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The French Concession is the area of Shanghai once designated for the French. Today, the area's central Huaihai Road is a busy shopping street, but the tree-lined avenues and their many Tudor mansions still retain an air of the "Paris of the East".

[edit] Get in

Metro Line 1 runs along Huaihai and Hengshan Roads. Most useful stops are probably the Shan Xi Nan Lu station, which is fairly central, and Xujiahui station, which is one of the biggest metro stations in Shanghai and connects most, if not all, big shopping malls in the Xujiahui commercial circle and contains an underground market all the way along the station from Hongqiao Road to Nandan Road.

[edit][add listing] See

• Xintiandi (新天地), (Near Metro Huangpi South Road). Xintiandi is a popular spot for young people, particularly well-heeled yuppies. It is a place where you can find a lot of restaurants and clubs. Besides these pubs you can also see some traditional Shanghai-style lodgings (Shikumen) which are a unique blend of European and Chinese design. There is a nice miniature museum, showing the configuration and interior of a recreated 1930s shikumen house.  edit

• Old French Concession Streets. Get away from the busy streets and explore the area between Julu Road to the north and Huaihai Road running through the center, plus Maoming Road and surrounding area to the south of Huaihai Road. Pleasant tree-lined streets and local Shanghainese bustle, combined with a growing number of trendy boutiques and restaurants. Changle Road and Xinle Road are rapidly becoming the places to find small designer clothing shops. Interesting architecture built with French and Belgian money and showing mixed Chinese-European styles.  edit

• Sun Yat-sen's Former Residence, 7 Xiangshan Road., ☎ +86 21 64372954. The house was the Shanghai residence of Sun Yat-sen and his wife Soong Ching Ling from 1918 to 1937. It was converted into a museum in 1961 and tells the story of Sun Yat-sen, the revolutionary father of China's republic. ¥20.  edit

• Zhou Enlai's Residence, 73 Sinan Road, ☎ +86 21 64730420. This was the former Shanghai Office of the Delegation of the Communist Party in China from June 1946. It is now a museum telling the story of the Communist revolution in China and particularly Shanghai. Free.  edit

• Fuxing Park (复兴公园; Fùxīnggōngyuán), 105 Fuxing Zhong Road, Luwan District (卢湾区复兴中路105号; Lúwānqū Fùxīngzhōnglù), ☎ +86 21 53861069. 6AM-6PM. This European style park formerly known as French Park is a must see. Early in the morning, the park is filled with dancers, card and mahjong players, tai chi artists, and singing groups. Free.  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

• Fuxing Road (复兴路). Walk along Fuxing Road to see classical old buildings and enjoy the neatness of the road.  edit

• Shanghai Xintiandi (新天地), Lane 181, Taicang Road. Enter this small pedestrianised area of the city featuring rebuilt traditional shikumen [stone gate] houses. Housing a cinema complex, mall, numerous bars, cafés and art galleries marketed towards foreign visitors and the more affluent locals. Close to where the Communist party headquarters were located.  edit

• Sylvan streets. Explore the Sylvan streets and admire Shanghai's Art Deco residential architecture, reputedly the world's largest (although not the most well-kept). Most historic buildings have a bronze plaque that details their original use. The area sandwiched between Fuxing Road and Huaihai Road is particularly interesting with a sprinkling of tucked-away shops and discreet cafes, a refreshing alternative to the city's generally megalomaniac streetscape.  edit

• Bar and club districts. Experience the nightlife in one of the many bar and club districts: Julu Road, Hengshan Raod or Xintiandi.  edit

[edit][add listing] Buy

All these streets and the connecting north-south streets are worth a stroll, and something new seems to open every week. This is also the area to see Shanghai style Deco architecture that has been getting a lot of press lately:

