Shanghai is a city where contrasting timelines meet at every corner. Once a small fishing village along the Huangpu River, it grew rapidly during the 19th century into a major trading port. Today, its skyline tells a story of that transformation. On one side, the Bund’s colonial-era buildings stand tall in limestone and granite; on the other, the futuristic towers of Pudong, like the Shanghai Tower and Jin Mao, stretch into the clouds. Visitors can walk along the Bund promenade at sunset, when the skyline lights up and the river becomes a moving mirror of old and new.

Beyond the high-rises, Shanghai protects its cultural heritage in districts like Xintiandi and Tianzifang. These areas preserve traditional “shikumen” houses, stone-gated homes that combine Western and Chinese architectural elements and are now filled with boutique shops, teahouses, and galleries. At the Shanghai Museum, located in People’s Square, travelers can explore thousands of years of Chinese art, from ancient bronzes to delicate calligraphy, all displayed in a building shaped like a traditional cooking vessel called a ding.

Shanghai’s culinary landscape is a destination in itself. The city is the birthplace of xiaolongbao, the famous soup dumpling that arrives at your table steaming in a bamboo basket. Visitors can try them at places like Din Tai Fung or Jia Jia Tang Bao, where each dumpling is handmade and filled with hot broth and minced pork. In the evening, street food alleys serve dishes like scallion oil noodles, crispy fried stinky tofu, and sweet tanghulu, candied hawthorn skewers that glisten under night market lights.