Shanghai: Business Traveler’s Weekend

Friday

Shanghai is China’s economic heart, and its main artery is the area around Lujiazui Street in the Pudong district. Make sure to visit the area’s three distinctive skyscrapers, the Oriental Pearl Tower [1], the Jin Mao Tower [2], and the Shanghai World Financial Center [3]. Each has impressive viewing decks and observatories for awe-inspiring views (and photographs) of the city.

Enjoy a view of the Huangpu River over an Italian lunch at The Kitchen Salvatore Cuomo [4], then cross the river into the Bund. A walk down the Bund Promenade [5] will introduce you to Shanghai’s iconic architecture: the riverfront is lined with colonial-era customs houses, banking headquarters, and shipping buildings dating from the mid-1800s. Be sure to visit historic Garden Bridge [6], and stop by Huangpu Park to see the Monument to the People’s Heroes [7], a concrete statue honoring China’s revolutionary and political martyrs.

Head to the Cool Docks [8] on the South Bund for dinner with clients at Stiller’s [9], a contemporary restaurant helmed by a German chef. If you’ve got matters of business still to be discussed, there’s no better place to do it than over a drink at the glitzy yet refined Glamour Bar [10]. Turn in for the night at nearby Hotel Indigo [11] for a high-end boutique experience.

Saturday

You’ve got a busy day ahead of you, so grab a coffee and a quick bite from a street-side vendor then head to the Xujiahui neighborhood to check out the Pacific Digital Plaza [12] where you’ll want to stock up on the latest and greatest electronics. If you need to take a minute to make some calls and check your email, do it over lunch at Element Fresh [13]. Service here is efficient, so you’ll be back to sightseeing in no time.

After lunch, head to People’s Square and the Urban Planning Exhibition Hall [14]. You’ll be greeted by a large sculpture featuring Shanghai’s most prominent architecture; be sure not to miss the three-dimensional model of the city upstairs. Next up is People’s Park [15] just down the street, and within it, the Shanghai Museum [16]. Home to over 120,000 relics of Shanghai’s history, the museum features bronzes, jade halls, and Ming- and Qing-era furniture.

If you’ve worked up an appetite, it’s time for dinner at Kathleen’s 5 [17], which is housed in People’s Square’s former clubhouse. Have a drink with clients at Barbarossa [18]—with its location inside People’s Park, it’s known as one of the best-situated nightlife spots in Shanghai. Head back to your room at the Hotel Indigo [11], or, if you don’t want to venture far, check out the simple but impressive Pacific Hotel [19] on West Nanjing Road.

Sunday

Make the most of your last day in Shanghai with a Huangpu River Cruise [20]. The boat trip takes you through the city’s commercial center and up to the mouth of the Yangtze River. Back on dry land, eat lunch at SUN with AQUA [21], a Japanese restaurant that features a shark-filled aquarium inside.

After lunch, stretch your legs with a walk up the Bund Promenade [5] toward the grand old hotel with the pyramid-shaped roof. This is the Fairmont Peace Hotel [22], which began life as the legendary Cathay Hotel. Wander around the Fairmont’s lobby and admire the yellow marble floors and the domed glass ceiling.

Cross the Huangpu for dinner amidst stunning modern interior design at Jade on 36 [23]. Housed within the Pudong Shangri-La [24], Jade on 36 [23] offers contemporary French fare; it’s bar is open late, so linger over a drink and admire the views of the city below. Finish off your last night in style at Flair [25], the place to see and be seen in Shanghai. Head back to your hotel and bid adieu to the city in the morning.