Huangpu District

Huangpu district, named after the Huangpu River, is one of the most popular and populated districts in Shanghai. The district is located in Puxi on the western side of the Huangpu River, and it contains a significant amount of famous historical and cultural attractions.

The Bund is one of Shanghai’s most famous sites. Right on the banks of the river, the Bund has a long promenade that provides views of the skyline of Lujiazui (left) on one side and old European-style foreign banking buildings on the other. The banking buildings once housed institutions from Europe and America as well as East Asia. There are also great views from the Peace Hotel bar and Bar Rouge, both located on the Bund.

The road connecting the Bund to the metro is East Nanjing Road, famous for its shopping venues. Here you can find many Western stores such as Puma, Nike, Forever 21, H&M, and Apple. South of East Nanjing Road and the Bund are the Old Town and Yuyuan Garden.

The Old Town is where the original city of Shanghai was located, and it has many old buildings that have been maintained over the years. Near the Old Town is Yuyuan Garden. The garden was originally built during the reign of the Ming Dynasty and was the largest garden in Shanghai at one point. It has an extensive network of paths, ponds filled with koi fish, and pavilions in the style of the Ming Dynasty. Around the garden are stores and restaurants that have been designed in the style of a temple, similar to the nearby City God Temple.

Not too far from the Old Town is Xintiandi, a luxurious retail, dining, and entertainment area. Xintiandi used traditional Shikumen-style housing and repurposed it into its shops and restaurants. The Shikumen buildings are not only historically but culturally significant because they were a result of Shanghai’s culture mingling with international cultures during the twentieth century. Xintiandi has a mixture of international and Chinese stores, but they seem to have something for everyone with stores like Rolls Royce, Tumi, and French Connection. The dining options reflect the variety of stores, and you can find choices like hot pot, Thai food, Japanese cuisine, and a number of Western dessert places.

Circling back up to Nanjing Road again, you find yourself at People’s Square. The area was once a horse racing track that was turned into a public square, People’s Square, and People’s Park. In the Park and Square, as well as around them, you can find many cultural and historical activities. There are a couple of art museums, Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Art Museum (right), and Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA), and it has the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center which shows the rapid development of Shanghai. Just north of People’s Park is the Park Hotel. Once the tallest building in China, the Park Hotel has beautiful art-deco features and an exhibit showing the building’s history.

In the People’s Park area, there are tons of restaurants and shops, including Western options. The nightlife in the area is also decent with bars and clubs, like M1NT nearby. Huangpu is very busy and commercial, but the entertainment and cultural options for day and night are vast. Huangpu is trendier place for young professionals or students, but it has a large enough variety of activities that anyone could enjoy, whether for a visit or long-term stay.