Next, we step into the beating heart of old Shanghai: the Yu Garden Bazaar. Beneath sweeping Ming- and Qing-style rooftops, upturned eaves and rows of red lanterns, this is where Shanghai has shopped, snacked and prayed for some 600 years. We’ll visit the City God Temple (Chenghuang Miao), the Taoist temple that has watched over the city since the Ming dynasty. Locals still come here to light incense and pray for luck, exam success and good business, and I’ll show you how to read the temple the way Shanghainese do. Then we cross the famous Nine-Zigzag Bridge towards the historic Huxinting Teahouse. Legend says evil spirits can only travel in straight lines, so the zigzags keep them away!

Our walk begins at Bugaoli, a lane area built in 1930. Its shikumen, or “stone gate” houses, blend Western row-house design with the Chinese courtyard tradition. Look up at the arched entrance, where the name appears in both Chinese and French: “Cité Bourgogne.” People still live here, so you’ll see laundry drying overhead and neighbors chatting in the lanes. Bugaoli sits in the heart of the former French Concession, governed by France from the mid-1800s until 1943. Its European character survives in the tall plane trees lining the streets. Planted over a century ago, they form a green canopy in summer and turn golden in autumn. What makes this area special is its relaxed daily life: older residents playing cards, people cycling to the market, and little cafés sitting beside traditional noodle shops. Slow down and enjoy Shanghai at its most charming.

1、Our last stop is Tianzifang, a maze of old lanes that artists began transforming in the late 1990s. Today the former homes and small factories are filled with galleries, craft shops, cafés and bars. It’s a perfect place to wander, shop for souvenirs and enjoy a drink while soaking up the atmosphere of old and new Shanghai. 2、We end sitting down with a proper bowl of scallion oil noodles and wontons at my favourite family-run shop, time for all your China questions, and my personal recommendation list for the rest of your trip.