• Ruijin Second Road (瑞金二路). This is a tree-lined boulevard in the heart of the French Concession, where you can experience the real Shanghai longtang (a narrow alley from house to house, which is a distinctive Shanghai architecture style). Don't forget to walk down Taikang Road and burrow your way into the in process gentrification of the back alleys here. Old men air their magpies in spotless, tiny cages next to top flight Italian restaurants. A friendly expat cafe called The Kommune is a good place to cool your heels as you enter magical worlds of small boutiques located at the end of old courtyards. Shanghai T is a great place to buy a high quality T-shirt with a smart logo, "What recession?" The Taikang Lu renovation is is still evolving and interesting shops and restaurants are opening and closing every day. The trendy stores exist side by side with the rhythms of Old School Shanghai life though -- and any time you can catch a glimpse of that, you should feel lucky.  edit

• Diva Life Nail & Beauty Lounge, Ruijin Erlu (Near Jianguoxi). A 2,700-square-foot-house, mixed with Chinese and European style, is located on Rui Jin Er Road. Established in 1933, this three story complex was once the home of the Jewish wine merchant H.L. Menken.  edit

• Huaihai Road (淮海路; Huáihǎilù). The main commercial street, with mainly international brand stores. Overrated and overbuilt the scale of the dept store Parkson's is unappealing, and offers a very bad anchor to what is really the most charming and green part of this massive city. Stay on Shanxi Nanlu and stay away from these mega malls. It is the small old same old.  edit

• Xujiahui (徐家汇), (You can get here by metro). Enormous shopping malls are found here.  edit

• Julu Lu, Changle Road and Xinle Road. These two parallel east-west streets and the surrounding neighbourhood are gradually acquiring some outstanding boutiques and shops.  edit

• Anfu Road. Interesting boutiques (and bars and restaurants) both in the eastern and western ends of this street.  edit

• Garden Books, (Near to the junction of Changle Road and Shanxi South Road), [1]. Good selection of Chinese travel guides, as well as aromatic coffee and flavorful ice cream. Their monthly bric-a-brac sales are a popular local social event.  edit

• Torana House, (Formerly in Shanxi South Road, now at 164 Anfu Road (just west of Wulumuqi Road)). Has Tibetan and Chinese carpets and Tibetan furniture in a contemporary gallery.  edit

• Spin Ceramics. Designer ceramics by Chinese artists but with a Japanese flavor, in a stylish minimalist space off Julu Lu. Bit difficult to spot since it is set back off the street, it is next to Mesa Restaurant (known to many expats for its excellent Sunday brunch).  edit

• Silk Qi Pao shops. A row of shops along Chang Le Lu, between Mao Ming Lu and Shan Xi Nan Lu specializes in silk Qi Paos (traditional Shanghai-style silk dresses), which can be made to measure. The shops are especially popular with Japanese visitors staying at the nearby Okura Garden Hotel.  edit

• eno, 139-23 Changle Road (Between Ruijin Road and Chengdu Road), [2]. Two storey shop featuring t-shirts, sweatshirts, bags and shoes designed in conjunction with China's hottest up and coming artists. Also has a cafe with Illy coffee.  edit

• Mme Mao's Dowry, Fu Min Lu. Cultural Revolution nostalgia.  edit

• Ferguson Lane, (In a narrow alley off Wukang Road in the western end of the French Concession). A '30s building filled with restaurants and boutique shops.  edit

Other nearby areas:

• Posh Shopping, (Along Maoming South Road, by the Jin Jiang Hotel). Designer shops and art galleries. Do not forget your platinum Amex card.  edit

Electronical articles:

• Xujiahui. If you're looking for anything electronic, Xujiahui is the place to start. Pacific Digital Plaza Phase 2 is the place to start, conveniently connected to exit number 10 of the Metro station. There are more electronics markets nearby, such as Pacific Digital Plaza Phase 1 and Buynow. Popular game consoles such as Wii, PS3, and Xbox360 are abundantly available as are laptops, MP3 players, memory cards, and computer accessories. The metro station exits at the intersection of 5 roads. There's at least one shopping mall on each of the 5 corners. Grand Gateway is the most upscale of them, and also the best-air conditioned in the summertime (you'll find that info useful if you visit in July or August). The 5th and 6th floors of Grand Gateway offer a good selection of restaurants.  edit

