4 things to do in shanghai

Well, we’re not even back from our trip to France and Morocco (you did read those posts, didn’t you?) and we’re already thinking about new adventures—like, how about China? Shanghai is a study in contrasts. Between the traditions of Chinese culture and the shimmering modern skyscrapers, there are some incredible things to see, do and eat in Shanghai. Here are four of our favorites!

1. XIANGYANG PARK

The first thing Xiangyang Park has going for it is its location, just off busy Huahai Road and minutes from the South Shaanxi Road station of Shanghai’s Metro Line 1. The second thing it has going for it, plentiful foliage notwithstanding, is that each morning, elderly men paint Chinese characters onto the pavement with water. The artistic cycle, from the first calligraphic strokes soaking the pavement to the last traces of them evaporating away, is as hyponotic as it is fleeting. Stand behind one of the painters to watch the entire spectacle unfold.

photo credit: shutterstock

2 LONGHUA TEMPLE

Ride the Metro a few stops south to Longhua station and you’ll not only arrive at a temple that’s older, the station’s namesake Longhua Temple dates back to the 10th century, but decidedly quieter, especially in the mornings and evenings. The temple’s exterior architecture is impressive, but for a lesson in zen, go inside to view the many different incarnations of the Buddha.

3. SUZHOU CREEK

It’s difficult to argue that the Bund, the promenade flanked on one side by futuristic skyscrapers and the other by pre-war low rise buildings, is Shanghai’s most iconic stretch of waterfront. For a more tranquil time, walk north from the Bund, then hang a right at Suzhou Creek, a tiny tributary of the Huangpu River that bisects Shanghai, one that’s just as perfectly for a stress-free soul as it is for a stationary soul-searching session. Here’s an insider tip: Visit at night to enjoy the vibrant bridge near the creek’s mouth, which strobes through a sequence of bright colors just after sunset.

4. SOUP DUMPLINGS

You can’t go to Shanghai without trying the incredible, delicious soup dumplings—or, if you’re a local, ‘Xiao Long Bao'. How do they get the soup inside the dumpling? Who cares! Just enjoy them! We certainly did! We went to Jia Jia Tang Bao on the recommendation of a friend who shares our obsession. If you go there, too, you won’t be disappointed!

Ready to go? We can bundle airfare and a hotel for a phenomenal trip to Shanghai. Or, if you’d like to include it on a longer visit to tour the rest of China, we can do that, too! Just let us know!