Know your cities - Shanghai

(My article for Chit-Chat - Jumeirah International official colleague publication / 28th Edition)

Whichever nickname you prefer, “Paris of the Orient” or “Pearl of China”, Shanghai’s beauty as the essence of new China shines through, as well as its centuries of history and culture.

Shanghai is China’s most populous city located in eastern China, at the middle portion of the Chinese coast, and sits at the mouth of the Yangtze River and has been described as the “showpiece” of China. The two Chinese characters in the city's name are 上 (shàng) 'above' and 海 (hǎi) 'sea' which together literally mean 'Upper Sea'.

A tour around Shanghai usually starts with the Jade Buddha Temple. Built during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty (A.D. 1875-1909), the temple with its magnificent architectural style of the Song Dynasty dazzles you its priceless collection of jade statues from Burma.

Next stop is Fresh Water Pearl Gallery where one sees the process of pearl cultivation. One lucky tourist will be presented with a single pearl from a mussel.

For nature trippers, People Square is a spectacular space in the heart of the city. It is a vast green area including plants and trees, and surrounded by great buildings on all sides, where you may feed the lovely doves to pray for the world peace.

The visit to Shanghai Museum will take you to the climax in the morning. The museum design is in keeping with Feng Shui principles. It houses a great permanent collection and hosts various exhibitions with over 120,000 pieces including bronze ware, ceramics, paintings, calligraphy, sculpture, ancient Chinese coins, jade carving, ancient furniture, and western art, which shows you 5000 years history of China.

After lunch, classic sights from the Ming and Qing dynasties, when you visit the enchanting Yuyuan Garden and Shanghai Old Street. The garden covers a significant space and includes many halls, springs and other buildings of interest. The visit brings you back to Ming Dynasty (A.D. 1368-1644)

Then, the tour stops at the Bund on Shanghai’s waterfront which gives you a wonderful view of Pudong’s skyline with its rich collection of buildings and structures of various architectural styles. Pudong contains a rich collection of early 20th century architecture, ranging in style from neoclassical HSBC Building to the art deco Sassoon House.

Notably, a new addition to Shanghai skyline is our new contemporary lifestyle hotel in the heart of Pudong district - the VENU HIMALAYAS Hotel Shanghai which is scheduled to open this year.

Guests of the first VENU property will be able to tune-in, connect, share and celebrate in the futuristic hotel, designed by architect Arata Isozaki and interior designer KCA International to reflect the unique structure and experience of the Himalayas. VENU HIMALAYAS Hotel Shanghai will be a 400 key art-themed hotel, including 70 luxury suites, standing at the heart of an arts and lifestyle hub, the Himalayas Centre in the beautiful oriental city of Shanghai.