Just a short five-minute stroll from the Hotel is Nanjing Road, a premier shopping destination and business area in downtown Puxi, Shanghai, since the last century. It features local stores and mega malls selling a wide range of quality brand merchandise. The new pedestrian mall from Jing An district to the Bund adds another dimension to the shopping experience. The first phase is a shopping street open only to pedestrians. Urban public facilities have been built at the northern part of the mall, and a route has been designed for tour buses and for emergency use. Green areas have been added and shops along the section have been readjusted to better serve visitors.

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Tree-lined Huaihai Road, which runs parallel to Nanjing Road, is considered a fashionable, upscale shopping, business and entertainment district. Formerly the French Concession, it abounds in fashion boutiques and shopping malls selling premium foreign labels and popular local brand names. Nearby is Xintiandi Entertainment Complex, providing a large selection of restaurants and clubs.

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People's Square is a short 10-minute walk from the Hotel. Previously a racecourse, it is now a beautiful square with a fountain at the centre and extensive landscaped lawns. It is a popular gathering spot, especially on weekends. An underground shopping "street" and subway stop are located here. Also here are the Shanghai City Hall, Shanghai Museum and the stunning Shanghai Grand Theatre. Across People's Square over Yanan Express Way is the Shanghai Concert Hall.

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Built in 1930 as a cinema, the Shanghai Concert Hall was transformed to a concert venue and given its present name in 1959. After a two-year renovation, the building, which was moved 66 metres (216 feet) southeast from its original location, was reopened in October of 2004, amidst great fanfare. Decorated with marble pillars and Roman chandeliers, it retains its classical European-style architecture. The new hall's capacity has been increased fourfold, to 1,200 seats. World-famous foreign and Chinese musicians will be invited to perform here.

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The Shanghai Grand Theatre, built in 1994, is the city's premier performing arts venue for local and international artists. The glistening exterior of glass and chrome in a stylized Chinese pagoda design sits on what used to be the infield of Shanghai's race track. It houses a Lyric theatre with 1,800 seats, a 600-seat Drama theatre and a 200-seat Studio theatre.

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The stunning Shanghai Museum, designed as an imperial head gear, is a must-see. The museum showcases an impressive collection of Chinese art, including paintings, ceramics, calligraphy, bronze works and terracotta.

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Covering a total area of 19,000 square metres (204,500 square feet), the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall consists of eight floors, two of which are underground. Using advanced technology in exhibit displays, the hall vividly presents the city's urban planning achievements, with the theme "City, People, Environment and Development." The most eye-catching exhibit in the hall is the 800-square-metre (8,600-square-foot) model of the city's downtown area, with a scale of 1:200. At the top of the building, four blooming magnolias provide an exquisite decoration for the hall. They prop up the steel-structured roof and bring the hall to over 43 metres (141 feet)in height. A 45-metre-long (148-foot-long) Old Shanghai Street, featuring stores in the style of buildings in the 1930s and 1940s, has been built on the first underground level of the exhibition hall.

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Situated at 100 Xingye Road, this is the birthplace of the Chinese Communist Party and is now under state protection. In these two houses with stone-framed gates, typical Shanghai residences in 1920s, the first meeting of the Party was convened in one of the sitting rooms on July 23, 1921. The sitting room now features reproduction furniture and wax statues of the participants. Precious documents and other exhibits record the historic period of the beginning of the Party and its activities in the following years.

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Antique markets are a popular attraction in Shanghai. One of the most popular flea markets is located approx. 10 to 15 minutes drive from the Hotel on Dongtai Road, where shoppers can browse through dozens of stalls featuring a wide selection of antiques from all around China.

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Jingan Temple is one of Shanghai's oldest and most popular Buddhist temples, built in AD 247 during the Three Kingdoms Period. The present temple was rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty and was renovated in 1953, 1984 and 2000. Amongst the halls of Jingan Temple are the Hall of Heavenly Kings, Hall of the Three Saints, Hall of Virtuous Works and the Abbot’s Chambers, where chanting of scriptures takes place. Surrounding the Temple is a shopping area offering a wealth of merchandise ranging from fashion to local delicacies.

