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Shanghai
Shanghai as one of the largest centers of economy in China has witnessed the development of the modern history of China. It is now on its way to become an international metropolis. Only having a good knowledge of these important features and backgrounds of the city, tourists can take a journey to Shanghai with an object in their mind. Shanghai has made an effort to develop the city tourism mainly featuring "city scenery", "city culture", and "city commerce". The municipal government has gradually mapped out three tourism itineraries. The itinerary for city tours, business, and shopping is organized around the People's Square and both sides of the Huang Pu River. The itinerary for cultural tours around the city is organized in the public entertainment places and communities. The itinerary for recreation and holiday in the outer suburbs is organized around Mount She, Dian Shan Lake, the deepwater port and the Chong Ming Island.
The architecture of Shanghai has its own characters. The Bund, the Stone-gate buildings, the different kinds of Shanghai style constructions, the modern installations which make an assemblage of different styles of architecture, ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign are worth visiting.

Tourist Attractions in Shanghai:

The Bund 

The Bund is located in the section of riverfront along the Huangpu river which until the early 1800's was undeveloped. The British set up their consulate and other buildings there after the Opium War. In the early 1900's, the Bund sprouted up with buildings designed by architects from Britain, France, China, America, Russia, Japan, and others. The Bund is a record of history - displaying a collection of past architecture, many of these buildings were the best in Asia in their time. In the evening the neon lights brighten up the whole bund area making this stretch of the city the most visited in Shanghai - must see for visitor to the city.

Shanghai Museum

The world-renowed Shanghai Museum at the People's Square is in the possession of a collection of 123,000 cultural artifacts in 21 categories, the museum is especially famous for its treasures of bronzes, ceramics, paintings, and calligraphy. A vast collection of exhibits, world-class architecture, and high-tech facilities explain why the Shanghai Museum can attract visitors from all over the world.

Yu garden(Yu Yuan)

The Yuyuan gardens are situated not far from the Bund in the southwestern side of the city. The Yuyuan is certainly tacky- a kind of China meets Disney with an added twist- but nevertheless well worth a visit.
The Gardens themselves were completed in 1577 by the Pan family in Shanghai. The original Gardens were destroyed twice in the 1800s and have now been restored. They are usually pretty busy but, are worth looking at if you can either come during the week or are prepared to face the masses. The gardens cover a significant space and include a few halls, springs and other buildings of interest.
The area surrounding the Gardens makes up the Old City God's Temple Area and was known in colonial times as the "Chinese City".Today, the area directly around Yuyuan has been "renovated" somewhat tastelessly and is a mass of tourist shops and naff decorations. The Queen of England visited here recently and took tea in the famous Huxinting Tea House. The tea house is something of an institution around these parts and while quaint and interesting, is extortionately over-priced. What is nice about this area are the numerous antique markets and the small side streets which have yet to be renovated by the authorities. There is a great antique market just off Shanghai "Old street" and another on a small alley called Dongtai Lu. Be prepared to bargain hard in these places though. Some of the stuff is genuine but other "antiques" are less authentic and its slightly worrying that the most popular English word in these places seems to be "very old, very cheap"! Address:This area is a fair size and includes the streets around Fuyou Street, Dongtai Lu and Henan Lu.
How to get there: Walk south along The Bund then swing a right at Jinling Dong Lu. The Old City is the area to the south. Catholic Cathedral on Sheshan Hill
Located on Sheshan Hill in Songjiang and occupying an area of about one hectare, the 20-m high cathedral (officially named China Holy Virgin Cathedral) was first built in 1863 and rebuilt in 1935. The hall has a reinforced concrete domed roof and the lower part or the body built of Jin shan stone. The outer wall is built of red bricks. The windows are pointed at the tops fitted with stained glass inlaid with pictures of saints. The architecture is of the Roman style of the Renaissance. The auditorium can accommodate 3,000 people. It is famed as the second largest cathedral in East Asia. On every Holy Mother’s Festival in May catholics come from all corners of the country and line up in long queues in entering the church for mass. It is really a grand occasion!

