The Bund, a 1.3-kilometre promenade along the Huangpu River, is the most recognisable symbol of old Shanghai. It’s located in the former British Settlement area; a great place to start wandering is at the northern end at the Art Deco Broadway Mansions. From there, a veritable smorgasbord of building styles ensues, encompassing Gothic, Baroque and Beaux Arts among others. Visit just before sunset to witness the sun go down and the incredible light displays playing across buildings over the river in Pudong. If you visit during the day, pop into buildings along the way: the Astor House Hotel (1846) has a fascinating ground-floor museum; the Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank (1923) has a glorious mosaic-tiled ceiling that was preserved from destruction during the Cultural Revolution by a forward-thinking architect who covered it in stucco; and the Peace Museum at the Fairmont Peace Hotel (1929) has historical memorabilia including Art Deco furnishings, newspapers and photos of celebrity guests.

In Shanghai, traditional city life is fading along with the traditional architecture. The Shikumen Open House Museum occupies a three-storey 1920s shikumen in the Xintiandi area. Its seven rooms are fully furnished with period furniture, clothing and photographs, giving it an authentic, lived-in feel. It gives visitors an insight into a style of living that is fast disappearing.

In a city that worships the new, it’s comforting to come upon the Yu Garden, dating back to the Ming Dynasty. The two-hectare garden beside the City God Temple in the Old City has not emerged from over four centuries of upheaval unscathed, however. It suffered damage during the First Opium War and during the Second World War, but today it’s a national monument and home to gingko trees which are hundreds of years old, ancient rockeries, tinkling streams and airy pavilions.

Wandering the length of the city’s most famous road offers a glimpse into two sides of life in Shanghai. West Nanjing Road is a sort of oasis within the metropolis, where trees and locals like to stroll. East Nanjing Road is more of what you’d expect from buzzy Shanghai—neon signs, crowds of pedestrians armed with purchases and all manner of shops spruiking wares spanning chic fashion to delicious street food.

Leave the big smoke behind and travel 30 kilometres west to Zhujiajiao, a peaceful, canal-laced town that feels a world away from one of the busiest cities in the world. Known to locals as Shanghai’s Venice, Zhujiajiao is striped with almost 40 bridges of varying shapes and materials such as wood or marble, each leaping majestically over soothing waters traversed by tiny boats.

 In Shanghai’s Old City, edged by few remains of the ancient defensive wall, there are crowded, atmospheric laneways of noodle houses and tiny temples, where life seems to run at a different pace to the rest of the heaving city.

In the heart of Shanghai’s People’s Square, Shanghai Museum’s exterior belies a noticeably more thoughtful and historical collection. Housing more than 120,000 precious artefacts that date back a staggering 5000 years ago, the museum is one of the country’s best. 

Food lovers are spoilt for choice in Shanghai, where 53 restaurants have been graced by Michelin’s greatest honour of a star (or several). Not all of them have a fine dining price tag, either; a perennial favourite of the food elite is Canton 8. It serves delicious food at food court prices, with a meal generally coming in at under $50 per person.

Traditional housing, called shikumen, has largely been replaced by high-rises for many Shanghai residents. The original stone gate houses that remain in the area of Xintiandi have been transformed into a new collection of upscale shops and restaurants, creating a unique shopping strip that holds onto heritage.

Amid the disused cotton mills and factories of the seemingly abandoned district of M50—short for Moganshan Road—a fascinating subculture has emerged. Contemporary artists have reclaimed the empty spaces for their art, with everything from graffiti to collaborative works and photography on show, with many opening their doors for free.

Although it was the sixth to be built, Shanghai Disneyland has a few firsts up its sleeve. It has the first pirate-themed park for smaller swashbucklers, as well as the tallest themed castle across the Disneylands. It also houses the greatest hits: the Roaring Rapids and Pirates of the Caribbean Battle for Sunken Treasure.

You won’t find a building quite like the modernist masterpiece dubbed 1933, in Shanghai’s Hongkou district. Formerly the site of the municipal council’s slaughterhouse, the stunning structure has recently emerged as a cultural hub where trendy restaurants and cool boutiques breathe new life into the space.

A Guide to Hong Kong's Coolest Neighbourhoods