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Dr. Sun Yat-sen, considered by many the father of modern China, lived in this house from 1918 to 1924. It was purchased for him by some Chinese supporters then living in Canada, in order to support his revolutionary activities. During his stay here, Dr. Sun reformed the Kuomintang National Party and entered the first round of talks with the Chinese Communist Party, as well as writing several books. In 1961, the house was listed as an important historical site under state protection. Articles now on display in this residence include the officer's sword, military maps and writing tools once used by Dr. Sun.

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Zhou Enlai, the first premier of the People's Republic of China, lived in Shanghai from 1946 to 1947. His residence also served as the Shanghai office of the Chinese Communist Parties. Zhou held many important conferences and met with many famous patriotic personages there. Officially turned into a memorial hall in 1979, the house now exhibits some of the precious articles and documents written by Zhou.

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Designer copies and Chinese souvenirs abound at the Xiangyang Road market. Dozens of stalls offer purses, scarves, Chinese silks and other garment and accessory items. Prices are not marked and bargaining is a must.

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Designer copies and Chinese souvenirs abound at the market on Xiangyang Road. Dozens of stalls offer purses, scarves, Chinese silks and other garments and accessories. Prices are not marked and bargaining is a must.

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Xintiandi is a unique entertainment and cultural complex, developed in 2000. Preserving the traditional Shikumen-style architecture of Shanghai, it offers a variety of restaurants, bars, boutiques and galleries.

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Built in 1219, this is the pre-eminent temple in this area of the country. The temple's exhibition halls display articles related to the traditional Chinese examination system, as well as three stone tablets representing people's respect for education and for Confucius. The 270-year-old Danghu Academy in the temple is one of the best-protected such buildings in the Shanghai area. It houses several impressive stone tablets, including one carved with calligraphy by Zhu Xi, a great Chinese educator.

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Graceful tree-lined Hengshan Road is part of the former French Concession area. The street is lined with elegant houses in the French-influenced architectural style. Strolling down this street, today full of restaurants and bars, evokes memories of Shanghai's exciting colonial past.

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The Huangpu River is a potent symbol of Shanghai and the key to Shanghai's success as a prosperous port. Cruises on the river offer stunning views of the Bund as well as the Nanpu Bridge, Yangpu Bridge, the docks and the site of Wusong Fort at the river's mouth. Best seen at dusk or in the evening when the buildings are lit.

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The Jade Buddha Temple houses a two-metre-high (seven-foot-high) seated Buddha, carved from a single piece of white jade. The statue weighs 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds) and is ornamented with jewels. The temple also houses many ancient carvings, paintings and Buddhist cultural relics. Built in 1918, the Song Dynasty-style temple is open daily.

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The Bund, an Anglo-Indian word meaning "embankment" is Shanghai's bridge between the city's storied past and exciting future. A major tourist attraction, this mile-long stretch, west of the mighty Huangpu River in Puxi, is an astonishing collection of colonial buildings dating back to the 1920s and 1930s. Locals and tourists alike gather to stroll along its length. When standing on the Bund, visitors can see across the river to Pudong's skyline of stunning skyscrapers, including the Oriental Pearl Tower.

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Yu Yuan Garden (Garden of Leisurely Repose) is a tranquil, traditional courtyard-style garden, dating back to the 16th century. Surrounding it is a maze of restaurants and local specialty shops selling souvenirs, clothing and jewellery. Taste some of China's best teas in the city's oldest teahouse, or explore antique warehouses at famous Old Shanghai Street. Bargaining is recommended.

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The 4.2-kilometre (2.6-mile) Century Boulevard is a central avenue in the Pudong New Area, lined with stunning modern skyscrapers. Measuring 100 metres (328 feet) across, the boulevard is Shanghai's widest street. Eight traffic lanes occupy one-third of the width, and the rest is given over to sidewalks and landscaped gardens. Along the northern sidewalk is Century Park, a 140-hectare ecological preserve featuring an extensive array of flora including white magnolias - the city flower - camellias, cyprea and willows. The southern sidewalk is planted with camphor trees.

