10 things you didn’t know about Shanghai

25 Jul 2018

Shanghai at nightShanghai, being China’s largest city, offers tourists plenty of interesting things to see and do! We’ve compiled some fun and informative facts about the city:

-    Shanghai is a world finance and cultural centre. More and more businesses keep choosing to take off in Shanghai, making it the centre for many international companies working within China – particularly in the financial industry, but the fashion, art and design industries are also growing steadily in the city.


-    Pudong International Airport was designed by French architect Paul Andreu, who designed it to resemble a seagull in flight.


-    The longest metro system in the world spreads beneath Shanghai with 365 miles of tunnels and track. There are 364 stations throughout the city, connecting major attractions and making it easy for foreigners to get by. Additionally, the world’s fastest train is in Shanghai.


-    Sugar is an important ingredient in Shanghai cuisine, especially when combined with soy sauce. It is consumed more than in any other part of China.


-    Shanghai’s Foreign Concessions are part of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. In the past, many areas of land in Shanghai were gifted to foreign countries as concessions – and now, many foreign expats choose to live there. The French Concession is the most well-known, thanks to its distinct European style and architecture that attract plenty of visitors.


-    Shanghainese is the city’s spoken dialect, and it is known for its distinct pronunciation which greatly differs from standard Mandarin. In fact, it is only 70% intelligible for standard Mandarin speakers.


-    The meaning of the word ‘Shanghai’ translates to “Above/Upon the Sea”, which represents the city’s location along the Yangtze River delta near the South China Sea.


-    The Shanghai Tower is the second tallest building in the world, standing at 2,073 feet. The Shanghai World Financial Center is also among the tallest worldwide, at 1,614 feet.


-    Some of the things that Shanghai is famous for include silk, porcelain, Chinese painting and calligraphy. These are great to keep in mind for when you’re doing some shopping in the city!


-    Shanghai is the largest city in the world when measured by population within the city limits. The population is currently at 24 million.