Top Attractions
Qingpu Old Town is the historical nucleus of the entire district and one of the oldest continuously settled areas in greater Shanghai, with roots stretching back over 1,700 years. While Zhujiajiao draws the tourist crowds, Qingpu's own ancient town center remains a quieter, more authentic window into the Jiangnan water-village tradition. The town sits along the upper reaches of the Huangpu River system, and its network of canals, stone bridges, and whitewashed courtyard homes preserves the architectural vocabulary that once defined daily life across the Lake Tai basin.
The old town's most significant landmark is the Qingpu Museum Complex, which houses the famous Guangfulin Relics — archaeological discoveries dating back 5,000 years that shed light on some of the earliest rice-cultivating cultures in the Yangtze Delta. Nearby, the Puti Temple (菩提寺) and the old Confucian academy grounds anchor the spiritual and intellectual heritage of the town. Strolling along Yinfeng Street (盈丰街), the main historic thoroughfare, visitors encounter traditional shops selling zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), dried river shrimp, and locally brewed rice wine — staples of the water-town pantry.
What sets Qingpu Old Town apart from its more famous neighbors is its pace. There are no ticket gates or souvenir megastores here; instead, you'll find elderly residents playing chess under plane trees, vendors selling fresh lotus root from canal-side stalls, and fishermen tending their nets at dawn. The town's bridges — especially the Puji Bridge (普济桥), a Song Dynasty stone arch — are photogenic without feeling staged. For travelers who have already visited Zhujiajiao and want a less polished but more genuine taste of Shanghai's water-town culture, Qingpu Old Town delivers in spades.
🌐 Official Website
Zhujiajiao is the most celebrated water town within Shanghai's city limits and one of the best-preserved examples of the classic Jiangnan canal-town landscape. Founded during the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) and flourishing as a commercial hub during the Ming and Qing eras, the town once handled river-borne trade in rice, silk, and tea for the entire Lake Tai region. Today its maze of stone-paved alleys, arched bridges, and timber-frame shop houses draws millions of visitors annually — and despite the crowds, Zhujiajiao's scenery remains genuinely beautiful, especially at dusk when red lanterns along Dianpu Creek reflect on the water.
The town's icon is Fangsheng Bridge (放生桥), meaning "Release-Life Bridge" — a sweeping five-arch stone structure built in 1571 that spans 70 meters across Dianpu Creek. Climbing to the top of the bridge at sunrise or sunset rewards you with one of the most photographed vistas in the Shanghai region. Other highlights include Kezhi Garden (课植园), an exquisite private garden blending Chinese pavilions with Western-influenced details, and the Qing Dynasty Post Office, one of the oldest surviving postal buildings in China, now a charming museum. North Street (北大街), nicknamed "a mile of winding street," is lined with shops selling hand-painted fans, silk garments, tea, and the town's famous braised pork (红烧肉) and salted duck.
Zhujiajiao is easily reachable from central Shanghai, making it a popular half-day or full-day excursion. The town is compact enough to cover on foot in two to three hours, but lingering over a canal-side lunch of freshwater crab, steamed dumplings, and local rice wine is highly recommended. Boat rides along Dianpu Creek (¥60–80 per boat for a 15-minute trip) offer a perspective unavailable from the banks. Visit on a weekday if possible — weekends and public holidays bring overwhelming crowds. For the best experience, arrive when the town opens at 8:30 AM, explore the quieter back lanes first, and save the main commercial street for later in the morning.
Oriental Land is Shanghai's largest theme park and outdoor education center, sprawling over 5,300 acres on the eastern shore of Dianshan Lake, the city's biggest freshwater lake. Opened in 2002, the park was designed as a comprehensive youth education facility but has evolved into a major recreational destination for families, school groups, and outdoor enthusiasts. The scale is staggering: the park contains a full-size replica of a German World War II aircraft carrier (used as an educational exhibit and obstacle course), a 17-kilometer lakeside cycling path, a simulated Earth-defense command center, botanical gardens, camping grounds, and over a dozen activity zones.
