Small City Breaks: Charming Shanghai
If you're arriving from Shanghai's Pudong airport, make an exciting entrance into the town via the world's fastest train, the Maglev, which runs from the airport to the Lujiazui Financial district. Kids will cherish how a train seems to "fly" over the ground, forced upwards to the air by virtue of a solid magnetic field. The possible lack of surface contact allows the train to attain incredible speeds: as much as 433 km per hour. Make sure to show your airport ticket when you yourself have one; this grants you a slight discount on the train ride.
A lovely as well as educational place to begin your exploration of the town could be the Jade Buddha Temple. Though built relatively recently (between 1911 and 1918), the temple's upturned pagoda-like eaves and vivid red and yellow walls draw on centuries of Chinese architectural tradition. After admiring the colorful exterior, have a go through the treasures inside, the center-piece of which will be the temple's namesake: a massive white jade Buddha, covered in jewels, measuring nearly 2 meters high and thought to weigh about one thousand kilograms.
After inspecting the cultural treasures in the temple, spend time in the open air with a trip to the Yuyuan gardens. Having its beautiful layout and harmonic mixture of water, plants, zigzagging bridges, and dragon-lined walls, the gardens provide an unequaled introduction to the Ming Dynasty classical style. Most of the buildings house cultural artifacts including centuries-old furniture, artwork and literature. Kids will relish the Exquisite Jade Rock, a 5-ton porous, translucent and oddly-shaped mineral. After wandering through the gardens, check out the bazaar just outside and flick through traditional Chinese products and jewelry.
If you're tired after wandering through the gardens but still desperate to take in the sights, consider a cruise on the Huangu River, the longest river that passes through Shanghai. You can pick from several cruises which run from 30 minutes to 3.5 hours. This is a good, relaxing solution to consume both historic and modern elements of the city. You'll pass by British colonial architecture on the city's historic east side (Bund) along with the futuristic skyline on the present day east side (Pudong).
After taking in the cultural sights of Shanghai, why not indulge in a little bit of shopping? A great place to start is Xintiandi, a pedestrian zone shopping center built-in restored shikumen, typically Shanghainese buildings which incorporate both Western and Chinese architectural styles. Combined with upscale shopping options, you are able to select from a range of international restaurants -- even the pickiest eater will find something to satisfy!
While it's still daylight, check out the top of Jin Mao (literally "Golden Prosperity Building") tower to consume the spectacular sunset over Shanghai's skyline. At 88 floors high, it has only been recently eclipsed as the next tallest building in China.
End the day with a return by wowing your children with the unforgettable spectacle of the Shanghai Acrobats. The jaw-dropping feats of strength and daring along with colorful costumes and props can keep everyone at the edge of these seats for your show.
Auteur
With its historical landmarks and vibrant cultural scene regarding xian layover tours, Shanghai educates in addition to delights the entire family.