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit] Budget

• Vegetarian Lifestyle, 77 Song Shan Road (In a fabulously decorated alleyway just south of Huai Hai Road), ☎ 21-6384-8000. Every day until 10PM. A beautifully appointed modern restaurant where everything is vegetarian. You will not find much in the way of fake meat that pervades most of the other vegetarian places. Instead, you will enjoy beautifully cooked dishes from all over the country, and juices from the juice bar. They serve beer as well, but careful, one bottle will double your bill. Beer ¥30, ¥18 lunch special.  edit

• Xintiandi, At the southeast corner of Huaihai Park. This is not in a trendy district, but a small 24 hour coffee/dumpling shop just next to the park. They sell steamed-and-fried soup-filled dumplings that are famous for squirting across the room if you do not suck out the juice beforehand. Four dumplings are ¥1.50.  edit

[edit] Mid-range

• Shanghai Uncle, 211 Tianyaoqiao Road, ☎ +86 21 64646430. A famous chain of three restaurants known for the Shanghai flair with some Western accents. Known for their spare ribs, smoked fish and fatty pork with garlic.  edit

• Hailaogui (海老亀; Hǎilǎogūi), 41 Yandang Road (雁蕩路41号). Café specialising in sweet Chinese desserts claimed to have all sorts of beneficial effects for your health, particularly dishes made with turtle. No English menu. Milk pudding with ginger is ¥10.  edit

• Saleya, Changle Road (Between Xiangyang Road and Shanxi South Road). Neighborhood French Restaurant. Unpretentious and you can close your eyes and imagine you are on the Isle de la Cite. By Chinese standards the prices would be in the splurge category, but for a foreign restaurant the prices are very reasonable.  edit

• Secret Garden, Changle Road (A short distance west from Garden Books). serving Cantonese food in pleasant surroundings. The veranda-like space near to Secret Garden has been home to a succession of restaurants, the latest incarnation being a Greek restaurant.  edit

• Di Shui Dong (滴水洞), 56 Maoming Road (Near Changle Road, Metro Shaanxi South Road), ☎ +86 21 6253 2689. Fiery cuisine from Hunan, the birthplace of Mao Zedong, thus a menu full of "Mao's Shrimp", "Mao's Chicken" and such. Very popular with foreigners.  edit

• Enoteca, Anfu Road. Excellent wine bar specializing in Argentinean and South African wines. Food is fairly basic with cheese and meat plates and salads, but the wine is outstanding.  edit

• Amokka, Anfu Road (west of Wulumuqi Road). A coffee bar and restaurant, good for lunch stops.  edit

• Uighur Restaurant (维吾尔餐厅), 280 Yishan Road, ☎ +86 21 62550843. Claims to be the "original" Xinjiang cuisine restaurant in the city, and probably the best-known. The typical main dishes are moderately spicy preparations of lamb, but the menu also features some rather adventurous items like camel feet, sheep's eyeballs, and a bull's you-know-what. Also music and dance shows with the obligatory audience participation.  edit

• Foodrepublic, (In the basement of MetroCity). Food court of sorts housing many different restaurants including a Burger King. They do not accept cash (most of them, the restaurants that have their own seating area separate take both cash and cards), so you will have to add money to and put down a deposit for a stored-value card specific to the other Foodrepublics. You can see plastic models of all the dishes before you order them, so you will have a decent idea of what you are getting. Expect copious MSG, but delicious food.  edit

[edit] Splurge

• Xintiandi. (see Xintiandi) Has many of Shanghai's hippest and most expensive restaurants, especially for international cuisine.  edit

• Mesa, Julu Road (Short distance west from Xiangyang Road Junction). Excellent and flavorful Western and fusion food accented by a fine wine list. The stunning view from the balcony is at its best in the spring and fall. Quite pricey.  edit

• Boca, At the corner of Xiangyang Road and Xinle Road (In the north of the district). Luxurious tapas/French restaurant housed in a very interesting building, a converted Russian Orthodox church, complete with domes and painted ceilings.  edit

• Casanova, At the far western end of Julu Road. Very competent Italian fare.  edit

• Shintori, Julu Road. Japanese design restaurant with stunning features. Serving Japanese and fusion kitchen. Expensive but worthwhile prices.  edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