The park is divided into several themed areas. Knowledge Boulevard (知识大道) is a 700-meter avenue lined with 162 statues of world-historical figures — from Confucius and Shakespeare to Einstein and Marie Curie — making it one of the largest sculpture collections of its kind in China. The Earth Village section offers international-themed pavilions where students learn about different countries. Adventure seekers can tackle rock climbing walls, zip lines, rope courses, and water sports on the lake. The Defense Education Zone, centered on the aircraft carrier replica, provides hands-on military-science exhibits popular with school groups. For a more relaxed visit, the lakeside promenade offers beautiful views across Dianshan Lake, and the vast grassy areas are perfect for picnics and kite flying.
Oriental Land is primarily geared toward Chinese domestic tourism and educational programs, which means foreign visitors are relatively rare — giving it an authentic, un-touristy feel. The park is enormous; cycling is the most practical way to get around, and bike rentals are available at the entrance (¥20–30/hour). Bring sunscreen and water in summer, as shade can be scarce on the open expanses. The adjacent Dianshan Lake scenic area, with its fishing piers and waterfront restaurants serving fresh lake fish, makes a natural complement to a day at Oriental Land. For families with children or anyone who enjoys expansive outdoor spaces, this is one of Qingpu's most rewarding full-day destinations.
Qingxi Country Park is a hidden ecological gem on the western edge of Qingpu District, offering one of the most pristine natural landscapes accessible from central Shanghai. Opened in 2016 as one of Shanghai's first batch of country parks, Qingxi centers on the Daqian Lake (大千湖) wetland system — a sprawling network of lakes, ponds, reed beds, and waterways that supports an extraordinary diversity of birdlife and aquatic plants. Unlike traditional Chinese parks with manicured gardens and paved walkways, Qingxi preserves a deliberately wild, rural aesthetic: dirt trails wind through forests of dawn redwood (水杉), boardwalks cross marshlands, and fishing boats rest on still canals.
The park's most famous feature is the "Water Forest" (水上森林) — a surreal landscape where thousands of dawn redwood and bald cypress trees grow directly in shallow lake water, their trunks emerging from the surface like a flooded forest from a fairy tale. The trees turn brilliant shades of amber and russet from late October through December, making autumn the most photogenic (and most popular) time to visit. A 5.5-kilometer wooden boardwalk threads through the water forest, allowing visitors to walk among the trees at water level. Birdwatching is excellent year-round: the park has recorded over 180 bird species, including herons, egrets, kingfishers, and wintering migratory waterfowl. Photography enthusiasts will find endless compositions in the misty early mornings and golden-hour sunsets.
Qingxi Country Park is a rare sanctuary of quiet in the Shanghai region. There are no loud attractions, no shopping streets, and — mercifully — no entrance fee for most areas (the water forest zone charges a modest ¥10). The park is large and underdeveloped in terms of food and facilities, so bring your own snacks and water. Cycling is popular on the park's perimeter roads, and fishing is permitted in designated areas (bring your own gear). From central Shanghai, the park requires some effort to reach — take Metro Line 17 to Dianshanhu Avenue Station, then transfer to a local bus or taxi for the remaining 6 kilometers. But the effort is rewarded with one of the most peaceful, photogenic natural areas within easy reach of China's largest metropolis.
Qushui Garden, whose name translates to "Winding Water Garden," is a classical Jiangnan-style garden nestled in the heart of Qingpu's old town. Originally constructed in 1745 during the reign of Emperor Qianlong, the garden was built as an adjunct to the local City God Temple (城隍庙) and has been expanded and restored several times over its nearly 280-year history. Though smaller and less famous than Suzhou's Humble Administrator's Garden or Shanghai's own Yu Garden, Qushui Garden is a superb example of the southern Chinese garden tradition — intimate, meticulously designed, and remarkably uncrowded.
The garden's layout follows the classic principles of Chinese landscape design: buildings, water, rocks, and plants are arranged to create a series of composed scenes, each revealed as the visitor progresses through the space. The centerpiece is the lotus pond, framed by zigzag bridges, rockery grottoes, and elegant pavilions — including the Puqin Pavilion (普清亭) and the He Xin Hall (和心堂). The garden's rockeries, built from Taihu stones transported from Lake Tai, create miniature mountain landscapes that reward close inspection. Seasonal plantings ensure year-round beauty: plum blossoms in late winter, magnolias in early spring, lotus in summer, and fiery maples in autumn. The garden's compact size (less than two acres) means every foot of ground is carefully orchestrated.
