There’s something about China’s most glamorous city – the skyscrapers, the charming old quarters, the international flavour – that has captured captured this writer’s heart
Photography: Raul Ariano
Like so many good love affairs, mine began with a fling. A decade ago, I arrived in Shanghai with a short-term contract in hand. This year-and-a-half sabbatical was an opportunity to work and travel abroad, expand my Chinese vocabulary beyond ni hao, and taste some real Chinese food (not the Americanised kung pao chicken in white takeout pails I had grown up with, always accompanied by a crushed fortune cookie prophesying that ‘An exciting opportunity lies ahead’). It was supposed to be a temporary blip on my life’s radar and I assumed that, afterwards, I would return home.
But, as I drove into the city for the first time, the pulsing glow emanating from the endless sprawl of futuristic skyscrapers enchanted me. It was love at first sight. Shanghai, home to 24 million people, is intensely exciting, widely regarded as China’s most international, progressive and modern city. It evolves at a tiger’s pace, thanks in part to the second-largest intra-city train system in the world, and the fact that it attracts a younger generation from all corners of the country. It has a uniquely east-meets-west flavour, a youthful vibe and an energy that’s palpable – and very hard to resist.
Despite its overwhelming modernity, the city still exudes the charm of bygone eras, its long history baked into the cityscape. Situated at the terminus of the Yangtze River along East China’s coastline, Shanghai has welcomed an international influence since the end of the First Opium War, a conflict that resulted in ceding Hong Kong to Britain and the opening of several ports to British trade.
The showpiece of such influence is The Bund, a 1.6km stretch on the western side of the Huangpu River lined with dozens of opulent landmarks. It houses international banks, elite hotels, world-renowned restaurants and museums, all outfitted in a mix of Art Deco, Baroque and Gothic architectural styles. It’s one reason the city is often compared to Paris, both for the glamour and the built heritage that lends itself well to a backdrop for romance.
Across the river, the majestic Lujiazui in Shanghai’s newer half, Pudong, provides a contrasting backdrop to the Bund. Lujiazui is a heart-on-the-sleeve ode to architectural prowess, marked by four of the country’s tallest buildings – the Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai World Financial Centre, Shanghai Tower and the iconic Oriental Pearl Tower. Glittering brazenly in neon hues of purple, red, blue and pink, the lights electrify the Huangpu River in a stunning display that would make Paris’ Seine blush.
Shanghai may seem overwhelming, but in some ways it reveals itself slowly. Over the years, I’ve uncovered new corners of the Bund. First, by land: a riverside walking and biking trail that traverses a 25km stretch of the city. Next, over water: a Huangpu River cruise that offers simultaneous views of both banks.
The lavish rooftop bars that flank both borders of the river take full advantage of this spectacular setting. Here, veteran mixologists serve up sundowners with a side of stunning architecture and a spritz of cultural heritage. East of the river, in glitzy Pudong, you’ll find ritzy shopping complexes, towering office buildings and cloud-reaching luxury hotels. Among them is the celebrated Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, home to the city’s highest and arguably most spectacular bar called Flair Rooftop on the 58th floor. During the warmer months, the bar plays host to weekend parties hosted by international DJs.
The west side of the river, Puxi, brims with remnants from the city’s past, such as the Waldorf Astoria, housed in the building once home to Shanghai Club, a premier men’s club for British nationals, with a history dating back more than a century. At the time, the venue’s Long Bar – with its 34m bar top – claimed to be the longest in the world. (When famed English playwright Noël Coward visited the establishment, he pressed his cheek against the bar and exclaimed that he could see the curvature of the earth.) What stands today is an exact replica of the glamour and glitz of what’s often referred to as Shanghai’s Golden Age, a period of great international influence and wealth, coupled with an ample spread of cocktails, canapés, Cuban cigars and live music.
And for dining establishments such as PIИK OYSTER, China’s only oyster omakase experience with just eight coveted seats, the view is a large part of the menu. It’s as intimate and romantic as it gets. Created by Brian Tong, the area general manager of Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, PIИK OYSTER was conceived as a place “where guests can enjoy a starry-eyed evening filled with fine oysters [and] soaking in the enchanting Bund nightscape for the ultimate sense of romance the city can provide”. You might fall in love with someone here, but first you’ll fall in love with the city.
While Shanghai offers a sparkling nightlife, daytime is when it really shines, particularly on a sunny stroll along the leafy, tree-lined streets of the former French Concession. For nearly a hundred years until 1943, this area was a French settlement.
Now it’s an eminent residential area of Shanghai. Along Wulumuqi Road and the similarly buzzing parallel avenues of Anfu Road and Wuyuan Road is where I’ve spent countless leisurely afternoons, sipping coffee at many of the trendy cafés – Shanghailander for Australian-quality coffee and Chinese ingredient-influenced confectionaries, or Azabuya for a Japanese tea-inspired gelato. I’ve spent afternoon dates dining at international bistros (like sandwichery Paopao Deli or casual Italian eatery Alimentari), or perusing curio and craft stores (Dutch designer Kate Wood sells one-of-a-kind wooden sunglasses, watches, bamboo bike parts and locally made clothes and bags).
There’s even more to love in the outskirts of the city. For a truly romantic day out, drive out to Zhujiajiao, a 1,700-year-old water town located in Qingpu District. It’s a glimpse of ancient Shanghai: a cluster of riverside settlements and farming villages, twisting canals and cobblestone alleys. One of the oldest settlements in China, with archaeological findings dating back 5,000 years, is home to the country’s most well-preserved ancient streets, Bei Dajie.
Down a small side street off of Bei Dajie, I have fallen head over heels for Jing Ting, a cultural relic from the Qing dynasty that’s been refurbished and converted into an upscale bed and breakfast. The property’s trio of courtyards offer a four-season experience, with sakura trees blossoming in spring, lotus flowers blooming in summer, the scent of sweet osmanthus buds filling the air in autumn and a plum blossom tree sprouting in winter. The adjacent 700-year-old teahouse offers one of the widest tea selections in South China, presented alongside local snacks like youdunzi (fried radish cakes) and chou doufu (a version of the China-famous street snack, stinky tofu).
The town’s showstopper – the Fangsheng Bridge – is the largest, longest and tallest stone arch bridge in all of Shanghai. The best way to view it is from a private ingot boat cruise that slowly winds through the maze of waterways and bridge-covered channels. The cruise, a meander back into the olden days, is leisurely and unhurried. It is at once nostalgic and transcendent.
Planning a date night in Shanghai? Here are some of our picks.
Mr & Mrs Bund
Chef Paul Pairet’s retro French eatery serves up family style brasserie fare, recast for a modern table. Don’t miss the terrace with its sweeping Bund views.
Fu He Hui
The restaurant’s menu, under the guidance of chef Tony Lu, honours seasonal and regionally sourced produce from across China.
Highline
The restaurant and lounge within the Ascott Hotel offers a spacious 360-degree patio overlooking the Xintiandi and a cool mid-century modern setting.
Coquille
One of the city‘s most elegant, exclusive yet fun restaurants, Coquille is a seafood bistro offering Shanghai Golden Age flair coupled with drool-worthy French fare.
