bottle openers that look like the building in the gift shop.

The tallest buildings in Shanghai at night.

This was the other building I went up while in Shanghai. The view is pretty similar, so after this one I was tall-towered out. This building has some glass floor viewpoints if that is your thing.

The glass floor viewpoints of the Shanghai World Financial Centre.

Oriental Pearl TV Tower

At 468m, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower is the third tallest structure in Shanghai. It’s whacky look has made it an icon of the city.

This one I didn’t go up, because the queue was 3 hours long when I arrived. Another view of Shanghai from above didn’t really seem worth it, which is why earlier I said you should choose just one or two buildings to go up, as the queues become crazy later in the day.

The queue time for the Oriental Pearl TV Tower.

If you do make it inside, you’ll find lots of observation decks and even a revolving restaurant. Even if you choose not to go inside, the tower is impressive and worth visiting.

Jin Mao Tower

At 421m, the Jin Mao Tower is the fourth tallest structure in Shanghai (and technically the third tallest building, as the Oriental Pearl TV Tower is classified as an observation tower rather than a skyscraper).

This last one I didn’t go up, but you can’t miss this building if you’re visiting the other tall buildings of Shanghai or viewing the skyline from the Bund. It’s another impressive building, and clustered round the bottom of these behemoths you’ll find malls and plenty of restaurants.

Yuyuan Old Street

Yuyuan Old Street sits next to Yu Garden and is a place where you can buy traditional products, surrounded by stunning ancient buildings. It marks a nice contrast from the modern side of Shanghai.

It’s also where you’ll be carried along in a swarm of people if you visit on a national holiday, so choose your time to visit the city wisely.

Nanjing Road

Nanjing Road is one of the world’s largest and busiest shopping streets, spanning over 5km. However, the main part is Nanjing Road East where most of the malls are concentrated. The street is named after the city of Nanjing.