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The tallest building in China and the third tallest building in the world, Jin Mao Tower is located in the Luijiazui Finance and Trade Zone in Pudong. It covers a total construction area of 290,000 square metres (3,121,560 square feet) and is 420.5 metres (1,380 feet) high, with 88 storeys above the ground, three storeys underground and a six-storey annex. The 88th floor is the highest and largest sightseeing hall in China.

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The Nanpu Bridge is an ideal vantage point from which to view the scenery on both sides of the Huangpu River. Built in 1991, it is located at the South Dock, the narrowest part of the river. The main arch spans 423 metres (1,388 feet) and is 46 metres (151 feet) high, with a total length of 846 metres (2,776 feet).

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Located on the banks of the Huangpu River, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower is an icon of the Pudong District’s renaissance. The Chinese refer to the combination of the tower, Yangpu Bridge and Nanpu Bridge as "two dragons playing with a pearl." One of the tallest structures in Asia, it is 468 metres (1,535 feet) high. The tower serves as a focal point for recreation and sightseeing. The viewing area is halfway up the broadcasting tower and affords a splendid view of the Bund and surrounding Pudong.

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The former residence of the greatest Chinese writer is at No. 9, Lane 132, Shanyin Road. This three-storey red brick house was once where Lu Xun lived and worked. Lu Xun did a great deal of writing, translating, editing in this house, as well as creating the China Freedom Movement Alliance and the Leftists Alliance here. On display in the house are some writing tools and articles once used by the writer.

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Shanghai International Convention Center, directly across from the Bund in Pudong, consists of a triangular main building flanked by two ball-shaped structures - one at the east side and the other at the west side. Decorated with coloured glass featuring a world map, the ball-shaped structures resemble terrestrial globes. With a total area of 110,000 square metres (1,184,000 square feet), Shanghai International Convention Center has a 4,300-square-metre (46,3000-square-foot) multi-function hall which can host a 4,000-person conference or a 3,000-person banquet and can also be used as an exhibition hall; a 3,600-square-metre (38,800-square-foot) press centre; a conference hall with the capacity to seat 1,200; a roundtable conference hall for 200 people; and nearly 30 meeting rooms with a seating capacity ranging from 50 to 100 people.

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The recently opened Shanghai Circus World is a 30,000-square-metre (323,000-square-foot) entertainment centre that is home to giant circus extravaganzas as well as the famous Shanghai acrobatic and magic shows.

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Longhua Temple is the oldest, largest and most magnificent example of Buddhist architecture in the Shanghai area. The temple, the pagoda, the temple fair and the evening bell chiming constitute a religious tourist attraction. Many Buddhist scriptures, gold seals and statues from the Tang Dynasty, the Five Dynasties, the Ming dynasty and the Qing Dynasty are housed in a hall built during the Song Dynasty. Longhua Temple was destroyed several times throughout history, and today's temple was rebuilt during the Daoguang Reign of the Qing Dynasty. However, the octagonal, seven-storey pagoda, measuring 40 metres (430 feet) high, was rebuilt in the Song Dynasty.

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Suzhou, an ancient city founded over 2,500 years ago, is now a bustling metropolis of over one million people. It is famed for its gardens, and many of the over 200 original classical gardens are still well preserved. A boat ride through its maze of canals makes for an interesting sightseeing tour.

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Zhou Zhuang, also called the Water Town of Jiang Nan, is famous for the myriad waterways that wind through this 600-year-old picturesque town. Cobble lanes, arched bridges, narrow canals and colourful folklore make this an enchanting destination.

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Hangzhou, one of seven ancient Chinese capitals, has a long and storied history, and is a renowned exporter of fine silk. Hangzhou’s prime attraction is the West Lake, one of the most beautifully landscaped places in China.

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