What makes Qushui Garden special is its accessibility and tranquility. While Yu Garden in central Shanghai packs shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, Qushui Garden often has only a handful of visitors at any given time, allowing you to appreciate the architecture and landscaping in relative peace. The garden is adjacent to Qingpu's pedestrian shopping street, making it easy to combine with a stroll through the old town and a meal at a local restaurant. Entry is remarkably affordable, and the surrounding area has free public restrooms and cafés. For garden enthusiasts, architecture lovers, or anyone seeking a quiet hour of beauty in Qingpu, this is an essential stop.
Liantang Old Town is one of Qingpu's best-kept secrets — a tranquil water village with over a thousand years of history that has so far escaped the mass-tourism development that has transformed Zhujiajiao. Situated at the confluence of three rivers (the Taipu, Liantang, and Xiaolü), the town's geography shaped its destiny: the fertile riverbanks made it an agricultural center, while the waterways facilitated trade in rice, silk, and freshwater fish. Today, Liantang moves at the pace of a bygone era, its narrow streets lined with whitewashed houses, wooden doors, and the occasional elderly resident tending potted chrysanthemums.
The town's historical significance is amplified by its association with Chen Yun (1905–1995), one of the "Eight Elders" of the Chinese Communist Party and a key economic policymaker during the reform era. Chen Yun was born in Liantang, and his former residence has been converted into a memorial museum displaying personal artifacts, historical photographs, and documents from his long political career. Even for visitors uninterested in CCP history, the museum provides a well-curated window into 20th-century Chinese political life. Beyond the memorial, Liantang's traditional streetscape is the main attraction — the Sanhe Old Street (三河老街) stretches along the riverfront, flanked by stone bridges, old wells, and modest shop fronts.
Liantang's relative obscurity is precisely what makes it appealing. There are no ticket booths, no tour-bus parking lots, and no aggressive souvenir hawkers. A visit here feels like stepping into a genuine, lived-in water village rather than a heritage-themed shopping mall. Local specialties include Liantang rice wine, braised river eel, and taro cakes — all available from small, family-run eateries at remarkably low prices. The town is about 30 minutes by car from Zhujiajiao, making it easy to combine both in a single day. For photographers seeking unvarnished Jiangnan scenery, Liantang is arguably the most rewarding water town in the greater Shanghai area.
Jinze Ancient Town is the most pristine and least visited of Qingpu's water towns — a place where time seems to have stopped somewhere around the late Qing Dynasty. Located near the border with Jiangsu Province, Jinze sits on a network of small lakes and canals that once made it an important waypoint for boat traffic traveling between Shanghai and Suzhou. The town's name, meaning "Golden Pond," reflects its watery setting. Today, Jinze is notable for its remarkable density of historic bridges: within the compact town center, seven ancient bridges spanning six centuries still stand, earning Jinze the nickname "Bridge Town" (桥乡).
The bridges are Jinze's defining attraction. The Yuan Dynasty Yingxiang Bridge (迎祥桥), built in the 1340s, is one of the oldest extant stone arch bridges in the Shanghai region. The Ming Dynasty Wan'an Bridge (万安桥) and the Puji Bridge (普济桥) are equally impressive, each displaying distinctive architectural styles that reflect the era of their construction. The Taishang Bridge (如理桥) and Tianyin Bridge (天恩桥) round out the collection. Walking from bridge to bridge along the canalside paths is a meditative experience — each crossing reveals a new perspective on the old canal, the stone-built houses, and the placid water. In spring, willow trees along the banks trail green fronds into the canal, creating some of the most photogenic scenery in all of Qingpu.
Jinze receives only a trickle of visitors, and commercial development is minimal — you'll find a couple of simple noodle shops and a few residents selling dried fish, but no souvenir streets or tour-group infrastructure. This austerity is Jinze's greatest asset. The town feels like an open-air museum of traditional water-village architecture, untouched by the "renovation" that has homogenized many similar towns. Buddhist heritage is also significant: the ancient Guanyin Temple (颐浩禅寺), originally founded in the Song Dynasty, was once one of the largest Buddhist complexes in the region. Though much reduced from its historical scale, the temple grounds are peaceful and worth a visit. Jinze is best reached by car or taxi (about 40 minutes from Zhujiajiao). For anyone who found Zhujiajiao too crowded or too commercialized, Jinze offers the water-town experience in its purest, most unfiltered form.