Shanghai: Big City, Big Hype... Big YAWN.
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Hey, is Shanghai just "So-so"?
I feel like Shanghai is quite boring with not much fun things to do. Could it be that I haven't visited the right spots?
To be honest, when I first arrived in Shanghai, I had a similar feeling, as it seemed like things were rather generic. Especially if you've only visited well-known "must-see" spots, such as the Lujiazui "trio" (the towering buildings by the Huangpu River: the Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, Jinmao Tower, the standard tourist photo setup), or Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street (a highly commercialized shopping street), with crowds everywhere, you might indeed think, "Is this all there is?"
Travel tips:
- Avoid the crowds: These landmark buildings, if you don't have to go up to sightsee, looking far away or enjoying the night scenery at The Bund (where you can see the skyline across the Huangpu River) could indeed reduce a lot of queuing time.
- Don't just take things at surface value: Nanjing Road is mainly for tourists, rarely visited by locals to purchase items.
Shanghai is an extremely vast city; its charm often lies within those unassuming small streets or special regions. What type of experience are you interested in?
- If it's Old Shanghai vibes you seek:
- You can explore the former "French Concession" (now known as Hengshan Road – Xinfu Road Historical and Cultural District). Along those small roads, lined with French Plane trees, there are many interesting boutiques, cafes, and old residential villas.
- Wukang Road, Anfu Road, Wuyuan Road are particularly unique.
- If you want to taste authentic local life:
- Visit some old "neighborhood lanes" (a traditional style residential alley with Shanghai characteristics) or witness daily living at the local markets, and feel the "vibes" of everyday life (the essence of life).
- For example, Tongzi Fiang (although commercialized, the lane structure remains), or smaller places like Buguoli, Zhang Garden (partial access).
- If you're interested in art and culture:
- M50 Creative Park (50 Moganshan Road, with many galleries and studios), Long Museum, West Bund Art Center showcase various modern arts.
- Or simply put, if you are a food lover:
- Shanghai has so much delicious food! From street-side snacks to Michelin-starred restaurants, all sorts of cuisines are available. Come tell us what type of food you fancy, we can help recommend!
So, what places have made you feel that Shanghai isn't interesting? Probably it was just that you hadn't found your "station", visiting locations unappealing to you! Share it with us!