Introduction to Shanghai
Shanghai was once the central to commercial exploitation and vice activities. The first trading concession was granted to the British in 1842 after the First Opium War, when the import of drugs had been legalized, which also marked the beginning of commercial exploitation of China by Europe. Great fortunes were made in trade and lost on the spin of a roulette. Other European countries were later granted concessions and soon a virtual European Shanghai city existed.

 

The Bund
The European Shanghai created an imposing stretch of buildings along the Huangpu River, known as The Bund. Many of these buildings housed the head offices of great trading companies, banks and insurance houses, but the most notable one is the Customs House which still retains its original function. Vacations to Shanghai is never complete without a tour to the Peace Hotel. Formerly known as the Cathay Hotel and once the most fashionable place in European Shanghai, the hotel is probably the most atmospheric and historic place to stay in the city.

 

Tremendous development in Shanghai saw massive skyscrapers rising one after another, the evidence of the colonial era at the Bund were not demolished but merely dwarfed, making them look insignificant. Amongst the most spectacular are the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the 88-storey Jinmao Tower which houses the Grand Hyatt Hotel in the top 35 floors, and the Shanghai World Financial Center which currently is the tallest building in China and third tallest in the world. Even with the sprawling towers of Shanghai, the Bund remains a potent symbol of Shanghai as well as a top tourist attraction.

Shanghai Chinatown
Peculiar as it seems to have a Chinatown in a Chinese city, many old streets in this area have been demolished to make room for new developments. Chinese people used to be restricted to certain parts of the city when the Europeans ruled. Some of the most historic streets are between the Jade Gardens (or Yu Yuan in Mandarin) and the river.

Today, Shanghai is one of the main international gateway cities of China and a popular travelers destination. It is one of the best places to visit to experience and understand how a city has transformed from the colonial era into one of the fastest growing cities in the world.

 

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