The Bund is Shanghai's calling card: 1.5 km of "exhibition of world architecture" on the west bank of the Huangpu — the legacy of East Asia's early-20th-century financial center.
What to see: 52 buildings in every style — the HSBC building (now SPD Bank), the Customs House clock tower (the Bund's "Big Ben") and the legendary Peace Hotel.
The other side: Lujiazui on the east bank — the Oriental Pearl, Shanghai Tower (632 m, China's tallest) and the Jin Mao — a skyline from the future.
Best timing: building details by day, first lights at dusk, and the Lujiazui light show at its brightest 7-10 pm. The ¥2 ferry across the river is charming; so is the sightseeing tunnel.
Extend it: walk 20 minutes north to North Bund, or south to Yuyuan Garden. Early morning on the Bund is for runners — and the fewest tourists.
