Official Language:
Mandarin
Secondary Language:
Wu Dialect
English
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Currency:
Yuan (Renminbi)
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Population:
Shanghai is home to over 15 million people
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Weather:
Climate and current weather information for Shanghai: The summers are hot and rainy and the winters are cold and dry. The best times to visit Shanghai is spring (April to mid-May) and autumn (late September to mid-November). Summer is the peak travel season, however this is the worst time to visit as it is hot and humid with temperatures that soar into the 100°F/38°C's.
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Located at the mouth of the Yangtze River on the east coast, the majestic Shanghai is China's largest and most cosmopolitan city and the harbor is the third largest in the world. The location makes Shanghai a gateway for seabourne trade with the Chinese interior. Conquered many times over, the city had continued to thrive as a port, trading in silk, tea, and opium. Today, Shanghai with its western flavor combines with its ancient past. Commissioned by a Ming Dynasty mandarin, Yu Yuan is an exquisitely harmonious ensemble of ponds, pavilions, artificial mountains, and ancient trees. Shanghai remained a small fishing village for centuries. The town did not become important until after 1842 when the Treaty of Nanking (Nanjing) opened it to foreign trade.By 1860 Shanghai was China's busiest port, equaling to a quarter of the country's total maritime trade. A growing Chinese resistance to foreign domination was manifested leading to the capture of the city in 1927. The city was occupied by the Japanese from 1937 to 1945 and at the end of World War II Shanghai was returned to China. After extensive construction this active metropolis became a very modern Shanghai and offers something for everyone.
It is said that architecture is the window on a city's history. In this case you should definately stroll along the Bund where Shanghai's past is revealed. The Huangpu river, the commercial artery that runs through Shanghai, is bordered by a five-block area know as The Bund, where European architecture attracts many visitors. Impressive buildings offering western influences on Shanghai are the British Customs House and clock tower; the Peace Hotel, an Art Deco triumph built by Victor Sassoon, an Iraqi Jew of British nationality who made millions in the opium trade; the former Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, designed by the British architect, Norman Foster; and the very western, old Shanghai Club. Cruise passengers will also see Greek domes, Spanish verandas, and Gothic steeples that look ever so exotic placed in this unlikely location.
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Attractions |
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The Shanghai Museum:
This museum will further broaden your view of the Chinese history of the city. There are special collections of calligraphy, bronze, jade, coins, and much more.
The Jade Buddha Temple:
The most well known of Shanghai's many temples. A working Buddhist monastery that caters to the tourist trade as well. The temple is run by 70 monks that oversee the religious workings of the temple.
Other attractions include Yu Garden, the Bund, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower or the Jin Mao Tower, Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall, and Old Town.
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