Top Attractions
The North Bund is Hongkou's crown jewel and one of Shanghai's most exciting new waterfront districts. Stretching along the Huangpu River's north bank, directly across from the iconic Lujiazui skyline, the North Bund offers what many consider the best panoramic views in Shanghai — arguably superior to the Bund itself. A recent multi-billion-dollar development has transformed this once-industrial waterfront into a world-class promenade, office district, and cultural destination.
The 2.5-kilometer waterfront promenade is the North Bund's main attraction. Here, you stand directly opposite the Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, and the entire Pudong skyline, with the Huangpu River flowing between — a perspective that's simply impossible from the Bund's south bank. The promenade is lined with landscaped gardens, art installations, and viewing platforms. The newly opened Shanghai Shipping Exchange building and the 480-meter-high Shanghai North Bund Center tower (still under construction) will anchor the district's future as a shipping and financial hub.
For visitors, the North Bund offers a more relaxed and less crowded alternative to the Bund. The riverside walkway is wider, with more green space and seating. At night, both banks illuminate in a spectacular light show. The area also includes the historic Waibaidu Bridge (外白渡桥), Shanghai's first all-steel bridge (built in 1907), which connects the Bund to Hongkou and is a popular photography spot. The nearby Rockbund development features heritage-listed Art Deco buildings converted into galleries and restaurants. Arrive at sunset for the most dramatic experience. The North Bund is accessible via Tiantong Road (Line 12) or International Cruise Terminal (Line 12) stations.
Lu Xun Park is one of Shanghai's most historically significant green spaces, dedicated to the memory of Lu Xun (1881–1936), China's most celebrated modern writer and social critic. Often called the "father of modern Chinese literature," Lu Xun lived in Shanghai from 1927 until his death, and his presence still permeates the park and surrounding Hongkou neighborhood. The park covers 22 hectares and combines memorial spaces with recreational facilities, making it both a pilgrimage site for literature lovers and a beloved community park.
The park's focal point is Lu Xun's tomb, designed by architect Chen Zhi'ang and inscribed with calligraphy by Mao Zedong. The tomb is a simple, dignified monument set among cypress trees and approached via a tree-lined avenue. Nearby, a bronze statue of Lu Xun depicts the writer in contemplative pose. The park also houses the Lu Xun Memorial Museum, which displays manuscripts, photographs, personal belongings, and first editions of his works, providing a comprehensive introduction to his life and thought.
Beyond its literary significance, Lu Xun Park is a vibrant public space where local life unfolds daily. Early mornings see retirees practicing qigong, singing opera, playing chess, and performing water calligraphy. The park's lake offers paddleboats, and cherry blossoms and plum trees provide seasonal beauty. The surrounding streets — particularly Lu Xun's former residence on Shanyin Road — are worth exploring for their literary heritage. The park connects to Duolun Road and the Hongkou football stadium area, making it a natural starting point for exploring the district. Entry is free, and the park is accessible via Hongkou Football Stadium Station (Lines 3 and 8).
Duolun Road is a 550-meter pedestrian street in northern Hongkou that encapsulates Shanghai's literary and revolutionary heritage within a stunning collection of early 20th-century architecture. During the 1920s and 1930s, this was one of Shanghai's most intellectually vibrant neighborhoods, home to a remarkable concentration of writers, artists, politicians, and revolutionaries. Lu Xun, Mao Dun, Ye Shengtao, and Ding Ling all lived or worked here, and the street witnessed some of the most important cultural and political debates of modern Chinese history.
Today, Duolun Road has been carefully preserved and restored as an open-air museum of Shanghai's Republican era. The street is lined with buildings in a variety of architectural styles — Art Deco, neoclassical, Spanish, and Japanese — most dating from the 1910s–1930s. The former residence of Kong Xiangxi (a prominent Nationalist-era figure) stands at the street's entrance, while the League of Left-Wing Writers' former office marks the street's literary significance. Small museums and memorial halls along the street provide historical context, though most exhibits have limited English labeling.
In recent years, Duolun Road has evolved into a charming cultural and commercial destination. Antique shops, art galleries, tea houses, and cafés occupy the historic buildings. The street is far less touristy than nearby Tianzifang or Yuyuan Bazaar, offering a more contemplative atmosphere. It's particularly pleasant in the late afternoon when the golden light illuminates the old brick facades. Combine a visit to Duolun Road with Lu Xun Park (5-minute walk south) and the 1933 Old Millfun (10-minute walk east) for a comprehensive Hongkou cultural walking tour.
1933 Old Millfun is one of Shanghai's most extraordinary buildings — a former slaughterhouse transformed into a creative and commercial complex that has become one of the city's most photographed architectural landmarks. Built in 1933 by British architects, the building was originally designed as the Shanghai Abattoir, a state-of-the-art meat processing facility that could handle 1,500 cattle and 300 sheep daily. Its concrete-and-brick structure, inspired by Bauhaus principles, features a remarkable honeycomb of interlocking ramps, bridges, and corridors that could separate live animals, processed meat, and workers into distinct circulation paths.