• Judy's Too, 176 Maoming South Road (Metro: Shaanxi Nan Lu), ☎ +86 21 6473 1417. Doors open at 6PM, but the party does not really get started untill at least 10PM. A somewhat cheesy but fun favorite among expats. Locals dance it up here too, but mostly before 11PM. Some feel this place offers all that is bad about older Western men and younger Eastern girls in Asia, at times there is some pretty unpleasant letching to be seen here, unfortunately. Free.  edit

• Jenny's Blue Bar, 7 Donghu Road (Metro: Shanxi Road (S)), ☎ +86 21 6415 7019, [3]. A friendly bar, run by Jenny in its present location since 2000. A wide choice of drinks, good music and sports coverage mean that it is popular both with expats and with visitors. Jenny and her staff will make you feel welcome. Look out for the two cats that make themselves at home behind the bar, frequently sleeping on top of the television or the display units.  edit

• Otto (Restaurant & Wine Bar), 85 Fumin Road. A sophisticated Italian restaurant.  edit

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Budget

• Blue Mountain Youth Hostel (上海蓝山国际青年旅舍), 2F. Building #1, 1072 Nong, Quxi Road, Luwan District (卢湾区瞿溪路1072弄1号甲二楼) (Just opposite Luban Road Metro Station (line 4)), ☎ 86 21 6304 3938 (fax: +86 21 6304 3938), [4]. On the street just outside you will find several restaurants, small supermarkets, fruitshops etc. The staff is helpful and speaks good English. Dorms 8/4-6 persons ¥40/¥50, Double/tipple with bath ¥160/¥220.  edit

• Le Tour Traveler's Rest Youth Hostel (上海乐途静安国际青年旅舍), ☎ +86 21 6267 1912, [5]. YHA bed and breakfast hostel in downtown, and 10 minuntes walk to Subway Jingan Temple/Airport City Terminal. The building was built in 1930s as a towel factory and is deliberately refurbished to maintain its unique details: narrow lane, Stone-frame, packing case etc. They have double rooms, twin rooms, apartment rooms and shared single-sex dormitory. Cafe and bar, free internet, bike hire, laundry, luggage lockers.. Tucked quietly away down a lilòng lane this great and well-kept place has loads of space. It's bright and airy with attractive and gaily-painted, well-priced doubles. The amiable staff are extremely helpful, endeavouring to make a stay here as enjoyable as possible. Compared to some of the cramped common areas of other youth hostels in town, Le Tour capitalises on a sense of space and depth. There's internet (free for 20 minutes), laundry, kitchen, bike rental (they also have electric bikes), free umbrella/hair-dryer/iron hire, train ticketing (service charge) and a TV room. Behind the main reception extends a huge room accommodating a Ping-Pong and a pool table. Normal season: Private double ¥200, private twin ¥210, private triple ¥270.  edit

[edit] Mid-range

• San Want Hotel, 650 Yishan Road, Xuhui District, ☎ +86 21 61451111, [6]. Four-star hotel with 383 rooms with LCD TV, Japanese-style bathtub, refrigerator, and high-speed Internet access. Conference rooms, banquet hall and business center available.  edit

[edit] Splurge

• Okura Garden Hotel, 58 Maoming Road South, Luwan District, ☎ +86-21-64151111 (rmresv@gardenhotelshanghai.com, fax: +86-21-64158866), [7]. checkin: 14:00; checkout: 12:00. 5-star hotel built around the former French Club and it’s garden from 1926. Many art-deco decorations from that time are still visible in the hotel, especially in the Ball Room. Very central location along Huai Hai Road, with good accessibility and a subway stop (South Shaanxi Road, Line 1) next to the hotel grounds. Hotel is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World.  edit

• Hengshan Picardie Hotel, 534 Hengshan Road, Xuhui District, ☎ +86 21 6122 6688 (tprsvns@hubs1.net). A classic Art Deco-inspired hotel in the heart of French Concession. The hotel offers 254 aptly furnished rooms and a wealth of dining and leisure facilities. Business amenities include a fully-equipped business center and flexible venues such as Kaixuan Palace and Blossom Hall.  edit

