As Expo 2010 kicks off in Shanghai, the first of tens of millions of expected visitors are arriving in China’s most dynamic city. The international pavilions are nothing short of stunning, but Shanghai’s permanent top attractions hold their own against Expo favorites. Don’t miss the top five things to do in Shanghai recommended by IgoUgo members.
“If you visit only one museum in China, make it this one,” declares
cheese_cake. Filled with over 100,000 pieces that include a “famous” gallery of ancient Chinese bronze works, “the building itself is a stunning $700-million masterpiece,” according to
shammiyap, “designed to recall an ancient
ding” (a three-legged vessel used for cooking and serving).
“There would never have been a Shanghai without the Huangpu River,” says
MythMin, nor would there be a true trip to Shanghai without a stroll along the Huangpu's banks on
the Bund. The Pudong side of the river packs interesting sights as well, and the underground crossing via a light-strewn tourist tunnel is an experience in itself--though
Paul Bacon warns, “I disembarked thinking how much better a ferry would have been.”
A garden that
rcoffelt says “is more like a park,” Yu Yuan lets you “leave the bustle of Shanghai behind you” as you explore the Ming designs of its pavilions, bridges, ponds, and lanterns. The bazaar is a “large shopping area that surrounds the garden” and features wares from freshwater pearls to silk scarves to designer knockoffs.
When it comes to tourist attractions, says
Kathryn, “size does matter,” and at 468 meters, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower offers wonderful views over Shanghai. It was an interior view of the tower that Kathryn most enjoyed, however: “THE nicest toilets I had seen in China. They almost made me cry.”
This is “a good place to start your visit to Shanghai,” as it serves up an introduction to the “architectural history and future of the city.” The highlight, says
cheese_cake, is “a model of the city envisioned in 2020, which occupies a whole floor and which can be viewed at eye level or from above.”