Once termed the `Paris of the East', Shanghai is the largest financial and commercial centre in China. The Huangpu River separates west (Puxi) and east (Pudong) Shanghai, with the historic Bund promenade on one side and the futuristic Pudong New Area and The Oriental Pearl TV Tower on the other.
The downtown contains some cultural delights, such as the Yu Gardens and Shanghai Museum, while People’s Square and Shanghai Grand Theatre is the focus of the city’s cultural and entertainment scene. Stroll along the tree-shaded streets of the former French Concession to see European-style villas; then stop in Xintiandi, a dining, retail and entertainment centre converted from Shikumen-style residential blocks and now filled with restaurants, boutiques, cafes and bars.