Walking Tour 2

Nanjing Lu

Start: Shanghai Centre (Metro: Jing An).

Finish: Peace Hotel, the Bund (Metro: Henan Zhong Lu).

Time: 2 to 3 hours (for the western half, from Shanghai Centre to People's Square/Xizang Lu); another 2 to 3 hours to tour the eastern half of Nanjing Lu (from Xizang Zhong Lu to the Bund). Those who want to see it all should allot a full day (7km/4 1/2 miles).

Best Times: Any weekday starting by 9:30am or 2:30pm (if you're only going to walk a portion), to avoid midday crowds.

Worst Times: Weekends are impossibly crowded. Most stores aren't open before 9:30am, but they stay open late, often until 10pm.

Nanjing Lu is the most famous shopping street in China, long celebrated for its large department stores, silk shops, and fashionable clothing stores. In colonial Shanghai, this was the main thoroughfare running through the International Settlement, built originally as a pathway to successive horse-race tracks, but it became dominated by silk shops, luxury hotels, and huge department stores. Today, this famous stretch is known as Nanjing Dong Lu (Nanjing Road East), while the western portion, Nanjing Xi Lu, is the current name for the former Bubbling Well Road, so named because of a now-displaced well located at the western end of the street (today's intersection with today's Huashan Lu). People's Park (Renmin Gongyuan) is the halfway point, dividing the eastern and western sections. Today's Nanjing Lu still has remnants of its past retail glories, but the department stores have been modernized and Western-style boutiques are rapidly cornering the fashion trade. There are still plenty of colonial period structures sandwiched in along the avenue (hotels, offices, department stores). If you're short on time or want to save your legs, begin your stroll at People's Park (at Xizang Zhong Lu) and head east for the river along the Nanjing Lu Pedestrian Mall. You can walk either the east or west half of Nanjing Lu in a little more than an hour, if you don't stop -- but you should.

To begin, take a taxi or walk straight east from the Jing An Si Metro station down Nanjing Xi Lu to:

1. Shanghai Centre (Shanghai Shangcheng; No. 1376)

This premier all-in-one complex is home to the 42-floor Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel, expensive residential apartments (mostly for foreign business families), a medical clinic, a supermarket, ATMs, and a raft of upscale boutiques and restaurants. Starbucks is here, but if you need a more substantial breakfast, a light salad lunch, or a fresh fruit smoothie, pay a quick visit to the diner Element Fresh (Unit 112).

If you have plenty of time, cross the street south to the:

2. Shanghai Exhibition Centre (Shanghai Zhanlan Zhongxin)

Built in 1955 with help from the Soviet Union (then a staunch communist ally), this somber, grandiose monument to socialist realism is yet another chapter in Shanghai's history of foreign architecture. Eye-catching on the outside, it's got a decaying air on the inside where there are regular uninteresting exhibits. Before 1955, this was the site of the 10.5-hectare (26-acre) Hardoon Gardens, a colonial-era fantasy estate built by millionaire Silas Hardoon.

Continue east along the north side of Nanjing Xi Lu across Xikang Lu and take a quick peek into:

3. Plaza 66 (Henglong Guangchang, No. 1266)

This is as upscale and as Western a shopping mall as you'll find in Shanghai. A live pianist plays in the enormous glass atrium encircled by classy international shops on each floor (Hermes, Dior, Versace, Cartier, Kate Spade). If no one actually seems to be shopping here, perhaps it's because of the high prices.

Head east 1 block and turn left (north) onto Shanxi Bei Lu for 1 1/2 blocks, crossing Beijing Xi Lu. Halfway up the block on the east side of the street is the former:

4. Ohel Rachel Synagogue (Youtai Jiaotang, Shanxi Bei Lu, No. 1185)

Built in 1920 by Jacob Sassoon (uncle to Victor Sassoon who built the Peace Hotel) in memory of his wife Rachel, this vine-trellised synagogue served the wealthy Sephardic Jewish community until 1952. It was renovated and sanctified for the visit of Hillary Clinton in 1998, but otherwise belongs to the Shanghai Education Bureau and is not open to the public. It is also on the list of the hundred most endangered World Monuments.

Head back down (south) Shanxi Bei Lu and cross to the south side of Nanjing Lu to:

5. Shanghai Jingde Zhen Porcelain Artware (No. 1185)

This corner emporium carries a full array of classic Chinese pottery and porcelain, much of it from factories and artisans in Jingde Zhen, one of China's most celebrated pottery centers (located up the Yangzi River from Shanghai).

If you need a break from shopping, consider a detour 2 long blocks south along Shanxi Bei Lu to the intersection with Yan'an Zhong Lu. At the southwestern corner you'll find the:

6. Moller Villa

This architectural fantasy of faux Gothic steeples and spires was once the residence of a Swedish shipping magnate but has recently been converted into a hotel. Step inside for a look at the garish decor, a prime example of the excesses of colonial Shanghai.

