Went here in 2002.
The name means “City on the Sea,” and the culturally diverse population makes it a great stop for Western travelers. As a booming financial metropolis, Shanghai combines colonial beauty with high-powered business lunches, a pulsating nightlife, and cultural icons like the Jade Buddha Temple.
Easy to navigate, the city is divided into two sections, and travelers will marvel at its mixture of neon-lit skyscrapers and French villas, as well as its strong-willed and cosmopolitan people.
Located on the Yangzi River Delta, Shanghai was a small fishing village until the mid-1800’s. In August 1842, after the first Opium War, it was opened as a port city to foreign trade. That influence, mostly English, American, and French, caused the city to metamorphose into the cultural center it is today. Shanghai and its myriad of stimulating delights make for a great Chinese destination.
The high-priced boutiques have followed the influx of money coming into Shanghai. Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Ralph Lauren just to name a few. It’s no wonder that Shanghai’s women are among the most fashionable.