The Jade Buddha Temple

The Jade Buddha Temple (Yufo Si) was built during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty (A.D. 1875-1909) and burned down in the early 20th century. In 1918, Jade Buddha Temple was rebuilt on Anyuan Road. The construction of the temple is in the magnificent architectural style of the Song Dynasty. The temple is composed of several compounds such as the Halls of Heavenly Kings, the Main Hall, the Hall of the Sleeping Buddha and the Hall of the Jade Buddha. There are monks currently living in the Temple and the Temple houses the Shanghai Buddhist Institute. Here many ancient statues, paintings, a complete set of Buddhist scriptures (printed in the Qing Dynasty), and over 7000 other rare scriptures are kept.

Garden Of Meandering Stream

Located in Chengxiang Town, Qingpu County, it is one of the five famous gardens in Shanghai. It was built in the 10 th year of Qing Emperor Qialong’s reign (1745). The garden is centered by a pond. Around the pond are chambers, pavilions, waterside pavilions and bridges and decorated with long corridors, rockeries, pines, wisteria, presenting to visitors an environment of peace and tranquility. There are a together 24 scenic spots in the garden. In the southern part are the Hall or Harmony and Temple of Flower God; in the middle is a lotus pond surrounded by Dawn Welcoming Pavilion, Little Waterfall Bridge and Happy Rain Bridge; IN the northern part ranges of rockeries and grotesque peaks and stones are found.

Nanjing Road

Nanjing Road was the first commercial road in Shanghai. In the early 20th century, there were only four department stores along this stretch. Today, it has become the number one place for shopping in the city. The money at work in the road has encouraged many companies and businesses over the years to set up bases near here. Nanjing Road is fantastically located, stemming off the Huangpu River and the Bund at a right angle and linking the city's main commercial and residential districts to the mouth of the river. The road to the east of Xizang Road is called Nanjing Dong Road while the road to the west is known as Nanjing Xi Road.

In the past few years, mammoth changes have taken place here. The street was beginning to look a little down at heel and Huaihai road was pulling the wealthier customers away from here. A huge improvement plan was put into action and completed just in time for Chinese New Year 2000. New shopping centers have been erected and a large section of the street has been pedestrianised. There are also some first class hotels scattered along the road including the Peace Hotel, and the Portman. In the evenings, the street looks at its best, with neon lights and advertising billboards illuminating the glorious buildings along the road.

Garden Of The Drunken Bai Pond

The Garden of the Drunken Bai Pond, first built in 1644, is a temolded Ming Dynasty garden. It consists of the Inner Garden is the original, the Outer Garden is newly built while the Inner Garden is the original, the cream of the whole garden. There is a square pond in the center, surrounded by pavilions, terraces, chambers, waterside pavilions and long corridors.There is also a crenelated wall separating the scenic spots of the Thatched Cottage, The Hexagonal Pavilion, Four-sided Hall and he Yinfang Boat. In he corridor are more han 40 carved stone ablets of Zhao Mengzhao’s calligraphy. There is cablet inscribed by the painter Zheng Banqiao, one of the Eight Eccentric painters from Yangzhou, saying, “Seldom mixed up”, There are all of high value of artistic appreciation.

People's Square

People's Square is a spectacular space in the heart of the city. Formerly the city's race-course, a sports arena and a gamblers paradise, the area west of Nanjing Lu was converted after the war to become the People's Square. Unlike many other Chinese city squares, Renmin Guangchang is not a concrete mass but a vast green area including plants and trees and surrounded by spectacular buildings on all sides.
The Square has been renovated again recently and opened up further and many of the old buildings around here are in the process of being ripped down.
Today, the Square covers 140,000 square meters. In the north lies the Municipal Government Mansion, an impressive and serious building which is not open to the public. In the northwest sits the Shanghai Grand Theatre, a colossal construction made almost entirely from glass which is balanced by the brand new Exhibition Hall for City Planning in the east. The most impressive building in the square however, is the Shanghai Mueum. Perfectly smooth and symmetrical, the building was designed to resemble a Chinese cooking pot. The Square is particularly spectacular at night, when steam appears to seep out of the roof of the museum and the light bounces off the glass walls of the Grand Theatre.
Tucked away in the northwest corner of the square is the quirky Bird and Flower Market where locals come to buy trinkets, plants, fish and parade birds in their cages! These few lanes off Huangpi Lu are a great contrast to the modern constructions in the main square.
The Square offers unusual and impressive views of the city. Surrounded on all sides by mammoth and overpowering constructions, new buildings attack you from all sides. The panorama of the city from the Square, while not the picture postcard image of Shanghai's Bund, is arguably, the most accurate image which reflects the changing nature of this sophisticated and modern city.