Head back up Shanxi Bei and continue east on the north side of Nanjing Xi Lu. The next block across Jiangning Lu is dominated on the north by:

7. Westgate Mall (Meilongzhen Guangchang, No. 1038)

Yet another upscale shopping center, Westgate tenants include Burberry's, the Isetan Department Store, Zegna, and Givenchy; its atrium is frequently the site of retail exhibitions and sales. There's also a branch of the classic Shanghai restaurant Meilongzhen in here; the more famous original is across the street.

Continue east on the south side of the street past the Warner Bros Studio Store, and past Maoming Bei Lu. Running just south of and parallel to Nanjing Xi Lu is:

8. Wujiang Lu Meishi Jie

One of five food streets in Shanghai, this pedestrian lane is typically lined with restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and small retail stores, though at press time, construction on another large office and residential complex had displaced a number of stores, especially at the western end of the street.

You can walk all the way east on Wujiang Lu until you end up back on Nanjing Lu, or head north on Shimen Yi Lu past the entrance to the Metro (Line 2) which runs under Nanjing Lu. At Nanjing Lu, double back briefly on the south side of the street, if you're interested, to:

9. Wang Jia Sha Dumpling Restaurant (No. 805)

One of Shanghai's oldest and most popular diners for cheap local eats has been recently renovated. You can watch women wrapping xiaolong bao dumplings through the glass windows. Or join the crowds in ordering up your own steamer of dumplings.

On the next block to the east, on the south side is:

10. Lei Yun Shang Pharmacy (No. 719)

This Chinese apothecary claims to have been in business since 1662. All manner of exotic medicinal roots and herbs are dispensed on the second floor.

Continue east past the skyscraper complex (the Shanghai Broadcasting & Television International News Exchange Centre at no. 585) and cross the wide and very busy Chengdu Bei Lu very carefully. On the south side of the street is Gongdelin (no. 445), Shanghai's most famous vegetarian restaurant. In front of you is:

11. Tomorrow Square (Mintian Guangchang)

This architecturally intriguing rocket tower, which does a 90-degree horizontal shift at the 38th floor, is home to the JW Marriott Hotel (the tallest hotel on the Bund side of the river), the first Mandara Spa in China, and a Ferrari dealership.

Take a Break

Stop for a cup of tea on the 38th floor lobby lounge of the JW Marriott Hotel (Wanyi Jiudian), where you can choose from 40 different tea vintages while feasting on stunning panoramas of the city. There's no better place for a bird's-eye appreciation for how far you've come and how much further you have to go. Alternatively, you can jump straight to dessert and cappuccino at Kathleen's 5 (tel. 021/6327-0004) atop the upcoming Shanghai Art Museum.

Just east of Huangpi Bei Lu is:

13. Shanghai Art Museum (Shanghai Meishu Guan, No. 325)

This five-story landmark has been beautifully restored to its colonial splendor. There's a lovely restaurant (Kathleen's 5) inside, too (and another Starbucks almost next door). At this point, you're at the northwestern edge of Renmin Gongyuan and Renmin Guangchang (People's Park and People's Square). Across the road on the north side of Nanjing Lu, the now run-down Grand Theatre, built in 1933, used to show first-run Hollywood movies before 1949 and still screens the occasional American blockbuster.

Cross to the north side of Nanjing Lu, east of Huanghe Lu (another restaurant street) to the:

14. Park Hotel (Guoji Fandian, No. 170)

Designed by prolific Hungarian architect Ladislaus Hudec (1893-1958), who also designed the Grand Theatre, this hotel, the tallest building outside North America when it was built in 1934, boasted the fastest elevators in Shanghai at the time. Young, fashionable Chinese came here in droves to party the night away. Don't miss its finely restored Art Deco interiors.

If colonial architecture excites you, take a look two doors down inside the:

15. Pacific Hotel (Jinmen Dajiudian, No. 108)

Built in 1926, serving first as the China United Assurance Company, then as the Overseas Chinese Hotel, this classic Italian-style hotel is a bit run down but still has a gorgeous Art Deco lobby of coffered ceilings and carved columns. Just to the east, the building with the spaceship roof is the Radisson New World Hotel, and right next to it is the New World City Shopping Center (Nanjing Dong Lu 830), home to mainland China's first Madame Tussaud's Museum.

Legs need a break? Cross back to the south side of the street and enter:

16. People's Park (Renmin Gongyuan, No. 231)

This is the city's biggest downtown green, which, together with People's Square, covers what was the Shanghai Race Track in colonial times. Smack dab in the middle of this pleasant park is Shanghai's new Museum of Contemporary Art, worth a quick tour if you are interested in the modern Chinese art scene.

Take a Break

If you've been distracted by visits to the Shanghai Art Museum and/or the Museum of Contemporary Art and need to replenish your energy, you can stop for a snack or meal at the Moroccan-themed Barbarossa, sitting pretty on a lake in the middle of the park.

