Tips for first-time tourists to Shanghai

Before having a Shanghai tour, you should know some information on Shanghai.

One of the remarkable things about living in Shanghai is being able to witness this city’s race to complete a century’s worth of building in a mere decade or two. Fortunately, the charm of old Shanghai still exists in places like the outdoor market near the corner of Xiangyang Road and Changle Road, a few blocks from my home in the former French Concession. The sidewalks are narrow and grease-stained. Folding tables and tiny stools make dining awkward. Service with a smile is nonexistent. And yet every morning at daybreak, residents line up there to savor pork-filled dumplings and jian bing guo zi, or egg pancakes.
The scene is a time capsule in a city that is changing at warp speed. Dilapidated lane houses and tenements are being razed to make way for high-rises, boutiques and yoga studios. In a city whose streets were once crowded with bicycles, there are now fleets of Lamborghinis, Porsches and Land Rovers.

At the end of the 19th century, Shanghai, a port city near the mouth of the Yangtze River also a China business tour destination, was a flourishing international trading and financial center that was known for its decadence — an intoxicating mix of brothels, cabarets, opium dens and privileged foreign settlements. That city disappeared after the Communists swept to power in 1949. But today Shanghai has re-emerged as the dragon’s head of an ambitious nation.
Here are some of my recommendations for a week in the city.
Culture Begin with a trip to the Shanghai Museum, built in the shape of an ancient bronze cooking vessel, and a treasure house of artifacts, including world-class collections of ancient jade, ceramics, porcelain, bronze and imperial coins. South of People’s Square, race ahead in time, to 1921, at the site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China, a gathering that helped give birth to the Chinese Communist Party. Photographs, pamphlets and old daggers trace not just the origins of the Communist Party, but the country’s struggle against “foreign aggressors.” (What is remarkable is that this museum exists near an expensive neighborhood, filled with luxury shops.) The museum connects to a red-and-charcoal-colored lane house where 13 delegates to the Chinese Communist Party met in 1921. Among them was a 27-year-old man named Mao Zedong.

Head east to the Dongtai Road Antiques Market, an outdoor bazaar that sells coins, maps, scrolls and sculptures of Mao for as little as 50 renminbi (about $8). Be prepared to bargain (drop the asking price by 75 percent, walk away and see what happens). You will likely be greeted by an elderly man pleading in rough English: “Look! Look! Old. Very old.”

The best place to see contemporary art is M50, or the Moganshan Road arts district, an enclave of studios, galleries and shops. The most notable space is ShanghART, run by the Swiss-born Lorenz Helbling, who has represented artists like Wang Guangyi and Zeng Fanzhi. Nearby, M97 has fine photography exhibitions.
Walk In the French Concession, start at the corner of Shaanxi and Shaoxing Roads, and head east, strolling down the tree-lined Shaoxing, past the Vienna Café and the Old China Hand Reading Room. Make a left at Ruijin Road, another fabulous road with mansions, gardens and old villas. Be alert — drivers sometimes get close enough to remove loose clothing. You might also stop by Taikang Road, and visit the area called Tianzifang, a series of corridors that house bars, coffee shops, restaurants and galleries.

If You Go
Lodging Mao stayed at the Ruijin Hotel, and so did Nixon. This state-run guesthouse in the former French Concession is modest but comfortable and well situated. Rooms in June start at 1,320 renminbi (about $214 at 6 renminbi to the dollar). The Puli Hotel is a boutique property that blends traditional Chinese features with a sleek modern style. Rooms start at 2,000 renminbi plus a 15 percent service fee.

Dining In the bazaar known as Xintiandi, restaurants include Ye Shanghai (No. 338 South Huangpi Road in Xintiandi North; 86-21-6311-2323); Harbour Plaza (Unit C, No. 17 Lane 181, Taicang Road; 86-21-6387-6777), known for its Peking duck; and Crystal Jade, a Cantonese restaurant. For Shanghai fare, try Die Yuan (No. 70 Taicang Road, Luwan District; 86-21-5383-7338). 100 Century Avenue Restaurant (91 /F Park Hyatt, No. 100 Century Avenue; 86-21-6888-1234) is open for dinner and drinks from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Bars On the Bund, go to Glamour Bar (6/F, No. 5 The Bund; 86-21-6329-3751), Vue Bar (32-33/F, Hyatt on the Bund, 199 Huangpu Road; 86-21-6393-1234) and the Long Bar at the Waldorf-Astoria (No. 2 Zhongshan Dong Yi Road, Huang Pu District; 86-21-6322-9988). Flair, another favorite, is on the 58th floor of the new Ritz-Carlton.

Sites Shanghai Museum (www.shanghaimuseum.net; free) is a treasure house of artifacts, while the Site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China (No. 374 Huangpi South Road, Luwan District; 86-21-5383-2171; free) offers an overview of Chinese Communism. For contemporary art, go to M50 (No. 50 Moganshan Road, Zhabei District; 86-21-6266-0963 ) and ShanghART. To take a breather, head to quiet cafes or teahouses like Baker & Spice (Suite 118, East Retail Plaza, Shanghai Center, 1376 Nanjing West Road, JingAn District; 86-21-6289-8875), Song Fang Tea House; or Da Ke Tang.

Getting Around Three of the Shanghai train stations have trains to Hangzhou, but Hongqiao station is the safest, with most trains scheduled from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Round trip is 160 renminbi for a secondary seat; 260 renminbi for first-class seat.

I think the above-mention information will be very helpful for your China tour.