Yu Garden embodies the quintessence of classical ancient Chinese gardens south of the Yangtze River – a creation of maximum out of minimum. While it takes a familiar person only five minutes to walk from the entrance to the exit, most first-time visitors find themselves lost in this little paradise with fish ponds, rockeries, plants, bridges, and buildings of various types arranged along zigzagging paths. The ingenious use of Chinese gardening art in combination with the garden’s 400-plus years of history makes Yu Garden one of the most popular tourist attractions in Shanghai.

Founded in 1882, this Buddhist temple is known for its large, ornate jade Buddha sculptures: a sitting Buddha, and a smaller reclining Buddha representing the Buddha's death. Today, there is plenty to see on the premises, including multiple beautiful Buddha statues.

It’s the view you’re going for: on a clear day, Jin Mao Tower offers incredible 360-degree panoramas across the city. It’s 88 storeys high and located at number 88 — have you guessed that eight is a lucky number for the Chinese? There are offices up to the 50th floor, then the Grand Hyatt hotel from floors 53 to 87. A public observation deck is located on the top floor. Otherwise, forget the lucky numbers and go for a drink at the Grand Hyatt’s Cloud 9 bar, just one storey below.