In One Day

This "greatest hits" itinerary takes in Shanghai's top attractions -- the best of East and West, past, present and future -- including a world-class museum; China's number-one shopping street; Shanghai's most famous colonial landmark, The Bund; and a classical Chinese garden and temple complex. All these landmarks can be traced in a walking loop around Puxi (west of the Huangpu River), but it can be strenuous, so do fortify yourself with a hearty breakfast before setting off in the morning. There are plenty of dining options along the way, so feel free to stop at restaurants other than those recommended here, especially if you've been delayed by shopping, sightseeing, or just people-watching along the way. In the evening, we recommend taking in the Shanghai Acrobats, and ending with a nightcap or late supper amidst the nightlights on the Bund. Start: Metro to Renmin Guangchang (People's Sq.)

1. Shanghai Museum (Shanghai Bowuguan)

This modern, state-of-the-art museum, often cited by visitors as Shanghai's premier attraction, has as impressive a collection of historical artifacts as you'll see in any museum in China. It's possible to tour all 11 exhibition rooms, but if your time is limited, pick four or five of the most interesting to you. The bronze and stone sculpture galleries on the first floor, the painting gallery on the third, and the jade gallery on the fourth are generally considered the most impressive. The audio phone with narratives of the major exhibits is worth renting. Allow at least an hour, preferably two.

Emerge from the north exit of the museum onto:

2. Renmin Guangchang (People's Sq.)

Shanghai's central square was once part of colonial Shanghai's horse-racing track. To the northwest, the building with the curved crucible roof is the Shanghai Grand Theatre, the city's premier venue for international performances, dances, and concerts. Just behind it, though out of view, is the colonial clock tower marking today's Shanghai Art Museum. Directly to your north is Shanghai's City Hall.

Head northeast across Renmin Dadao to:

3. Shanghai Urban Planning Museum (Shanghai Chengshi Guihua Zhanshiguan)

Even if you've had your fill of museums, duck into this modern microlight glass building and head straight for the third floor. Your jaw will drop at the huge scale model of urban Shanghai as it will look in 2020. It is usually at this moment that visitors begin to grasp the enormous physical and social engineering experiment that is Shanghai, and understand why Shanghai really will be the city of the future.

Cross Xizang Lu and head north until you reach:

4. Nanjing Lu Pedestrian Mall

This is China's "Number One Shopping Street," which needs to be seen and experienced, especially the sea of humanity that crowds the plaza on any given day. These days, the street is lined as much with modern shopping centers as with the old colonial holdovers, all covered in neon lights, of course. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes to walk to the end without stopping for any major breaks, and considerably more if you like to shop. Otherwise, hop on board the electric sightseeing trolley (¥2/25¢) that will take you to the end of the pedestrian mall at Henan Zhong Lu.

Continue east on Nanjing Dong Lu to:

5. Peace Hotel (Heping Fandian)

Take a look inside the gorgeous Art Deco lobby of Shanghai's most famous colonial hotel. Better yet, take an elevator up to the 8th floor for a quick peek at the gorgeous ballroom, then make your way up to the rooftop for an unparalleled view of the Bund and Pudong across the river.

A few steps east of the Peace Hotel will put you on:

6. The Bund

The most famous street in Asia during the first half of the 20th century, this embankment was where the foreign powers who entered Shanghai after the Opium War of 1842 erected their Western-style banks and trading houses. Today it is a veritable museum of architecture featuring building styles from Art Deco and Gothic to late Renaissance and classic European. It's also home to some of the swankiest shops, restaurants, and bars in Shanghai.

Take a Break

Dining on the Bund -- If the weather is nice, we suggest the ultimate of Shanghai dining experiences: rooftop dining on the Bund at either M on the Bund (Guangdong Lu 20; tel. 021/6350-9988) or New Heights at Three on the Bund (Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu 3; tel. 021/6321-0909). The former was the restaurant that put Shanghai on the world dining map, while the latter serves more casual bistro fare. From either rooftop, soak in the views of Pudong across the Huangpu River.

If you haven't had enough of the views or need to walk off lunch, head across Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu to the Bund Promenade, where you can snap photographs of yourself against the Bund or the Pudong skyline. From here, walk to the southern end of Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu and head west on Yan'an Dong Lu. Take a left (south) onto Sichuan Nan Lu and head all the way down past Renmin Lu onto Lishui Lu and eventually Jiujiaochang Lu. You are now in Shanghai's

8. Old Town

This is the center of the old Chinese city, the first part of Shanghai to be settled and where foreigners seldom ventured during the Concession days. These days the mysterious and foreboding alleys have given way to a sprawling temple bazaar, anchored in the south by Shanghai Old Street (Shanghai Lao Jie), full of reconstructed Ming and Qing dynasty shop houses proffering a wide variety of souvenirs, antiques (mostly fake), and delightfully tacky tchotchkes. At the eastern end of the street is the Taoist Temple of the Town God (Chenghuang Miao). In the center of the Old Town complex is a main square with the Bridge of Nine Turnings (Jiuqu Qiao) and the classic mid-lake pavilion Huxinting Teahouse (Huxinting Chashe).

To the north of the teahouse is:

9. Yu Yuan (Yu Garden)

Billed as the most complete Chinese classical garden in urban Shanghai, Yu Yuan can be interesting for those who've never seen a Chinese garden up close before, even if you have to fight your way through the tourist throngs. It's full of rockeries, ponds, bridges, and pavilions all laid out to simulate a microcosm of the universe. Allow at least an hour.

When you exit Yu Yuan, you can wander some more through the thicket of shops or head south to the aforementioned Shanghai Old Street to do a spot of souvenir shopping. At the western end of the street at Henan Lu, you can catch a taxi back to your hotel to freshen up.

10. A Night with the Shanghai Acrobats

Though this screams "tourist" in every way, few visitors are disappointed with their night spent watching the contortionism, juggling, unicycling, and plate-spinning acts of the justifiably world-famous Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe at the Shanghai Center Theatre (Shanghai Shangcheng Juyuan). Performances usually start at 7:30pm and last 90 minutes. Tip: Have your hotel concierge book tickets for you while you are out sightseeing, as shows are sometimes sold out at the last minute.

If you fancy a nightcap or even a late dinner, you can head back to the Bund (night views are quite different and worth returning for) to the hottest bar in town, Bar Rouge at Bund 18 or any of the dining establishments at Three on the Bund. Alternatively, check out any of the bars and restaurants at Shanghai's other glam see-and-be-seen hot spot, Xintiandi in the former French Concession. Wherever you end up, sit back, relax, and promise yourself another visit to Shanghai in the near future.