Some similarities and differences between Paris and Shanghai

Plan your Shanghai tour? Cruising on Huangpu River is a must-do activity on your first trip to Shanghai. A great city tends to have a great river. Like Seine River in Paris, Shanghai has a river known as Huangpu River winding from south to north entering Yangtze River.

While Paris is bisected into Right Bank and Left Bank by Seine River, Shanghai is divided into East Area (Pudong) and West Area (Puxi). The East Area in Shanghai is also known as “Pudong” in Chinese, referring to the area east of Huangpu River while the West Area is known as “Puxi” in Chinese, the area west of Huangpu River.

Pudong (East Area) is the new economic development zone materialized by high rises and commercial centers with many iconic landmarks in Shanghai. Puxi(West Area) is the traditional city core where its old city is located.

Major attractions in Paris are scattered along Seine River, including Louvre Museum, Nortre Dame, Orsay Museum, Invalides and Eiffel Tower.

The traditional attractions in Shanghai are spread along or near the west bank of Huangpu River highlighted as the Bund, Nanjing Pedestrian Road, People’s Square, Shanghai Museums, former French Concession and Yuyuan Garden (also the old city bazaar).

There are four best places to have a panoramic view of the city of Paris, namely Arc de Triomphe, Basilique du Sacre Coeur, Montpartnasse Building and Eiffel Tower.

Though not ideal for accommodations for leisure travelers visiting Shanghai, the east area (Pudong) is the best destination for city panoramas.

Pudong Area is teamed with high-rise iconic landmarks in Shanghai including Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Jinmao Tower and Global Trade Center Tower, where you can have a bird-eye view of Shanghai.

Hassle-free Shanghai Guided Tours

If you don’t want to do a self-guided tour and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours,  here are some options for guided tours to Shanghai:

Further Readings