Make your way to the park's eastern exit, where you will emerge onto Xizang Zhong Lu, one of Shanghai's main north-south thoroughfares and the beginning of the eastern section on Nanjing Lu. On the east side of the street is the glossy megamall Raffles City (Laifoshi Guangchang) with trendy shops and a diverse selection of restaurants. Just to its north is:

18. Moore Church (Mu'en Tang)

This Protestant Church was established by American missionaries in 1887, and rebuilt in 1931 when it was designed by Czech architect Ladislaus Hudec. It was used as a middle school during the Cultural Revolution. In 1979, it was the first church to reopen in Shanghai.

Cross Xizang Zhong Lu to the beginning of Nanjing Dong Lu, and the wide, vehicle-free:

19. Nanjing Lu Pedestrian Mall (Nanjing Lu Buxing Jie)

From here east to Henan Zhong Lu (which is 2 blocks from the Bund and the river), strollers can enjoy a pedestrian-only mall, designed by Arle Jean Marie Carpentier and Associates (France), and opened in 1999. Here, new buildings dwarf the colonial-period landmarks of Nanjing Lu, but there's still plenty of history along the way. Caution: Although this is a pedestrian mall, the cross streets (north-south) still permit vehicular traffic, so look both ways at controlled intersections.

At the northern end of Nan2njing Lu is:

20. The No. 1 Department Store (No. 800)

In the old days this emporium was known as The Sun, one of Nanjing Lu's "Big Four" department stores. The Sun's building was designed by Chinese architects, opened its doors in 1934, and was the first store in China to use an escalator. Later, renamed the No. 1 Department Store complex, it attracted over 150,000 shoppers daily; and it may be doing more business than ever these days with the addition of the 22-story tower on its East Building, its first 11 floors devoted to retailing.

Those too tired to walk the rest of the street can take a sightseeing trolley, a three-car electric train that weaves its way up and down the length of the pedestrian mall; tickets, purchased on board, cost ¥2 (25¢).

In the next block (across Guizhou Lu) on the north side is the:

21. Shanghai No. 1 Provisions Store (No. 700)

Formerly known as Sun Sun, another of Shanghai's "Big Four" department stores, this shop is still in its old building, where it opened in 1926. A Pizza Hut and McDonald's have attached themselves to the old store. Just to the east is a stunning block-long gray Art Deco building, the:

22. Shanghai Fashion Company (No. 650)

The third of the "Big Four," this was the former Sincere Department Store. A hotel now occupies part of the premises. Across the street on the south side is the:

23. Hualian Commercial Building (No. 635)

The last of the "Big Four," this was the former Wing On, opened in 1918, a famous department store chain transplanted to Hong Kong after 1949.

At this point, the mall crosses a vast square at the busy intersection with Zhejiang Zhong Lu and Hubei Lu. In the early colonial days, this intersection was the spot where electric trams heading west on Nanjing Lu were rotated on a wooden plate so they could make the return journey eastward. Continuing east on the south side is:

24. Century Square (Shiji Guangchang)

This block-long square hosts open-air performances and exhibits.

The walking tour is almost at an end (unless you want to engage in more shopping), but if you need a snack break, the 30-story Hotel Sofitel Hyland (no. 505), across Fujian Zhong Lu, or the Howard Johnson Hotel just southwest of Century Square at Jiujiang Lu 595, provide some comfortable options.

Take a Break

Enjoy a coffee, tea, or ice cream, or even a madeleine, in Madeleine's, a cafe restaurant located on the ground floor of the Sofitel. Alternatively, San Rafael in the Howard Johnson Plaza, just to the south at Jiujiang Lu 595, offers light California fusion cuisine with Californian wine.

3 blocks east of Fujian Zhong Lu lies the:

26. Henan Zhong Lu Metro Station

This subway station marks the end of the pedestrian mall, which is also the terminus for the sightseeing trolley. A plaque commemorates the building of the mall. This Metro station, equipped with restrooms and an elevator, is the last stop in Puxi for eastbound subways heading to Pudong.

From Henan Zhong Lu, the eastern terminus of the pedestrian mall, you can continue 3 more blocks along Nanjing Dong Lu to the Bund. This pinched strip gives you an idea of what Nanjing Lu was like before the mall was in place. The sidewalks are considerably narrower here, so watch out for vehicles. For those who haven't had enough shopping, walk 1 block east of Henan Zhong Lu to Jiangxi Zhong Lu, take a right (south), then a quick left (east) onto the small side street of Shashi Er Lu, where you'll find some:

27. Shashi Lu Shops

There used to be a big market here, selling everything from fruits and vegetables to cheap clothing, knickknacks, and Buddhist statues, but these days the market has been reduced to individual stores selling cheap souvenirs, t-shirts, and the ubiquitous "Rolex" watches.

Winding Down

The nicest place to end this stroll is the landmark Peace Hotel (Heping Fandian, no. 20), at the intersection of Nanjing Dong Lu and the Bund. Take your pick of the gorgeous Art Deco lobby bar or the rooftop bar, where a cover charge of ¥50 ($6.25), not always enforced, buys you a soft drink and some unparalleled views of the Bund and Pudong.