Shanghai

What was once the horse-racing track on the edge of the British district is now a large and busy downtown park. The old track's clubhouse now houses a museum and a fine restaurant. Under the square at the edge of the park is a metro station that is one of the hubs of the Shanghai system and one of the busiest subway stations on Earth; lines , and meet there. Nearby are several large high-end malls and department stores.

The International Settlement was built North and West of the Old City, starting in the 1840s. In colonial-period Western books, "Shanghai" means that settlement. The Bund’s waterfront complex gathers early 20th-century buildings in Neoclassical, Art Deco, Gothic and other European styles, which once hosted foreign banks, consulates and trading companies.

Shikumen are unique Shanghai lane houses that blend Western terrace structures with traditional Jiangnan courtyard layouts, marked by their distinctive stone-framed gateways. For shikumen buildings, visit:

• Xintiandi, an area of old shikumen houses in the former French Concession, redeveloped with shopping malls, trendy bars and restaurants, and a lot of tourism.
• Tianzifang, another area of shikumen housing that has been redeveloped. It is newer than Xintiandi and emphasizes arts, crafts and boutique shopping where Xintiandi stresses brand-name goods and entertainment.

Garden villas in the former French Concession were high-end residences built mainly in the 1920s–1940s, featuring spacious plans, private gardens and modern domestic facilities. Many of these well-preserved properties are former homes of famous historical figures. Key sites are found on Wukang Road, Hengshan Road, and within the Sinan Mansions.

Shanghai Opera is a national intangible cultural heritage and the most representative local opera of Shanghai. It originated from the folk songs and ditties sung by farmers on both sides of the Huangpu River in the late 19th century, and gradually developed into a formal opera as Shanghai grew into a modern city. Different from grand classical Chinese operas, Huju Opera focuses on the daily lives of ordinary Shanghai people, with plots mostly about family stories, urban life changes and ordinary people’s emotions. Its melodies are soft and close to daily speech, and performers sing and speak in authentic Shanghai dialect. The performing style is natural and down-to-earth, without overly exaggerated movements or costumes. Tourists can watch Huju Opera performances at small theaters in old Shanghai neighborhoods or special opera halls, such as the Shanghai Huju Theater, to feel the real life atmosphere of old Shanghai.

Pingtan is a traditional narrative singing art that spread from Suzhou in the mid-19th century. It is a combination of "Pinghua" (storytelling without singing) and "Tanci" (storytelling with singing). Usually, one or two artists perform on stage, accompanied by traditional Chinese musical instruments: the pipa (a four-stringed lute) and the sanxian (a three-stringed lute). Artists tell classic Chinese folk tales, historical stories and daily life anecdotes in soft Shanghai or Suzhou dialect, with gentle and melodious tunes. The performance atmosphere is quiet and elegant, and many local people like to listen to Pingtan in teahouses while drinking tea. Tourists can find authentic Pingtan performances at Xiangyin Shuyuan (a famous Pingtan performance venue) and cultural teahouses in Shanghai, experiencing the gentle cultural charm of regions south of the Yangtze River.

Tours of the city, for couples and families.