How to get there: People's Square has it's own subway station
Alternatively walk west of the Bund up Nanjing Lu and you will eventually reach the Square.

Grand View Garden

Located in the southwest of Qingpu Conuty, 50 km form town, the Grand View Garden is a present-day large-scale garden of imitation of ancient buildings built in 1979 by Shanghai Forestation Department. By the east side of the Dianshan Lake, it is divided into two scenic areas: in the eastern part are found the Folk Cultural Village, Plum Flower Garden, Hundred Flower Garden and Sweet Odmanthus Garden; in the western area are the imitation ancient buildings of the Chinese classic “The Dream of the Red Mansion” with pavilion, terraces, chambers, towers, rockeries, caves, winding and zigzag paths, describing a beautiful picture of the “Dream of the Red Mansions”. Here, the Garden of Spring Plums is the best place in Shanghai for admiring plum blossoms. Here, one can enjoy the Red Mansion music, the taste of Red Mansion feast and dress up as a character in the Red Mansion. It is an enjoyment of the pleasure of the Red Mansion. The garden occupies an area of 8 hectares with a floor space of 8,000 sq.m. It took 9 years to complete. In the neithborhood of the Grand View Garden and Dianshan Lake are the newly built Qingpu Golf Course Country Club, the Yacht Club, Water Sports Ground, Zhujiajiao Swimming Pool, Adolescents Campsite, together forming the Grand View Garden scenic area.

Pujiang River Tours

Taking a tour along the Huangpu River (also known as the Pujiang) is the best way to enjoy the scenery on both sides of the river. On the eastern side of the river stand the magnificent architecture of the buildings along the Bund, as well as other sites like the Monument to the Peoples' Heroes; on the western side are the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the rapidly developing Pudong New Area, and the skyscrapers of the Lujiazui area, including the Jinmao Building. Ships of all size travel the river passing under the magnificent Yangpu and Nanpu Bridges that span the river. Going upstream, you may also catch sight of bustling ports and Bao Steel works (the largest of their kind in China). At the river's mouth, you can see the great river merging with the sea.

Shanghai Stadium

The Shanghai Stadium is a fantastically modern and slightly surreal construction. The roof of the building resembles snow capped peaks on a mountain range and is shaped like a saddle! The stadium can accommodate up to 80,000 people and has in the past hosted many national and international tournaments. Recently, Manchester United reserves team were beaten by Shanghai reserves here and the teen boy- band "911" have also performed on stage.!
This is a great building to look at and worth taking a trip to even if you are not interested in sports! There are restaurants and bars in the stadium including China's first "Boxing Pub" where you can buy a drink and take part in a boxing match all in the same night. Bungee jumps are also available from the stadium roof for those who have not had the energy boxed out of them!
The stadium is situated in the Xujiahui district and a trip down here could be combined with a visit to the St. Ignatius Cathedral.

Huang Pu Park

The Huang Pu Park is the earlist European style garden in Shanghai. It was built on a beach in 1886 and renovated in 1992 and in 1993. A 474-meter-high flood-prevention wall is built on the river bank. The New Century Plaza was constructed there. Shanghai Monument to the People's Heroes exists on the round-shaped island submerged in the water. Below the monument is the Bund Memorial Hall. There stand erect the relief sculptures and statues in the Huang Pu Park.

The Great World

Built in 1917, the Great World ( Dashijie )Amusement Center has a checkered past. It was rumored to have been built by a Shanghainese organized crime boss. After Liberation (the Chinese Revolution), the building has been used for various purposes until its' current status as one Shanghai's largest entertainment facilities. Inside there is an art exhibition hall, a multi-purpose hall (tearoom, ballroom, or conference room), a music hall, a theatre, a cinema, recreation hall, a bumper car yard, a video game room, a billiard room, and last, but not least, a laser gun game arena.
The art exhibition hall exhibits calligraphy, painting, folk paper cut, clay sculpture and photographic work of art. In the theatres, one can see Beijing opera, Suzhou opera, Wuxi opera, Zhejiang opera, Shanghai opera, Yangzhou opera, Ningpo opera, Chaozhou opera, Chinese "stand-up" comedy performances (or xiangsheng), acrobatics, magic can all be seen. Check local schedules for listings.
The best show of all starts at 7:30pm nearly everyday with martial arts, acrobatics, ethnic dancing, and lion dancing performances.