The Bund

As we crossed the Huangpu River on our way to the hotel, our guide explained that the city was divided into two sections: Pudong (East River) and Pu Xi (West River). Pudong is modern Shanghai's business center, playing host to the headquarters of most international corporations and banks active in Shanghai today. Pu Xi, where we stayed for the trip, is most famous for the Bund, a long-standing symbol of Shanghai. A popular destination for tourists, it's an amazing walk along the Huangpu shore that is no more than a mile and a half long.

The Bund can be reached by taking the Shanghai Metro Line 2 to the Nanjing Dong Lu, or East Nanjing Road. We entered at People's Square in the heart of the city and, as we exited the metro station, we slowed our pace to admire mural-sized posters of van Gogh's Starry Night and one of his Sunflowers series. Upon surfacing, the timelessness of Shanghai just takes your breath away.

A enduring symbol of mid-19th century European colonialism, the Bund boasts a diverse - yet oddly consonant - architectural character. From No. 13, the famous clock of the neoclassical Customs House (modelled after Big Ben), to the majestic upturned eaves of No. 23 (the former Bank of China Tower), the amalgamation of international styles here is astounding. At first glance, you may very well find your senses overwhelmed, and your eyes darting from building to building, marvelling at the spectacular pop-up dictionary of architecture that is Shanghai's Bund.

A few other famous structures here include:

• No. 12, the domed former HSBC Building, which today houses the Pudong Development Bank;
  
• No. 19, the Renaissance-style former Palace Hotel, which, in conjunction with the next landmark, comprises the Peace Hotel; and
  
• No. 20, Sassoon House & world-renown former Cathay Hotel, where visiting internationals would stay during Shanghai's Concession period. (This is easily reconized by its copper-plated pyramid roof, a product of a bygone art deco age that has since oxidized into the distinctive mold green of copper carbonate.)

To complete the powerful picturesque that is the Bund, you can view the illuminated skyline of Pu Dong just across the river. Most notably, the Pu Dong skyline includes the famous Oriental Pearl TV Tower and the world's second-tallest building, the Jin Mao Tower. These structures are alit with neon. However, when you look in the opposite direction, across Zhongshan Road, you will see the predominantly Neoclassical architecture of Old Shanghai that is quite classically lit with a majestic orange. And there's much to see here, so you'll want to walk slowly; a night walk along the Huangpu River is definitely a walk to remember!