Hongkou District

This is Hongkou's most important historical site. During World War II, Shanghai was one of the very few cities in the world that accepted Jewish refugees without requiring visas. Between 1938 and 1941, approximately 20,000 European Jews escaped to Shanghai, most settling in the Hongkou district's "Designated Area for Stateless Refugees." The museum preserves this extraordinary chapter of humanitarian history.

The museum comprises three parts: the restored Ohel Moishe Synagogue (built 1927, the only surviving synagogue in Shanghai), a museum building with extensive exhibitions, and an outdoor memorial plaza featuring the "Wall of Names" inscribed with the names of 13,732 Jewish refugees who lived in Shanghai. Exhibits include personal photographs, documents, and belongings donated by former refugees and their descendants. The stories are deeply moving—children's drawings from the ghetto, identity cards, and letters describing life in wartime Shanghai. Allow 2 hours. Audio guides available in English, Hebrew, and Chinese.

Hours: 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30, closed Mondays)
Admission: ¥55 adults, ¥20 students
Transport: Metro Line 12 Tilanqiao Station, Exit 1

Hongkou's green heart, this 22-hectare park is both a public recreation space and a literary shrine. Lu Xun (1881-1936), widely regarded as China's greatest modern writer, lived in Hongkou from 1927 until his death and is buried here. The park contains his white marble tomb (designed by his friend, sculptor Jiang Xiaojian), the Lu Xun Memorial Hall with manuscripts and personal belongings, and a bronze statue depicting the writer in his characteristic seated pose.

Beyond the literary significance, Lu Xun Park is one of Shanghai's liveliest public spaces. Every morning, hundreds of locals gather to practice tai chi, ballroom dance, play chess, sing opera, and write calligraphy on the pavement with water brushes. The park's lake has paddle boat rentals, and cherry blossoms line the main walkway. The 2 km jogging path circles the perimeter. The nearby Lu Xun Memorial (separate building, ¥8) displays original manuscripts, first editions of his works, and the reclining chair where he died. The park's southern gate leads directly to Duolun Road.

Hours: Park open 6:00–18:00, Memorial 9:00–17:00 (closed Mondays)
Admission: Park free, Memorial ¥8
Transport: Metro Line 3/8 Hongkou Football Stadium Station, Exit 1

One of Shanghai's most visually striking buildings, 1933 Old Millfun is a former slaughterhouse transformed into a creative and commercial hub. Built in 1933 by British architects, the concrete structure features an extraordinary design of interlocking ramps, bridges, staircases, and ventilation shafts arranged in a grid pattern—functionally designed for processing cattle, but visually resembling a brutalist cathedral. The building has no right angles and follows a "cake-like" circular layout with a central atrium.

Walking through the building feels like entering an Escher drawing—ramps spiral upward, bridges cross voids, and light filters through geometric openings in the concrete ceiling. The "umbrella columns" (mushroom-shaped concrete pillars) distribute the building's weight without internal walls. Today, the building houses design studios, architecture firms, restaurants, and event spaces. The rooftop offers views of the surrounding industrial neighborhood. The building is particularly photogenic in the afternoon when light streams through the geometric openings. It has appeared in numerous films and fashion shoots. Free to explore; some studios may be closed to visitors.

Hours: 9:00–21:00 (shops/restaurants vary)
Admission: Free
Transport: Metro Line 4 Hailun Road Station, 10-min walk

This 500-meter cobblestone street is Shanghai's most concentrated area of Republic-era literary heritage. During the 1920s-1930s, Duolun Road and its surrounding lanes were home to China's literary elite—Lu Xun, Mao Dun, Ding Ling, Ye Shengtao, and Qu Qiubai all lived within a few blocks. The street is lined with restored Western-style villas, Art Deco apartment buildings, and shikumen houses, many now converted into cafes, bookshops, and small museums.

