Your essential guide to Shanghai

STROLL

A walk along shop-lined Nanjing Dong Lu pedestrian street is a must for sights and souvenirs, but keep walking to the waterfront to admire the Bund at sunset. Its classic colonial architecture is lit with a golden glow, set against the full fluorescent glory of the Pudong skyline across the river: an unforgettable, utterly perfect juxtaposition.

SEE

The skyscrapers of Lujiazui, Shanghai’s fast-paced financial district, provide the most dizzying of perspectives. Visit the tallest of them all, the 632m Shanghai Tower. From its observation deck on the 118th floor, see Shanghai meander along the Huangpu River, and take in the city’s astonishing scale.

EAT

The local Jiangnan cuisine is a revelation: rooted in the seasons, strong on seafood, and beautifully balanced. The hotel’s Michelin-starred Yong Yi Ting is the perfect place for a sampler. Don’t miss the crispy pomfret with sweet soy – something of a signature here – or the braised beef ribs with a hint of hickory smoke.

VISIT

The Museum of Art Pudong, designed by Ateliers Jean Nouvel, is a bold new player on the city’s cultural scene. It’s a soaring showcase for equally monumental artists and photographers, along with touring pieces from the world’s great museums. Bonus: it’s open until 9pm most nights.

WANDER

Under French administration until 1946, the Former French Concession is a glimpse of the not-so-distant past. There are tree-lined avenues, elegant mansions and hip, one-off shops, selling everything from ceramics to sneakers. It’s also the city’s epicentre of coffee culture, from experimental brews at the tiny OPS to note-perfect piccolos at Café del Volcán.

DINE

For world-class dining on an intimate scale, claim a perch at the open kitchen counter at the three-starred Taian Table. Chef Stefan Stiller and his team serve up ever-changing tasting menus with inspired flavour combinations: Hokkaido scallop with hazelnut miso, say, or artichoke and short-rib agnolotti. Book early to secure a spot.

SHOP

In downtown Jing’an, Zhangyuan is the city’s best-preserved cluster of shíkùmén (traditional, stone-gate houses). Home to a famous garden in the 1800s before falling into disrepair, the area has been reinvented as a retail hub dotted with luxury labels, galleries and upscale cafés. Come here to shop, but stay to soak up the history.

DRINK

Named one of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, the low-lit Union Trading Company is known for its craft cocktails, dreamed up by mixologist Yao Lu. Sip a potent barrel-aged cocktail or cool down with a baijiu-based drink laced with cold-brew jasmine tea and peach bitters.

DISCOVER

Spend a day exploring Wuzhen, a historic water town that’s less than two hours from the hotel. Quaint houses and workshops perch above canals the colour of pale jade, while yaoluchuan (water taxis) glide below old stone bridges. Linger in a riverside teahouse, catch an acrobatic performance, or lunch on sweet, flaking Baishui fish.

VISIT

Step into another dimensions at TeamLab Borderless Shanghai, home to 50 immersive, perspective-bending artworks. There are flowing dreamscapes, forests of lamps, and clouds of digital butterflies dreamed up by a freewheeling collective of artists and designers.

EXPLORE

Set aside an afternoon to discover West Bund’s evolving riverside art scene. The Long Museum’s private collection spans centuries of treasures, from Ming Dynasty porcelain to contemporary Chinese art. The West Bund Museum is equally ambitious, with its globe-hopping exhibitions and iridescent, space-age HQ.

FEAST

No trip to Shanghai is complete without sampling some local snacks. At Yu Garden, devour a steaming basket of xiaolongbao at Nanxiang Mantou: piping-hot soup dumplings, dipped in rice vinegar. Stop by one of the neighbouring kiosks for glutinous rice balls, skewers of candied hawthorn, and, come the autumn, freshly roasted chestnuts.

From the hotel, you can easily access the East Bund’s 22km footpath and cycleway. Whether you’re jogging, cycling or strolling by the Huangpu River, it’s at its most atmospheric at sunrise or sunset. We also have direct access to a neighbouring yacht club – so we’re one of the few hotels in the city to offer private cruises to our guests.

- The concierge team at Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai.

The city’s pace never slows, so start the day with a grounding morning meditation. The Spa, meanwhile, is the calmest of sanctuaries, with its orchid-dotted treatment suites and contemplative crystal steam room. Its treatments are rooted in Chinese tradition. The three-hour Silk Road Suite Experience starts with a body mask made of ground lotus seeds, pepper and Chinese dates.

Spread across 350 acres, Century Park is a short cab ride away. There are tandem bikes to rent, sun-dappled picnic spots and a small amusement park for kids, while the plum-blossom garden is in full bloom around Lunar New Year. Closer to the hotel, Lujiazui Central Greenland is a small, impeccably kept urban park edged by gleaming skyscrapers.