The Best Places to People-Watch in Shanghai
A city of more than 30 million, the streets of Shanghai are full of people from all walks of life – from hipsters and fashionistas to Chinese migrants, Shanghainese grandmothers in wild outfits, and dogs in even wilder ones. This is part of the metropolis’ beauty, and one cannot appreciate Shanghai’s true personality without spending time taking in its fascinating, diverse crush of humanity. Here are some of the best ways to take in the exuberant street life, one lane at a time.
Early morning: Hit the parks
Green space is a luxury in a city as big as Shanghai, and residents take full advantage of the public space, using it to socialize, exercise, and sometimes simply to watch the world go by. In the tiny Huaihai Park, you’ll find groups of older men gossiping as their mynah birds and Chinese thrush sing to each other from cages. The spacious Fuxing Park, built by the French in 1909, hosts a broader range of morning visitors. You’ll find groups of women line dancing to music blaring from the loudspeakers they tote in on their carts – tunes varying from Country Western to traditional Chinese and Lady Gaga. You’ll also find residents practicing Tai Chi, fencing with swords, and painting poems in calligraphy on sidewalks using water. If you’re lucky, an ad hoc brass band may also show up. It’s an altogether convivial atmosphere. Post up on a bench, and watch the world go by.
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Morning coffee: Anfu Road
Bakery, Cafe, Coffee Shop, Healthy
After spending time in a park, grab a coffee and delicious baked good at the rough-hewn communal table of Baker & Spice on Anfu Road (or sit street side, if the weather is good). Here, under the leafy boughs of the plane trees, you can watch the mix of people in business suits hurrying to work, men riding bikes loaded down with styrofoam and boxes and hipsters on their fixies zooming off to face the day.
Lunch: Xiangyang Road
Cafe, Restaurant, Tea , Chinese
Afternoon coffee: Xingguo Road
Building
Happy hour: Yongkang Road
When drink o’clock rolls around, head down to Yongkang Road for a well-priced tipple and more interesting people than you can shake a stick at. While not quite as wild a place as it was a few years ago (the bars got too rowdy for their own good), the short street is still an interesting place to grab a beer at Taphouse Brewery. When the munchies hit, head around the corner to Hungry Lungs Kitchen, where you’ll find a mix of Canadian and Southeast Asian comfort food like poutine and laksa. It sounds like a weird combination, but it really works.
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Nighttime magic: The Bund
For a glance at the glitterati of the city, head out for an evening on the Bund. First, promenade with the tourists along the banks of the Huangpu River. Then head to The Nest, one of Shanghai’s hottest spots in the area. The combination bar, restaurant, and nightclub offers striking design, high-end snacks, and clever cocktails centered around Grey Goose vodka. Post up at the bar and get a peep at the fashionable crew bobbing to the throbbing music. As the night continues, move on to Bar Rouge in Bund 18, where you’ll find folks dressed to the nines in sexy surroundings. You may see a few tables ordering bottles of champagne, replete with sparklers and singing. On the weekends, plan on showing up before 11pm, as the places fill up quickly.
The Nest, 6/F, 130 East Beijing Road, Shanghai, China, +86 (0)21 6308 7669
Bar Rouge, Bund 18, 7/F, 18 East 1st Zhongshan Road, Shanghai, China, +86 (0)21 6339 1199
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