Oriental Pearl Tower

Shanghai Museum

Its collection and architecture are truly first-class. Focusing on ancient Chinese art, its collection, exhibitions and research aim to present the complete development history of each artistic category. Its system, richness and quality are highly renowned at home and abroad. Moved here in 1995, the museum has a distinctive design that follows the traditional Chinese concept of 'round heaven, square earth'. Its overall form resembles a dignified ancient bronze vessel. The Shanghai Museum holds half of China's ancient art treasures, and its galleries have no showy gimmicks, yet they will leave visitors astonished by China's history.

Free admission, though some special exhibitions require tickets, with prices varying · 3+ hours

Old City God Temple

A crash course in old Shanghai folk culture. The Old City God Temple has long been like a grand temple fair that never ends. Whatever you might look for at other temple fairs, you'll find here, with its snacks and distinctive handicrafts the most famous of all. The Old City God Temple was built during the Yongle era of the Ming dynasty. Historically, the temple was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt. The current temple was built in 1926 and rebuilt on a large scale in the 1990s, becoming a large, antique-style architectural complex and commercial district. The renovated old temple may have lost some of the atmosphere of the old city district, yet visitors still flock here, a testament to its enduring charm. The saying “Gold from the Old Temple brings you good luck” is known far and wide.

Free · 1–3 hours

Zhujiajiao Ancient Town

The best-preserved Jiangnan water town near Shanghai. Its waterside townscape, thousand-year history, historic sites and cultural charm define Zhujiajiao. It has less commercial bustle than many other towns, so it feels fresh and relaxed.

Free; folk customs tour ¥30; New Water Town heritage tour ¥60

Jiading Ancient Town

This ancient town, with over 780 years of history, still preserves pagodas, temples, monasteries and old trees. Most visitors come for Zhouqiao Old Street. Lying on the same central axis as the Fahua Pagoda, about 500 meters from it, are the Confucian Temple, Huilong Pool and Yingkui Hill, another distinctive scenic area beside Zhouqiao Old Street. The Confucian Temple in particular is considered the number one in Wuzhong.

Old Villas

Old villas are Shanghai’s most classic residences. These exotic garden villas mostly have prominent backgrounds or romantic stories full of poetry and painting. Their fairy-tale charm was once the envy of everyone, and today’s young people also dream of these luxurious buildings. Hengshan Road is lined with garden houses once owned by powerful and wealthy figures of the past. It starts at Huaihai Middle Road in the former French Concession and continues to Xujiahui, with consulate buildings nearby. Dense French plane trees line both sides of the road, sheltering old buildings full of mysterious stories. Many of these old houses on Hengshan Road, with their vintage street lamps, have been refurbished and repurposed. For example, the residence of Xi Deyi, former governor of the Central Bank of the Nationalist Government, became the Shanghai-style restaurant “Xijia Garden (席家花园),” and the mansion of H. H. Kung (孔祥熙) became the Shanghai Film Studio. More and more old villas have been turned into distinctive restaurants and bars, now the most popular dating spots for young people. Lilac Garden: Said to be where Li Hongzhang (李鸿章) kept his hidden love, this is an American-style garden villa. Building No. 3 houses a library with many rare books and antiquities. To the south of the garden lies a large expanse of green lawn with classically styled park benches.

Both Banks of the Huangpu River