Shanghai Surprise
Shanghai may boast fewer tourist attractions than Beijing - the key ones being the European architecture of its Bund waterfront opposite the futuristic Pudong financial district and the Shanghai Museum - but if it's shopping, nightlife or fine dining you're after, Shanghai's the place. It's also a great place to visit during festivals such as Chinese New Year, when decorative lanterns festoon areas such as the old Yu Gardens Bazaar.
Just inland from Shanghai are a number of historic water towns often missed by visitors. They include historic Suzhou on the Grand Canal, famed for its many beautiful gardens, and quaint towns such as Tongli (where a former primary school now houses a tasteful sex museum) Wuxi and Hangzhou, regarded as the queen of them all.
Article courtesy of cloudnine