Shanghai (上海) · 6 places · 1 cities
6 places in Shanghai, grouped by city. Under each one are two figures from the survey: how much daily life still goes on there, out of 100, and how far it has been turned over to visitors, out of 6.
Most common here: Old town (4), Old quarter of a city (1), Historic street (1). See all provinces, or the background on old towns.
6 places
Shanghai (上海)
| Place | Kind | Reads as |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai Jinze Ancient Town (上海金泽古镇)Recorded as Shanghai’s oldest water town (1,300 years) and credited with its oldest bridges as well, 7 Song-Yuan-Ming stone bridges still in use, and locals still live, fish, and drink tea; almost no tourist shops.Lived-in 82/100 · Commercialised 1/6 · rarely visited from abroad · some effort to reach | Old town | Lived-in, quiet |
| Xinchang Ancient Town (上海新场古镇)A salt-trade town outside Shanghai, a salt-trade town where 60-70% of houses still have local residents, old teahouses serve 5-yuan tea, and the movie ‘Lust, Caution’ was filmed, completely different from touristy Zhujiajiao.Lived-in 80/100 · Commercialised 3/6 · little known abroad · very easy to reach | Old town | Lived-in, busy |
| Shanghai Bugaoli (Cite Bourgogne) (上海步高里)A 1930s French-concession shikumen lane with a Chinese paifang inscribed ‘Cité Bourgogne’, 79 brick row houses where locals still live, unlike the touristy Xintiandi nearby; a genuine slice of old Shanghai.Lived-in 78/100 · Commercialised 1/6 · little known abroad · very easy to reach | Old quarter of a city | Lived-in, quiet |
| Fengjing Ancient Town (上海枫泾古镇)A 1,500-year-old water town on the ancient Wu-Yue border, famous for Fengjing pork (one of China’s top pork brands) and the Jinshan peasant paintings, less crowded than Zhujiajiao, with locals still living in side alleys.Lived-in 74/100 · Commercialised 4/6 · little known abroad · easy to reach | Old town | Lived-in, busy |
| Shanghai Yuyuan Road (上海愚园路)A 2.8km tree-lined street of 1920s-30s Art Deco apartments and shikumen lanes, locals still live in the old buildings, with independent bookstores, cafes, and vegetable markets side by side; described as the most lived-in historic street in Shanghai.Lived-in 74/100 · Commercialised 2/6 · little known abroad · very easy to reach | Historic street | Thin on both |
| Zhujiajiao Ancient Town (上海朱家角古镇)Described as Shanghai’s best-preserved water town, 45 minutes from the city, with a stone bridge listed as Shanghai’s largest; past the tourist street into side alleys, locals still live, wash clothes, and drink tea by the river.Lived-in 72/100 · Commercialised 4/6 · known abroad · very easy to reach | Old town | Lived-in, busy |
Which of These Is Still a Town
The two scores narrow the list, and the last step is local: which lanes are worth the walk, which day of the week the place is itself, and where to stay inside the walls. Tell our local team the provinces you will be in and they will say which of these hold up.