Shanghai’s top travel attractions in a day can be done. Take it from me. As the largest city in China, this mega-city offers endless things to see and do. I spent a full day here as an Acupuncturist-at-Sea with friends and had a blast. Read on to learn what I discovered and how you can make the most of your day in Shanghai.
Shanghai Background and History
Shanghai is the largest mega-city in China with a population of over 24 million. It’s the third largest city in the world, after Tokyo and Delhi. Shanghai is located on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta, near the East China Sea. The Huangpu River bisects the city, into Puxi and Pudon. Furthermore, Puxi is the historic center with the famous Bund Promenade, Peoples Square and European colonial buildings. In comparison, Pudon is the modern side with the new skyscrapers, such as, the iconic Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai World Financial Center.
In the 19th century, Shanghai became recognized as a strategic location for international trade on the Yangtze and East China Sea. During the First Opium War (1839–1842), British forces occupied the city. After that, Shanghai became an International Settlement, with additionally the U. S. and France occupying sections in the Puxi side of the river. Finally, not until 1943, the French Concession ended. Now, the interesting European architecture and culture of Puxi’s historical district still remain. Recently, the last few decades made Shanghai one of the most important economic, financial and commercial centers of China.
My Shanghai Itinerary in One Day
My very full day in Shanghai with friends was absolutely exhilarating. We did not rest and just kept going, compelled to see the highlights, such as, the Bund, Nanjing Road, Yuyuan Gardens, Jade Buddha Palace and the Bund tunnel. Finally, we aimed to see all this by 5 pm, so we could make it to the Oriental Pearl TV Tower for the panoramic view of the city and sunset. So, read on to learn about these highlights and know it all can be done in one day and evening.
The Bund Waterfront Promenade
This is a great way to start the day in Shanghai, strolling The Bund promenade along the Huangpu River. The Bund stretches for 1 mile (1.6 km) with colonial era buildings decorated eclectically and also in the Beaux Arts. (French for Fine Arts) Overall, it feels very European. Most importantly, the Bund provides the best viewpoint to see the modern skyscrapers in Pudong across the river.
One iconic sculpture on the promenade is the 2.5 ton charging bull, known as the “Bund Bull.” Installed in 2010, it has almost the same dimensions as New York’s original Wall Street Bull. Also, it is here to symbolize strength and power of China’s economy.
Nan Jing Road
Near the Bund and pedestrianized since 1999, Nanjing Road is one of the busiest shopping streets in the world, along with Times Square. It attracts over 1.7 million visitors/day. Also, this is awesome to experience both in the daytime and night, with all the colorful lights.
Yuyuan Garden and Bazaar
Just 1 km from East Nanjing Road is the wonderful sanctuary for relaxation at Yuyuan ‘Happiness Garden.’ More than 400 years old, this was the private garden of the Pan Family in the Ming Dynasty. Overall, there are garden highlights, such as, Classical Chinese architecture, lovely sculptures and carvings, elegant trees, plants and flowers. Furthermore, intricate designs embellish with pavilions, bridges, ponds with goldfish, pagodas and rockeries.
Right next to the Yuyuan Garden is the Bazaar. This lively place is a labyrinth of narrow alleyways and lanes with restaurants, shops and teahouses. The Old Street offers traditional Chinese merchandise, such as, silk, antiques, Chinese Lanterns, jewels and Feng Shui souvenirs.
Jade Buddha Temple – Shanghai’s Top Travel Attractions
From Yuyuan Garden, we took a taxi 7 km to the lovely and tranquil Jade Buddha Temple. This is one of the few active Buddhist Temples in Shanghai. It’s always nice to tap into the peaceful oasis of a temple in the middle of a bustling city. Founded in 1882, this temple received two Jade Buddhas imported from Myanmar.
The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel
We made our way to the Bund Tunnel around 4 pm. This ride takes you from the Bund to the Jujianzui Finance and Trade Zone of the skyscrapers. The tunnel is almost 656 metres long and beneath the Huangpu River. The ride is exhilarating to watch from the carriage with windows, showcasing special effects, such as, colorful light displays and entertaining sounds. Overall, the 3-5 minute ride is a wonderful distraction from anyone nervous about travelling beneath the river. At the exit, there is an entrance to the Oriental Pearl Tower.
The Oriental Pearl TV Tower
From the Bund tunnel, we took the entrance to this tower for the sunset view on its observation deck. This iconic tower offers 3 sightseeing spheres at different heights. We went to the main sightseeing floor at 263-metres, with a glass-bottomed floor. Most importantly, we made it in time to watch the sunset. It was smoggy, yet the muted colors showed a gorgeous spectrum of mauve, pink and yellow. Then, we savored the colorful lights at night in the city and along the river. An absolute perfect climax to a wonderful day.
Back to the Bund at Night
Then, back we went on the Bund Tunnel to the Bund. Here, we ended our evening strolling the Bund seeing the colorful lights from the skyscrapers in Pudong. My photo says it all…
Overall, Shanghai’s Top Travel Attractions
Even though Shanghai is the largest mega-city in the world, it’s actually simple to break down and see a lot in one day. This blog confirms this for the curious travelers. Thus, if you only have 1 day in Shanghai, consider my itinerary and have fun!
