What to do in Guanzhong Plain

Stretching for over a kilometre along the banks of the Huangpu River, the Bund is one of Shanghai’s best known landmarks. It is a popular promenade with locals and tourists alike, providing fantastic views of romantic colonial architecture on one riverbank and gleaming high-rise buildings on the other.Join a walking tour to discover more about the history of the waterfront. Developed by European and American financiers throughout the nineteenth century, the Bund was once a major commercial hub. At its height, it was home to a number of key businesses including the ‘big four’ of the Chinese banking world.Following the Revolution of 1949, the area gradually fell from grace, eventually becoming little more than a multi-lane traffic jam. Over the last few decades, however, the Bund has seen a major redevelopment with many of its splendid period buildings having been restored and on display as ‘colonial relics’.The waterfront is a great place to visit in the early morning or later in the day. If you arrive first thing, you’ll find plenty of cafés and stalls where you can enjoy pancakes and steamed dumplings – known as baozi – before heading along the riverfront for a run or a spot of Tai Chi. In the early afternoon, tea is served in the grand hotels along the water.Later in the day, the Bund turns into a trendy destination for the city’s night owls. Watch the lights reflecting off the darkened waters as you sip a cocktail on a roof terrace or listen to jazz in bars once frequented by the likes of Noel Coward and Charlie Chaplin.The Bund is easily walkable from the Pudong area of Shanghai – just use the pedestrian tunnel beneath the river. If you are further afield, catch an underground train to East Nanjing Road Station. You can also get here by ferry, or incorporate it into a boat tour along the river.

There have been commercial premises on Wangfujing Street since the middle of the Ming Dynasty hundreds of years ago, and a wander down this pedestrianised boulevard today will take you past most of Beijing's best-known and most-loved outlets.

The Nanjing Road Shopping District, one of the city’s busiest shopping areas, has a history stretching back more than 100 years. The district is now a mix of towering department stores and colonial-era buildings along a pedestrian mall. Find luxury brands, international fast-food chains, and shops selling silk and jade.

Tiananmen Square is one of the most iconic – and biggest – squares in the world. Palatial gates, ancient architecture and fascinating history draw hundreds of thousands of visitors every year from China and beyond. This gigantic plaza is at the heart of Beijing in more ways than one and is enclosed by many of the city’s most important attractions.

Beijing’s Forbidden City stretches over a massive 720,000 square metres, and was home to the emperors of China for almost five centuries. It has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is listed by the same organisation as the largest collection of ancient wooden structures in the world.

People's Square, or Renmin Square, is Shanghai’s massive central square. This popular public gathering place is home to the Shanghai Museum, the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall and the Grand Theater, among other attractions. Admire the towering modern buildings that surround the square and watch local residents chatting and flying ornate kites over the grassy lawn areas.

The striking modern structure of Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl TV Tower rises to a dizzying 468 meters above the grounds of Pudong Park in the Lujiaziu District. Believed to be inspired by a poem from the Tang Dynasty, the tower effortlessly combines traditional influences with a contemporary feel. It is made up of eleven spherical balls joined together by three columns, each with a 9-metre diameter.The lifts are manned by bilingual attendants who will be able to answer your questions and give you a fascinating glimpse into the tower’s history and secrets. Jump straight into one and head to the glass-floored ‘Space Module’ observation deck for spectacular views across the city from 350 metres above ground level.If you prefer a more relaxed outlook, why not treat yourself to dinner in the revolving restaurant on the central viewing platform. Sit back with a delicious meal whilst drinking in the panoramic views as the entire cityscape slowly passes before your eyes.The lower and larger of the two spheres hosts a third observation platform as well as a dance hall and a typically Chinese karaoke bar. Check out the full array of entertainment on offer in the tower while you’re there, including shopping, music and the fascinating Oriental Pearl Science Fantasy World.Once you’re back on solid ground, take the time to explore the Municipal History Museum. Nestled between the tower’s columns, it contains a series of scale models and waxwork figures, which bring you into direct contact with people and places from the city’s history across the centuries.Pudong Park is only ten minutes away by car from Downtown Shanghai. It can get crowded at weekends, so head over during the week if you can. The tower is lit up at night, so it might be worth combining your visit with an evening cruise on the Huangpu River to see it in all its glory.

Xintiandi is an important historical district with a very modern twist. It is an area of particular architectural interest as it contains an impressive collection of Shikumen Houses, a style of housing which is unique to Shanghai. Whilst preserving the distinctive arching stone doorways and external aesthetic of these singular buildings, the insides have been converted into a series of stylish shops, restaurants and cafés.The entire Xintiandi District is pedestrianized, so you can wander around the narrow streets in relative safety. You couldn’t choose a prettier place to indulge in some serious shopping. As you wander between the chic boutiques, you can’t fail to notice the city’s spectacular architecture, its unique fusion of eastern and western influences creating a series of streets with sloping, angular roofs and elaborately carved lintels.The five-roomed Shikumen Open House Museum gives a feel of what living in one of these buildings must have been like. It is crammed with authentic tools, furniture and toys from the 1920s, giving you a flavour of everyday life. A miniscule room recreates the living conditions of a Tingzijian writer, letting you step into his shoes for a few moments.Xintiandi is also home to the historic building where the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China was held. It is now a museum displaying photos, documents and other fascinating items from the era. The gift shop is a great place to pick up a Communist-themed memento – the perfect reminder of how modern China came into being.When you start to feel hungry, pull up a chair at one of the many cafés whose tables spill out onto the narrow alleyways and order yourself some delicious dim sum. The dumplings, which are a speciality of the area, are delicious. In the evenings, you will find a number of upmarket bars serving cool beer and cocktails to the thumping beat of live bands and world-renowned DJs.Xintiandi is a popular area which is easy to reach on the bus or the underground. If you’re in downtown Shanghai, you can get there on foot in around 20 minutes.