TOP 10 THINGS TO DO IN SHANGHAI from qocsuing's blog

TOP 10 THINGS TO DO IN SHANGHAI

Shanghai is a vibrant, fast-paced city of bright lights, towering skyscrapers, a treasure trove of colonial styles, bustling markets and creative energy. As one of China's largest cities, there is a lot to explore as the sprawl is massive. Fortunately, the metro system is insanely efficient and there's plenty to occupy your time, whether you want to see the old, the new or a mix of the two in this dynamic metropolis.To get more news about things to do in Shanghai China, you can citynewsservice.cn official website.

1. The Bund
Iconic waterfront view of the Pudong side of Shanghai with its huge collection of ridiculous skyscrapers and the Huangpu River flowing through with its barges and cruise ships.

You'll probably want to go after or during sunset, when it's at its most magical as the dizzying array of lights takes over the night sky. Just be prepared for the massive crowds that build up, where you'll end up shoulder to shoulder with other tourists and Chinese alike.

2. Zhujiajiao/Qibao
Many tourists come to China to experience what it would be like to live during one of the Chinese dynasties. Often this consists of waterways, old crumbling buildings, alleyways, temples and street food. Well, you can have all that by heading to Zhujiajiao, which is about an hour away from Shanghai.

If you're looking for a bit of an alternative, Qibao, which is actually accessible by metro (Qibao), is another ancient city where you'll feel like you've been transported to another world, but on a smaller scale than Zhujiajiao. If you don't want to commute too far, Qibao might be the right choice for you!

3. Yu Yuan & Cheng Huang Miao (Yu Yuan Garden and City God Temple)
A theme of tradition, culture and ancient times unfolds here and Yu Yuan and Cheng Huang Miao is one of the best destinations in Shanghai because it gives you a small sense of what it was like to live here in ancient times, despite how commercial it is today. What's more, this attraction is easily accessible from the city via the number 10 subway line, so there's no reason not to go.

As Zhujiajiao is an ancient water village, this gives you a feel for what a large market/god temple area would be like. From a shopping perspective, you get a ton of shops selling handmade crafts, knock-offs, folk art and other knick-knacks. From a food perspective, there are tons of street stalls with a random assortment of Chinese food and snacks. Oh, and don't forget the giant signs for Starbucks and Dairy Queen. There's also a famous xiao long bao (Shanghai steamed soup dumplings) restaurant called Nanxiang Mantou Dian.

4. Tian Zi Fang
This place has a real charm that draws me back every time I'm in Shanghai. It is an arts and crafts area that has developed from a renovated residential area in the French Concession area. What I love about it are the maze-like alleyways that lead you around to see a bunch of boutique gift shops, clothing stores, cafes, galleries, studios and other random knick-knack shops.

5. Science & Technology Subway Station Market (Xiangyang)
I've checked out quite a few of these markets, and I find that the one literally just outside the turnstiles of the Science and Technology Subway Station (on the Pudong side) is the best for foreigners. It's the most organised, clean and easy to navigate. Good buys here include mobile phone accessories, sports jerseys, popular clothing brands, shoes (e.g. Tom's, Adidas, Uggs), women's bags and other tech gear (GoPro, drones, speakers, power banks, screen protectors, etc.).

The best/worst thing about a market like this is that you have to know how to bargain. Never take the listed price or the price they give you when you ask. Don't be afraid to counter-offer their original price with a 50% discount or more. If they don't bite, just walk away. The truth is, there are so many shops selling the same thing in the market that if you can't get it from one of them, you'll find another one just a block away.

6. Din Tai Fung for Xiao Long Bao
Shanghai is famous for its xiao long bao (Shanghai steamed soup dumplings). There's a bit of an art to eating them, but basically you dip them in soy vinegar, place them on your spoon and bite off a small corner to let the soup out. Then you slurp a bit of the soup to see how hot it is, and then you eat the rest.

7. M1nt
M1nt have been consistently winning awards and always draw a solid international crowd on their big nights.

One of the main highlights is that they have a shark aquarium built into the venue. Located on the top floor of a skyscraper near the Bund, it also has a great view.
8. Shanghai World Financial Centre (SWFC)
Shanghai continues to outdo itself when it comes to high-rises and skyscrapers. From the Bund, you can see a dazzling array of them lit up every night.

The reason for this is that they have a really well-designed viewing platform that runs along the top of the bottle cap for quite a while. This allows people to be spread out, but also gives a great top-down view of all the other skyscrapers.

9. Xintiandi
Xintiandi is an interesting spot in the city that's both glitzy and posh. This pedestrian-friendly district is built on Shanghai's old shikumen houses and is now best known for its fine restaurants, upscale clubs and shops.

10. Nanjing Road East
Perhaps saving the best for last, but just as iconic as the Bund, Nanjing Road East is buzzing with activity at all hours of the day. No cars are allowed on this street, and everywhere you turn there's some kind of shopping. It's also unlikely that you'll miss this area, as the closest subway station to the Bund is this one, so you're guaranteed to walk through it.