• 'Jin Jiang Tian Cheng Hotel, 585 Xujiahui Road, The East Building, Jin Yu Lan Square. This four-star business hotel houses 148 guestrooms furnished with modern amenities. Business and event facilities include a business center and event and conference venues of varying sizes. Leisure offerings include indoor swimming pool, disco and karaoke center.  edit

• Skyway Hotel Shanghai, 15 Dapu Road, Luwan District, [8]. 5-star luxury hotel with 653 rooms and suites that offer opulence and comfort to traveling executives or families on vacation. With first-class ballrooms, conference halls and a business center, plus a host of in-house restaurants, a swimming pool, spa, gym, and health club.  edit

• Royal Court Hotel Shanghai, Lane 622, 7 Middle Huaihai Road, Luwan District, [9]. A business hotel offering five-star comforts to traveling executives and holidaymakers. With air-conditioned rooms, conference halls, restaurant and bar, gym and sauna. Its location is very accessible from the railway station, South Shanxi Road Station and Nanjing Road.  edit

• Garden Avenue Hotel, 689 Old Humin Road, Xuhui District, [10]. 5-star business hotel near Shanghai’s central business district. It has 218 beautifully furnished rooms, fully-equipped banquet halls, and dining and recreational facilities.  edit

• Shanghai New-Westlake Hotel, Mao Ming South Road, Luwan District, [11]. It is 5 km from the railway station, 12 km from Hongqiao Airport, and 43 km from Pudong Airport. The Everbright Convention and Exhibition Center is a 20-minute drive from the hotel. It offers 20 air-conditioned rooms, all of which have cable TV, a private toilet, and room safe.  edit

• Jin Jiang Tower, 161 Changle Road, Luwan District, Shanghai, China, ☎ 86-21-64151188, [12]. Five star hotel on Changle Road.  edit

[edit] To be moved to the correct price range

• Old House Inn, No 16, Lane 351, Huashan Rd, French Concession, ☎ 021 6248 6118. With only a dozen rooms, its advisable to book ahead to secure one of these charming rooms, furnished in traditional Chinese style. All rooms have internet access and breakfast, which is included, is served in a lovely outdoor courtyard.  edit

• Mason Hotel, 935 Central Huaihai Rd, Luwan, French Concession, ☎ 021 6466 2020. This boutique hotel is cozy and comfortable and great for quiet nights sleep. All rooms have internet access and there's a 2nd floor lounge, a rooftop beer garden, a variety of restaurants and a Starbucks on the ground floor.  edit

• Hilton Shanghai, 250 Huashan Lu, French Concession, ☎ 021 6248 0000. While still popular with business travellers for its recognizable name, the Hilton Shanghai has lost some of its lustre, although its still considered a top end hotel in this area. Rooms are spacious and modern, and the staff are friendly, but the Hilton needs to step up its game.  edit

• Hengshan Moller Villa, No 30 Shanxi Road South Jing. Housed in a 1936 stunning piece of architecture, the nice facade is continued with its impeccable stylings inside. Rooms are frequently booked out so be sure to try and get one of the main rooms which contain wood panelling or business rooms that are much larger and come with a huge balcony that overlooks the garden.  edit

• Asset Hotel Shanghai, 590 South Wanping Road, Xuhui District, [13]. The hotel is located close to well-known places such as Xujiahui and Zhaojiabang Road. All rooms are air conditioned and have their own private bathroom. Helpful services include 24-hour front desk and room services, and free shuttle bus is offered to guests who want to explore the rest of the district. Online reservations are accepted.  edit

• Rui Jin Guesthouse (上海瑞金宾馆), 118 Rui Jin 2 Road, [14]. The Rui Jin Guesthouse is a villa style hotel with picturesque surroundings. All of the villas here, 5 in total, are designed in French style, some harking back to the start of the 20th Century. The main building is particularly nice with a grand colonial vista. The hotel is situated in a park-like compound that is also very peaceful, occupying seven hectares filled with small bridges, ponds, pavilions and marble fountains.  edit

[edit] Splurge

[edit] Contact

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