In Two Days

If you've already made your way through "The Best of Shanghai in 1 Day," your second full-day tour should be a bit more relaxed, though no less eclectic. Covering a much wider swathe of territory, start the day early in northwest Puxi by beating the crowds to view some exquisite jade Buddhas, then hurtle into Shanghai's future by visiting the city's tallest buildings in Pudong (east of the Huangpu River). Come back down to earth -- or rather, sea level -- with a cruise on the Huangpu River. Spend the afternoon strolling the former French Concession, with some of the city's finest colonial architecture and historical houses. Spiff up your final evening with a jazz concert. Start: Jade Buddha Temple (Yufo Si).

1. Jade Buddha Temple (Yufo Si)

If possible, arrive first thing in the morning to beat the tour bus crowd. The highlights at this Buddhist temple are two luminous white jade Buddhas brought from Burma in 1881. The larger and more impressive is in the Cangjing Lou in the back and the sleeping Buddha is in the Wofo Si northwest of the main hall. Throughout, you can observe the workings of a typical Buddhist temple, though this one is geared squarely for tourism.

Those with an interest in the Chinese contemporary art scene can take a detour up north to Mogan Shan Lu 50, a collection of industrial warehouses converted into artists' studios and galleries. It's a very short taxi ride, or if you prefer to walk, head east on Anyuan Lu for a block to Changhua Lu. Turn left (north) for 5 long blocks, and take a right onto Mogan Shan Lu until you arrive at the compound entrance. Otherwise, take a taxi from the Jade Buddha Temple to Shimen Yi Lu Metro Station. Take Metro Line 2 to reach Lujiazui metro stop in Pudong, Shanghai's financial district.

2. Jin Mao Tower

You can visit two observation towers in Pudong: the eyesore Oriental Pearl Tower with its globes meant to simulate pearls, and the architecturally perfect Jin Mao Tower. We recommend the latter. Take the elevator up to the 88th floor observation deck and treat yourself to 360-degree views of Shanghai old and new. You can also take a peek inside the highest hotel in the world, the Grand Hyatt, located on the 54th to 87th floors, though hotel elevators are situated on the south side of the building.

Exiting the Jin Mao, head towards the river for the riverside promenade Binjiang Dadao.

Coffee Break -- If you have to have your Frappuccino or latte with full trimmings, this is the best Starbucks to get your fix, for it comes with a stunning view of the Bund across the river. Sit outside on a nice day and be lulled into the flow of river traffic. Fu Du Duan, Binjiang Dadao. tel. 021/5878-1332.

You can cross back to Puxi in a couple of ways. You can go via the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel (Waitan Guanguang Suidao), complete with tram cars and tacky flashing lights, with a stop before boarding the tram at the China Sex Culture Museum (Zhonghua Xing Wenhua He Xing Jiankang Jiaoyu Zhan), if so desired. Or you can simply hop a cab through the Yan'an Lu Tunnel to the Bund Promenade, where you can purchase tickets to:

4. Huangpu River Cruise

The Huangpu River, which is the city's shipping artery, also divides Shanghai into east and west, future and past. A cruise along this dynamic waterway affords a wonderful opportunity to see Shanghai's working wharves and to take in the changing skyline. There are 3 1/2-hour afternoon cruises (2-5:30pm) that sail all the way to the mouth of the Yangzi River, but if you want to make the most of your day, we recommend a 1-hour cruise that will give you enough of a glimpse into the watery world of Shanghai.

Take a cab to:

5. Xintiandi

This trendy pedestrian mall of restaurants, bars, and boutiques in restored shikumen (stone frame gate) houses is good for a stroll, if only to see how today's hip young Shanghainese like to spend their free time and hard-earned yuan. There's also a small shikumen museum. The capitalistic lifestyle on display here is especially ironic given that the development is anchored in the south by the Site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party, the birthplace of China's Communist Party. Pop in for a quick look at the room where Mao and company conceived their grand plans.

Delicious Dumplings -- Any of the restaurants and bars in Xintiandi can provide refreshment and vittles, but we recommend Crystal Jade Restaurant (Feicui Jiujia) (on the 2nd floor of the south block) for some of Shanghai's best xiao long bao dumplings. The dandan mian (hand-pulled noodles in a spicy peanut sauce) is a must-try as well. Xingye Lu 123, Xi[lin]tiadi, South Block, House 6-7, Unit 2F-12A&B. tel. 021/6385-8752.

For part of the afternoon, we recommend:

7. Strolling the French Concession

This most picturesque of Shanghai's neighborhoods, full of colonial mansions, leafy parks, and tree-lined avenues, is best appreciated on foot. If time is short, we recommend taking a cab from Xintiandi to Fuxing Gongyuan, one of Shanghai's loveliest parks and worth a stroll-through for photo opportunities of card-playing seniors and tai chi practitioners. From the park, visit Sun Zhongshan Guju, Sun Yat-sen's former residence, and -- time and interest permitting -- Zhou Gong Guan, the former residence of Chairman Mao's second in command, Zhou Enlai. Otherwise you can walk or take a taxi to any of the sights listed on the itinerary that appeal to you because you likely won't have time to cover the whole route on foot.

If you are visiting Shanghai for more than 2 days, we recommend taking an overnight trip to Hangzhou for the 3rd day. Unless you're traveling by private car, it's best to take an evening train to Hangzhou the night before so you can make the most of your day there. If Hangzhou doesn't appeal to you, or if this is your last night in Shanghai, then by all means, jazz it up!

8. Live Jazz

There are a multitude of options for evening jazz in the city. The Peace Hotel Old Jazz Bar is the most obvious and touristy of choices, where you can expect all the usual pleasing popular standards. For more funk or experimental jazz, try the Cotton Club or Club JZ.