Thanks to its unique location on the Pacific coast, Shanghai has always been a major industrial and commercial centre, an important port for foreign trade and the gateway to inland China.
For over 100 years after the end of the Opium War, Shanghai accommodated a huge European population attracted by the business opportunities. At its height in the 1920’s Shanghai was the most sophisticated city in Asia and the foreigners enjoyed a privileged and decadent lifestyle.
Shanghai is now an exciting mix of old and new, and a great venue for the Chinese Grand Prix! The architecture of Shanghai's former concession areas contrasts with the new glass skyscrapers. There are plenty of bars and restaurants and you can still shop for handicrafts – or for designer goods in the modern malls. The bustling markets, peaceful gardens and ornate temples will remind you that you are in the Orient but there’s no doubt that Shanghai is at the forefront of business and technology.
A long weekend here in Shanghai at the 2019 Chinese Grand Prix will give you an insight and a taste for modern China.
