Hotels near The Bund

The Bund is a 1.5 km stretch of waterfront lined with 52 buildings raised between the 1880s and the 1930s, when Shanghai was divided into foreign concessions and this row held the banks, trading houses and consulates that ran them. The styles run from Gothic Revival to Art Deco, and the former Hongkong and Shanghai Bank building at number 12 still has its 1923 mosaic dome.

The elevated promenade faces Pudong across the water, which is the reason most people come. The contrast between the 1920s stone on one bank and the Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai Tower on the other is the single image the city is known for. Illumination on both sides typically switches on around 6pm and off before midnight.

Pro Tip: Come twice. Walk the western pavement at 7am when the promenade holds only tai chi groups, then return around 7pm for the lights. The crowd between 8pm and 10pm at weekends makes photography from the railing close to impossible.