Walk along the Bund Riverside Promenade while traveling to Shanghai

Few people missed this popular selfie attraction along the Bund waterfront in Shanghai, with a stunning background. Shanghai is equivalent to the Manhattan skyline and the 623-meter Shanghai Tower. It is one of the tallest buildings in the world, occupying a cluster of skyscrapers that almost touch the skyline.

After dark, the skyscrapers came to life and colorful lights flashed on the exterior walls. This is the ideal place to experience the most spectacular features of China's metropolitans, as freighters and tourist boats are busy on the river.

Snapshot tourists are likely to stay for a short time, although Shanghai is worth it. But a tour of this international city is not just about reaching the airport or killing time in the lounge until you connect to the flight. Stops are common whether in Dubai, Singapore, Madrid or Bangkok.

Underestimated experience

Stopover is an often estimated travel experience, but you need to plan it well. Two overnight stays and book tours can be done online in advance. Consider buying a sightseeing bus ticket, city pass or a guide.

Don't worry about your flight. Some airlines offer stopover programs that give passengers the opportunity to explore the city. If you want to stay on the way for a few days, some airlines don’t charge extra fees, while others promote discounted accommodation.

The idea is to see as much as possible in a short period of time. Guide Pu Yihua said visitors can see the main attractions in Shanghai on recognized days. To get to the Bund as soon as possible, take it from Pudong Airport to the city center and get off at People Square or East Nanjing Road Station. From there, you can walk a short walk to the famous promenade and enjoy the stunning views of the skyline.

Pu Yihua, 46, provides visitors with a brief, personal insight into the history of her hometown. “When I was very young, we didn't have refrigerators or TVs at home. High-rise buildings only appeared in the 1990s. Before that, there were only farmhouses and rice fields.”

Green city jungle

Shanghai broke out and became China's top industrial center. But not everything is plastered with concrete. Trees and flowers dot in the urban jungle near the main People's Square. In the historical center of Huangpu District, the once private 16th-century Yu Garden is a typical example of Chinese garden architecture.

“The philosophy behind it foresees living in an idyllic, harmonious oasis,” Pu said. A new vision emerges in every corner – a pond, a dragon wall, natural sculptures made of perforated limestone, sidewalks, ancient giant trees such as ginkgo and magnolia.

However, historical buildings are the exception to Shanghai. One is the Jade Buddha Temple, which was built in 1882 in Ji'an area. Similar to other Asian cities, gifts from bonsai trees in the bushes and lion sculptures hang on ribbons engraved with luck. Visitors in the Guardian Hall of Heaven must cross the extremely high threshold. “Because the spirit has no knees, they keep the evil spirits away.”

The refurbished old town has a Disney-inspired feel, but its high-end facades and roofs have a certain charm, especially after the lights are on. The area used to be a regular residential building until the state turned it into a tourist destination and shopping center with boutiques, restaurants, teahouses, cafes and souvenir shops.

The lugiac financial district of Lujiace dominates the area. The lift shot 546 meters into the glazed landscape floor in less than a minute. Unfortunately, this kind of scenery is sometimes obscured by haze.

An interesting destination is the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Center, hidden in a skyscraper in Changning District. The exhibition includes modern documents on contemporary communist beliefs, and of course there is no critical opinion. “Once the posters hanging from schools, universities, factories and offices,” said director Yang Peiming, who wrote an unusual collection in state-funded museums.

He said many historical posters have been destroyed. Instead, the walls were covered with a poster of the heroic Mao Zedong, who founded the People's Republic of China, whose totalitarian rule was related to millions of famines, executions and deaths in prison labor.

Along Luzcanal

Depending on your stopover time, you may have the opportunity to visit one of aquatic villages in over 10 cities. The yachts along the network of canals and bridges are under bridges such as the Bridge of Happiness, the Bridge of Eternal Peace and the Bridge of Fragrant Flowers.

A little bit in Luzhi, the smell of tofu hangs on a food stall. There are many delicious dishes in Shanghai. Try serving crispy sweet and sour pork in a bowl of ice – surprisingly delicious.