Over a century ago, Shanghai was the chicest city in the world with dozens of nationalities living within its borders. These days, the place once known as "The Paris of the East" has reclaimed its crown as one of China's most exciting cities with people of all sorts spread along the two banks of the Huangpu River. Whether you're enjoying a perfect weekend in the city or a trip that's a bit longer, here's what you shouldn't miss.
With hotels like the Park Hyatt Shanghai, the PuLi, and the Peninsula Shanghai, as well as shopping hotspots like Xintiandi and Shanghai IFC, the city is a modern juggernaut.
It's also home to some of the most innovative restaurants in the entire country, like The Commune Social, Mercato, and Whampoa Club.
But it's not all 21st-century glitz. Pockets of its colonial past are being restored and preserved, which means that even in this nonstop megapolis, you can still find the spirit of the old city preserved in places like the Mansion Hotel built in 1932 and the magical gardens at Yongfoo Elite.