Key sites include the League of Leftist Writers Memorial (where Lu Xun and others founded China's most influential literary movement), the Former Residence of Ding Ling (pioneering feminist writer), and the Hongkou Deputies' Chamber (a restored 1920s meeting hall). Bronze statues of famous residents dot the street. The surrounding lane network (Shanxi North Road, Sichuan North Road) contains additional historic buildings. Unlike the polished tourist streets of Xintiandi, Duolun Road retains a genuine neighborhood feel—residents still live in many of the buildings, and local shops cater to daily needs alongside the cultural venues.

Hours: Always open, museums 9:00–16:30
Admission: Street free, museums ¥5-10
Transport: Metro Line 3/8 Hongkou Football Stadium Station, 5-min walk

The North Bund (Beiwai Tan) waterfront along the Huangpu River offers what many consider Shanghai's single best panoramic view. Standing on the north bank of the Huangpu, you face the entire Lujiazui skyline—the Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, World Financial Center, and Jin Mao Tower rise dramatically across the water. Unlike the crowded Bund on the opposite bank, North Bund is less touristy and offers a more spacious, contemplative experience.

The waterfront promenade stretches 2.5 kilometers from Waibaidu Bridge (Garden Bridge) to Yangshupu Road. The northern section near Waibaidu Bridge frames the skyline with the iconic green copper dome of the Russian Consulate. The middle section offers the widest views and features landscaped gardens, public art installations, and the Shanghai Port International Cruise Terminal—watching mega cruise ships depart against the skyline backdrop is a memorable experience. Evening is the best time, when the Lujiazzi towers light up in a choreographed display. The newly opened "North Bund Magic" light show projects images onto water screens across the river. The area is rapidly developing into Shanghai's next premium district with luxury hotels and office towers.

Hours: Open 24 hours (best at sunset and evening)
Admission: Free
Transport: Metro Line 12 International Cruise Terminal Station, or walk from Waibaidu Bridge (15 min from Bund)

Shanghai's most iconic bridge, Waibaidu Bridge (meaning "Foreign Free Bridge") spans Suzhou Creek where it meets the Huangpu River. Built in 1907 by the British, this steel truss bridge was the first all-steel bridge in China and the first bridge in Shanghai that did not charge tolls—hence "free bridge." The bridge's graceful arched design has appeared in countless films, including Steven Spielberg's "Empire of the Sun" (1987).

Walking across the bridge connects the Bund (Huangpu District) with North Bund (Hongkou District) and offers views in both directions: toward the Lujiazui skyline and up Suzhou Creek with its renovated historic buildings. The bridge is particularly photogenic at blue hour (the 20 minutes after sunset) when the sky turns deep blue while buildings are already lit. The nearby Shanghai Postal Museum (across the creek) occupies the former General Post Office (1924), a beautiful neo-Renaissance building with a museum showcasing China's postal history.

Hours: Always open
Admission: Free
Transport: Metro Line 2/10 Nanjing East Road Station, 10-min walk east along the Bund

This modest three-story shikumen house on Shanyin Road is where Lu Xun lived from 1927 until his death in 1936—the most productive years of his career. The house has been preserved exactly as it was, with original furniture, his writing desk, the chair where he worked through the night, and the medicine bottles that tell the story of his chronic illness. It was here that he wrote many of his most famous essays, edited literary journals, and hosted meetings of the League of Leftist Writers.

The residence is small—allow 30 minutes for a visit—but deeply evocative. You can see the cramped conditions in which China's most celebrated modern writer worked: the tiny study, the shared courtyard, the stairs worn by decades of use. The adjacent Shanyin Road block maintains its 1930s character, with bookshops, a Lu Xun-themed cafe, and the site of the former "Neidu Bookstore" where Lu Xun published underground works. Combined with the memorial hall in Lu Xun Park, this residence provides a complete picture of the writer's final decade.

Hours: 9:00–16:30 (closed Mondays)
Admission: ¥8
Transport: Metro Line 3/8 Hongkou Football Stadium Station, 8-min walk

Housed in the magnificent former Shanghai General Post Office building (built 1924), this museum chronicles over a century of Chinese postal history. The building itself—a grand neo-Renaissance structure with ornate columns and a rooftop garden—is one of Suzhou Creek's most prominent landmarks. The museum contains China's first stamp-issuing equipment, rare stamps including the famous "Panda" series, and interactive exhibits on mail processing.

