One of the fastest-paced, most exciting cities on earth, Shanghai defies expectations at every turn. The cliché goes that it’s a city of contrasts, but it’s the truest description. Where else on earth would you see Ming-era temples and pavilions sharing a skyline with neoclassical bank headquarters, super-skyscrapers, and art deco theaters? Shanghai’s mottled history has left its Technicolor marks on the metropolis, making it an entrancing city to visit.

Contrary to what you might expect from a Chinese city, there is relatively little traditional architecture to be found in Shanghai outside of the Old City. The austere neo-classical houses that line the Bund bear witness to the era when Shanghai was under foreign control; the art deco villas and European-style apartment blocks in the Old French Concession speak of the city’s days as a treaty port inhabited by Westerners.

Shanghai might not have as many ancient buildings as Beijing, but it possesses some rare gems. Spend an afternoon in the Old City for a glimpse of Ming Dynasty temples and gardens, dating from the time when a city wall was built to keep out marauding Japanese pirates. The Old French Concession is best explored on foot or by bike, while Line 2 of the Metro will take you to Jing’an Temple, Nanjing Road, People’s Square, and the Bund. Across the river in Pudong lies the city’s financial heart, with Fortune 500 companies and banks occupying the jungle of skyscrapers.

Shanghai’s Best Sights

• Best View of the Skyline: Bund Promenade
• Best Local Color: Lane 1025
• Best People-Watching: Tianzifang
• Best Historic Sight: City God Temple
• Best Vantage Point: Oriental Pearl Tower
• Best Activity for the Kids: Shanghai Natural Wild Insect Kingdom
• Best Introduction to the Old French Concession: Ferguson Lane Complex
• Most Unusual Architecture: 1933
• Most Adrenaline-Pumping: Shanghai Climb