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.
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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, 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.
Can’t Miss At nightfall, go to the Bund, the historic riverfront district. The city spent over $700 million to widen the sidewalks and remake the river promenade ahead of the 2010 World Expo. The Bund is dominated by neo-Classical-style buildings, most built in the 1920s and 1930s. Inside are restaurants, bars, galleries and shops. My favorites are Three on the Bund and Bund 18, both masterful blends of preservation and postmodern chic. Farther north is the former Cathay Hotel, with its green copper roof, now known as the Fairmont Peace Hotel. Built in 1929 for Victor Sassoon, the British businessman, the hotel reopened in 2010 after renovations.
Near Suzhou Creek is the Rock Bund area, with turn-of-the-century buildings and cobblestone streets. Here, you’ll find the Rock Bund Art Museum, which hosts some of the city’s best exhibitions, and the new Western restaurant 8 ½ Otto E Mezzo Bombana, partly owned by the Shanghai-based artist Zhang Huan.
Decompression To write, I often venture out to a cafe or teahouse. One of my favorites is Baker & Spice, in Shanghai Center, with work benches, comfortable seating and delicious tartines filled with smoked salmon. I also like the lounge at the Puli Hotel, which serves tie guan yin tea from Taiwan and has Asian-chic décor, with antique chests, soft lighting and a black and white interior. And I spend hours reading at the Song Fang teahouse, run by a French expatriate. For something more traditional, head to Da Ke Tang, an old villa decorated with antiques and 1920s memorabilia.
Night Out The American architect Ben Wood, working with a Hong Kong developer, has managed to turn some old Shikumen-style Chinese town houses in the eastern part of town into a trendy bazaar called Xintiandi (“new heaven and earth”), which visitors can navigate into the wee hours. Xintiandi is filled with cafes, jewelers, shops, bars and several restaurants, like Ye Shanghai and Harbour Plaza, which serves splendid Peking duck. At Crystal Jade, a Cantonese restaurant, sample the roasted, crispy pork loin.
For cheaper, authentic Shanghai fare, try Die Yuan, or Butterfly Garden, which is close by, at 70 Taicang Road. After dinner, head to the Bund for drinks at the Glamour Bar, or stop by the hip Vue Bar, at the Hyatt. The Long Bar, at the recently opened Waldorf-Astoria, is also a good place to relax. On the other side of the river, in Pudong, go to the 91st floor of the Park Hyatthotel and order drinks at 100 Century Avenue, a restaurant and bar that has one of the city’s best views. Equally mesmerizing is Flair, the bar on the 58th floor of the new Ritz-Carlton hotel, also in Pudong.
Outing From Shanghai, Hangzhou is an hour’s ride on China’s new high-speed train. If you choose to stay over, try the Hyatt Regency at West Lake, set against a backdrop of mountains. The lake is surrounded by temples, pagodas and gardens. One of China’s best known teas, Longjing, comes from this region, and there’s a tea museum in the area. For even more serenity, head to the elegant Fuchun Resort, about 40 minutes away, in the hills near Fuyang. After spending a week in Shanghai, you may want to retreat to a place where the lakes and misty hills look like something straight out of a classical Chinese painting.
If You Go
Lodging Mao stayed at the Ruijin Hotel (ruijinhotelsh.com), 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 (thepuli.com) 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 (crystaljade.com), 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 (ritzcarlton.com/en/properties/shanghaipudong), 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 (shanghartgallery.com). 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 (songfangtea.com); or Da Ke Tang (dkt-puertea.com).
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.
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