A quiet experience of the bustling metropolis of Shanghai can be found within the elegant tree-lined streets of the French Concession area, which will transport visitors to the scenic thoroughfares of Europe, with its quaint cafés, intriguing art galleries, and trendy boutique shops. Make this iconic district part of your stay at an elite Shanghai city hotel such as the Millennium Hongqiao Hotel Shanghai. With easy access to world class dining, entertainment, and shopping, this luxury Shanghai hotel is an ideal place to hang up your hat during your time in the city. Although the French Concession area, a holdover from France’s presence in the country during WW2, offers visitors a range of intriguing sights to see there are a top five that must be visited. First off, you must explore the area on foot, as that is the best way to capture the essence of this historical enclave. The Spanish villa that housed the Communist party’s first leader Zhou Enlai is a sight to behold, as it is now a museum that details the rise of the party in the country. Fusing Park is an idyllic oasis in the city that is Greta for people watching. See Tai Chi practitioners flow with the universal energy, street dancers entertaining onlookers, and old men and women indulging in a fun game of mahjong. To observe the ebb and flow of Chinese life, Fuxing Park is your best bet. If you fancy a movie but want the do it in style, check out the charming interiors of the Cathay Theatre, one of the first movie theatres in the city that exhibits the beautiful grandeur of Art Deco. And if you fancy a firsthand glimpse into Chinese arts and crafts, the Shanghai arts and Crafts Centre will present you with an intimate look into expertly local crafts persons engaged in their trade.
Angela Fernando is an impassioned travel writer who composes pieces under the pen name Sumaira Narayan. She loves writing about new and exciting places around the world and intends to visit them all someday.