Things To Do in Shanghai & Shanghai Hongqiao Airport Layover Ideas

The Bund (Waitan), once Asia's most important financial street, is an outdoor museum of turn-of-the-20th-century Western architecture. Stately columns and porticoes look down from what are now mostly government offices onto the broad boulevard. A must-see for architecture fans.

To get a feeling of the China of yesteryear, the Yuyuan Gardens are feature many examples of classical Chinese architecture. A bit of a warning about the vendors outside the gardens: while harmless, they do spoil the tranquility you might be expecting. Located in the Old City.

A trip up the Oriental Pearl Tower, also called the Oriental TV Tower, is a great way to see Shanghai from above. The "pearl" is one of the tallest structures in Asia.  There are light shows at night. Admission.

400 year old Zhu Jia Jiao is a well preserved, classic water village, with a maze of paths and bridges that you can wander. Zhujiajiao's main street is lined with quaint shops and restaurants serving local specialties. You can take a boat ride on the Cao Gang River and manmade canals to view the residences of this water village.

The renovated Shanghai Jin Shan Qu Dong Lin Jie Jinshan Donglin temple is over 700 years old. The temple is magnificent, on a large scale, and includes: 

• the world's tallest Buddha (Cloisonné—Sudhana, 5.4 m)
• the world's highest bronze door (qian fo door, 20.1 m)
• the world's tallest indoor statue (Guanyin Bodhisattva with one thousand hands and several heads, 34.1 m)

The PPAC museum's uncensored private collection includes posters, memorabilia, photos and dazibao (big character posters). Due to the controversial nature of the collection, the museum is hard quite to find (there is no exterior sign), but it's worth the hunt. Take a taxi to 868 Huashan Road. The museum is inside the apartment complex , building B, basement. Open 10:00-17:00 daily.

Be sure to check out Shanghai Museum. The Ancient Bronze exhibit is really worth seeing. Audio guides available. Located on the south side of People's Square. 09:00-17:00. Free.