The rooftop garden offers a rarely seen panoramic view of Suzhou Creek and the surrounding historic district—worth the visit alone. Exhibits cover the evolution from Qing Dynasty courier systems to modern express delivery. A restored 1920s post office counter allows visitors to experience mailing a letter the old-fashioned way. The building also houses a working post office where you can mail postcards with a special Shanghai Postal Museum cancellation mark. Allow 1-1.5 hours. The building is at the western end of Waibaidu Bridge, making it easy to combine with a bridge walk.

Hours: 9:00–17:00 (closed Mondays)
Admission: Free
Transport: Metro Line 2/10 Tiantong Road Station, 10-min walk

One of Shanghai's oldest temples, Xiahai Temple (literally "Lower Sea Temple") dates to the Qing Dynasty and is dedicated to Mazu, the sea goddess. The name refers to Shanghai's geography—Xiahai was once near the mouth of Suzhou Creek where it met the Huangpu River. Unlike the grand tourist temples, Xiahai Temple is a working neighborhood temple where locals come daily to burn incense, pray, and consult fortune tellers.

The temple complex was rebuilt in the 1990s after decades of neglect but retains its traditional layout: main hall with Mazu statue, bell tower, drum tower, and side halls dedicated to various deities. The vegetarian restaurant on the second floor serves simple but excellent dishes. During the first and fifteenth of each lunar month, the temple fills with devotees. The temple's adjacent streets form a traditional religious supply market selling incense, paper offerings, and amulets at much lower prices than tourist temples. A peaceful, authentic contrast to the more commercial temples in central Shanghai.

Hours: 5:00–16:00
Admission: ¥5
Transport: Metro Line 3/4 Baoshan Road Station, 8-min walk

Home of Shanghai Shenhua FC—one of China's oldest and most passionately supported football clubs—Hongkou Stadium is a cathedral of Chinese football. With a capacity of 33,000, it regularly fills with chanting, flag-waving fans creating an atmosphere rarely seen in Chinese sports. The stadium was built in 1999 on the site of a former sports ground dating to the 1950s.

Even for non-football fans, attending a Shenhua match offers a window into Chinese sports culture. The north stand (the "Shenhua Army") is the most passionate section, with organized chants, drums, and massive banners. Matches are typically on Friday evenings or weekend afternoons during the March-November season. Tickets (¥40-200) can be purchased through the DaMai app or at the stadium box office on match day. The surrounding area comes alive on match days with fan shops, street food vendors, and a carnival atmosphere. The adjacent Metro Line 3/8 station makes access easy.

Hours: Match days (check CSL schedule)
Admission: ¥40-200 depending on seats
Transport: Metro Line 3/8 Hongkou Football Stadium Station

The Tilanqiao neighborhood preserves the atmosphere of Shanghai's wartime Jewish ghetto. During World War II, Japanese authorities confined Jewish refugees to this square-mile area, but unlike European ghettos, Shanghai's had no walls—residents could move relatively freely, and many operated businesses, schools, and cultural organizations. Today, several buildings from that era survive along Changyang Road, Huoshan Road, and Zhoushan Road.

Self-guided walking highlights include the former Ohel Rachel Synagogue (built by the Sassoon family in 1920, occasionally open for services), the Jewish Ghetto Memorial plaque at 59 Changyang Road, and numerous apartment buildings that housed refugee families. Many former residents and their descendants return to visit—their emotional connection to Shanghai remains strong decades later. The area is gradually being redeveloped, so visiting soon is recommended to see the remaining historic fabric. The Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum provides a walking map of the ghetto area. Allow 1-2 hours for a self-guided walk.

Hours: Always open (museums vary)
Admission: Free to walk streets
Transport: Metro Line 12 Tilanqiao Station