Discover Shanghai's Secrets

Top 10 Attractions in Shanghai

1. The Bund 

The Bund lines the western side of the Huangpu River with dozens of magnificent historical buildings that once housed international banks, trading houses, and consulates. They stand as symbols of the influence and decadence of Old Shanghai. The Bund lies just north of the old, walled city of Shanghai, stretching 1,108 meters along Shanghai´s most important waterway and offering the best view of the futuristic Pudong skyline. 

2. Oriental Pearl TV Tower 

The Oriental Pearl TV Tower is located in Pudong Park in Luijazui district and is a symbol of Shanghai itself. The entire structure rests on rich green grassland and gives the appearance of pearls shining on a jade plate. The Oriental Pearl Tower is 468 meters high and at the very top of the Pearl there are shops, restaurants; including a rotating restaurant, and a sightseeing floor offering a stunning panoramic view of the city. Viewed from the Bund, the tower is an iconic part of Shanghai’s skyline. 

3. Yu Yuan 

Yu Yuan, also known as the Yu Garden, is a famous classical garden located in Anren Jie. It was finished in 1577 by Ming Dynasty government official Pan Yun Duan. Yu in Chinese means pleasing and satisfying, and this garden was specially built for Pan's parents as a place for them to enjoy a tranquil and happy time in their old age. In its 400 years of existence, Yu Yuan has undergone many changes; the garden you see today is the result of a five-year restoration project that took place from 1956-1961. Yu Yuan occupies an area of 20,000 square metres, however the small size is not a representative of the attractions of the garden: the pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds, and cloisters all have unique characteristics. 

4. Shanghai Tower 

The newest and tallest addition to the city’s skyline, Shanghai Tower stands 632 meters high with 128 floors and ranks as China's tallest building and second only in the world after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Visitors can take the express elevator to the sightseeing deck on the 119th floor - the whole ride only takes 55 seconds! The exterior of the building spirals upward like a snake, twisting about one degree per floor to offset the wind effect at higher altitudes. 

5. Shanghai Disneyland 

Shanghai Disneyland is located in Chuansha New Town of Pudong New Area, and is the sixth Disneyland in the world. Shanghai Disneyland breaks records and sets world firsts; with the tallest Disney Castle – the Enchanted Storybook Castle, the first garden-designed zone, and the first pirate-themed garden. It also combines movie figures with Chinese culture, like the Chinese Zodiac Murals in the Gardens of Imagination. Visitors can also enjoy classical musicals and stage plays, like Tarzan: Call of the Jungle, Frozen: A Sing-along Celebration, and the Lion King. Mickey's Storybook Express cruises through the six parks during the day. With inspiring music, the movie figures put on interesting performances on the street and give guests a truly magical experience.

6. People´s Square, People’s Park, and Shanghai Museum 

At the western end of the Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street lies People's Square. It is often considered the centre of Shanghai and a hub of leisure and commerce. People's Park, with its lawns, lakes, museum, and children’s playground, is the most central “green lung” of the city. Located in People's Square, Shanghai Museum is a large museum of ancient Chinese art. Its style and presentation surround visitors with artifacts demonstrating ancient wisdom and philosophy. The exterior design of the round dome and the square base symbolizes the ancient idea of a round heaven and a square land. 

7. Xintiandi 

Xintiandi is unique because of its concept of construction. It retains the antique walls, tiles, and exterior of the Shikumen housing of old Shanghai. On the other hand, its interior embodies a totally different world of international gallery, bars and cafes, boutiques or theme restaurants. When you walk into it, you will get the taste of both Shanghai in the 1920s and the sonic modern lifestyle of urbanites of the 21st century. 

8. Jade Buddha Temple 

North of central Jing’an sits a venerable and famous Buddhist temple called the Jade Buddha Temple. In 1882, an old temple was built to keep two jade Buddha statues which had been brought from Burma by a monk named Huigen. The temple was destroyed during the revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty. Fortunately the statues were saved and a new temple was built on the present site in 1928. The two precious jade Buddhist statues are not only rare cultural relics but also porcelain artworks. Both the Sitting Buddha and the Recumbent Buddha are carved with whole white jade. 

9. Zhujiajiao Ancient Town 

Located in a suburb of Shanghai, Zhujiajiao is an ancient water town with a history of more than 1700 years. It is sometimes called Shanghai's Venice. Covering an area of 47 square kilometers, the little fan-shaped town glimmers like a bright pearl in the landscape of lakes and mountains. Endowed with another elegant name - 'Pearl Stream' - the little town is the best-preserved among the four ancient towns in Shanghai. Unique old bridges across bubbling streams, small rivers shaded by willow trees, and houses with courtyards attached all transport people who have been living amidst the bustle and hustle of the modern big city to a world full of antiquity, leisure and tranquility. 

10. Shanghai Ocean Aquarium 

Shanghai Ocean Aquarium is located in Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone in Pudong District, between the Grand Kempinski Hotel Shanghai and the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. One of the largest ocean aquariums in the world, it has the world's longest submarine viewing tunnel measuring 155-metres in length. The Ocean Aquarium provides visitors with a tour covering the world's five continents and four oceans, consisting of two pyramid-shaped buildings - a main building and an annex. The main building is divided into different exhibition zones: China Zone, South America Zone, Australia Zone, Africa Zone, Southeast Asia Zone, Cold Water Zone, Polar Zone, Sea and Shore, Deep Ocean Zone and Special Exhibitions. The exhibits include more than 300 types and 15,000 water creatures and rare fishes, such as poison dart frogs, jellyfishes, moonfish, leafy sea dragons, and emperor penguins.