After decades of neglect, the building was sensitively restored and reopened in 2008 as a mixed-use creative complex. Today, 1933 Old Millfun houses design studios, fashion boutiques, art galleries, a wine bar, a bookstore, and event spaces. The building's brutalist beauty — exposed concrete walls, geometric staircases, dramatic light shafts, and a central atrium that opens to the sky — makes it a favorite for photography, film shoots, and architectural tours. The rooftop terrace offers views across Hongkou's old streets.
Exploring 1933 Old Millfun is like navigating a concrete maze. The interlocking ramps and unexpected connections create a sense of discovery at every turn. During the annual Shanghai Design Week and other creative events, the building hosts exhibitions, installations, and pop-up markets. Even without a specific event, the architecture alone justifies a visit. The building is located at 611 Liyang Road, a 10-minute walk from Hailun Road Station (Line 10) or North Sichuan Road Station (Lines 3 and 4). Entry to the public areas is free; some exhibitions may charge admission. Allow 1–2 hours to fully explore the complex.
The Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum is a profoundly moving institution that preserves the remarkable story of approximately 20,000 European Jewish refugees who found sanctuary in Shanghai during World War II. Between 1938 and 1941, when most countries closed their doors to Jewish refugees, Shanghai — then under Japanese occupation and one of the world's few visa-free ports — became an unexpected haven. The refugees settled primarily in Hongkou's Tilanqiao area, creating a vibrant community that included synagogues, schools, newspapers, theaters, and businesses.
The museum is housed in the former Ohel Moishe Synagogue, built in 1927 by Russian Jewish immigrants. The synagogue's interior has been beautifully restored, and exhibitions document the refugees' journey from Europe to Shanghai, their daily life in the designated "Restricted Area for Stateless Refugees," their interactions with the local Chinese community, and their eventual departure after the war. Personal stories, photographs, documents, and artifacts bring this history to life in deeply human terms. The museum's walls are inscribed with the names of all known refugees who passed through Shanghai.
The surrounding Tilanqiao area retains traces of this history: former Jewish residences, the site of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee's Shanghai office, and Huoshan Park, where a memorial plaque commemorates the refugees. This museum provides essential historical context for understanding Shanghai's role as an international city and its tradition of sheltering those in need. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for a thorough visit. The museum is a 5-minute walk from Tilanqiao Station (Line 12) and 10 minutes from North Bund.
Tilanqiao is one of Shanghai's most historically layered neighborhoods — a compact area in southern Hongkou that preserves architectural and cultural remnants spanning over a century of Shanghai's international history. The area's name comes from the Tilan Bridge (提篮桥), originally a modest footbridge spanning a local canal. Over time, Tilanqiao became home to successive waves of immigrants: British merchants, Russian Jews fleeing the Bolshevik Revolution, European Jews escaping the Holocaust, and Chinese migrants from surrounding provinces.
Walking through Tilanqiao today feels like stepping into Shanghai's past. The narrow streets are lined with a mixture of shikumen lane houses, Western-style apartment buildings, and Art Deco facades that reflect the neighborhood's cosmopolitan heritage. The area around Zhoushan Road and Huoshan Road contains the densest concentration of former Jewish residences, many still standing with their original architectural details. The Tilanqiao Prison (提篮桥监狱), built in 1901 and once the largest prison in the Far East, is a somber landmark visible from the street.
For visitors interested in history and urban exploration, Tilanqiao offers a rewarding walking experience that's far less polished (and far less crowded) than the Bund or the French Concession. The area is gradually being gentrified, with new cafés and design shops appearing alongside old noodle shops and convenience stores. Combine a Tilanqiao walk with visits to the Jewish Refugees Museum and the North Bund waterfront for a comprehensive Hongkou historical tour. The area is best explored on foot, starting from Tilanqiao Station (Line 12).
The Lu Xun Memorial Museum, located within Lu Xun Park, is China's premier institution dedicated to the life and work of Lu Xun (1881–1936). The museum's modern building houses a comprehensive collection of manuscripts, letters, photographs, first editions, and personal artifacts that chronicle the writer's extraordinary journey from a medical student in Japan to China's most influential literary voice. Lu Xun's short stories, essays, and satirical writings — including "A Madman's Diary" (1918), considered the first modern Chinese short story — laid the foundation for modern Chinese literature and continue to resonate in Chinese cultural discourse.
The museum's exhibitions are organized chronologically, tracing Lu Xun's life from his birth in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, through his education in Japan, his career as a government official and educator, his years in Beijing and Guangzhou, and finally his prolific Shanghai period (1927–1936). Key exhibits include his writing desk and chair, his medical school textbooks, original handwritten manuscripts, and a reconstructed version of his Shanghai study. While most labels are in Chinese, the museum provides English audio guides, and the visual exhibits are compelling even without translation.
For foreign visitors, the Lu Xun Memorial Museum offers invaluable context for understanding 20th-century Chinese culture and politics. Lu Xun's critique of traditional society, his advocacy for social reform, and his unflinching engagement with China's national crisis made him a hero to generations of Chinese intellectuals — and continue to make him one of China's most widely read and quoted authors. The museum is free to enter but requires a reservation via WeChat during peak periods. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours for the museum, plus time to explore Lu Xun Park and the surrounding Shanyin Road literary neighborhood.