Boasting awe-inspiring architecture, both old and new, world-renowned chefs, heaving nightlife, and a burgeoning art and design scene, Shanghai really has it all. In our latest 24-hour series for W Hotels, here’s the LUXE way to spend a day in the “Paris of the East”:
Get snackin’
Begin your day with a run along The Bund when the sun rises over Pudong’s futuristic architecture. No excuses – locker and shoe rentals are available at the Adidas Runbase. If you’re more motivated by food to move, book the Shanghai Street Eats breakfast tour with Untour and eat your way through the Xuhui district, snacking on jianbing (Chinese crepe), dumplings, handpulled noodles and more.
Take a stroll
Time to digest – roll yourself over to Garden Books and spend a few hours enjoying the selection of heritage architecture and coffee table books and English translations of fine Chinese literature.
Khao soi and coffee
Stomach starting to growl again? Zip to Kin Urban Thai Kitchen for Northern Thai-inspired fare with zing, including khao soi curry noodles and larb minced pork salad, or boost your caffeine quota at hip hang Café del Volcan both on the same street.
If it’s Italian cuisine you crave, try mom-and-pop food store, Alimentari, for some grab-and-go eats, which is also located in the Xuhui district.
Not far away is Chinoises, where you’ll find ex-Hermès exec and Parisian, Felicie, who is an expert curator of ‘Made in China’ artisanal finds. She sources handcrafted silks, vintage-style worker jackets, Miao batiks and handmade white copper bracelets from provinces across China.
Next, hit the museum and gallery trail along the West Bund Culture Corridor, an 8km-long emerging arts district by the river.
World-class art
Don’t miss the West Bund Museum, a striking 20,000 sqm waterfront landmark designed by British architect David Chipperfield. Look out for big-ticket exhibitions curated in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou, an ongoing partnership that sees the regular loan of works from the French cultural powerhouse.
Also worthwhile is the Long Museum, with its marvellous collection of Chinese art and cultural relics courtesy of hubby and wife collectors Liu Yiqian and Wang Wei.
Cocktail time
Kick off your evening at Cellar to Table, a smart wine bar in a heritage villa, with an extensive list of wines by the glass and bottle, with something for nearly everyone. Grab a table on the patio in fine weather.
Should you feel like cutting loose on the dance floor, hot and happening Master has incredible lighting by digital artists of the moment, Team Lab.
See the full 24-hour itinerary on W Hotels!
This article features the W Shanghai and is part of the ‘W Hotels Unleash Your Curiosity campaign in partnership with LUXE.’ Head to W Hotels for more of our 24 hour itineraries featuring the hottest hangouts, best eats and greatest to-do lists across Asia Pacific.
