Location
China's premier shopping street, 3.4-mile-long Nanjing Road, starts at the Bund in the east and ends in the west at the junction of Jingan Temple and Yan'an West Street.
 
History
Today Nanjing Road is a must-see metropolitan destination attracting thousands of fashion-seeking shoppers from all over the world. After the Opium War (1839-1842), Shanghai became a treaty port. Nanjing Road was first a British Concession, then an International Settlement. Importing large quantities of foreign goods, it became the earliest shopping street in Shanghai. Over time, Nanjing Road has been restructured, undergoing significant change. For shopping convenience, its eastern end has an all-weather pedestrian arcade. Big traditional stores no longer dominate the market since modern shopping malls, specialty stores, theaters, and international hotels have mushroomed on both sides of the street.
 
Introduction
Nanjing Road is one of the landmarks of Shanghai. Most people say that if you have never been to Nanjing Road, it is equivalent to never having been to Shanghai.

If you can get up early in the morning, you will be charmed by Nanjing Street. At that time the shops and restaurants are closed but the street is quite busy. People are doing all kinds of things. Some are dancing, some are doing shadowboxing, some are playing skateboard, etc. It is just like a park an outstanding contrast with the street during the rest of the day. Wandering down Nanjing Street, you may fully appreciate the design idea – "people oriented". This street is paved with granite. There are also many facilities for people, such as the beautiful parterres, exquisite computer booths, cute chairs, etc. A lot of sightseeing cars pass by continuously offering sightseers convenience and comfort.

Besides shopping, the most outstanding characteristic of Nanjing Street is the absolutely different scene at night compared with daytime. During the day, people may enjoy the plants and trees. There are more than 70 fragrant camphor trees, all kinds of flowers and trees. Century Square becomes a green lung of the modern city. At night, Nanjing Road becomes a Sleepless City. Colorful lights and a beautiful music fountain give a romantic atmosphere to the street.

The cultural atmosphere is another sight in Nanjing Road. There are 26 cultural facilities along the two sides of Nanjing Road. In Century Square, the 250-square-meter huge screen plays news and current affairs day and night; the fashionable shop windows and exquisite stores are full of art atmosphere; the tea bars and coffee bars are full of exoticism; and the small-scale performances played by folk musicians on the street corners are fantastic. Owing to all these, tourists may taste the "cultural food" of different places, appreciate art from all around the world, and feel the connotation of many different cultures.