Former French Concession

With its tree-lined streets and crumbling old villas, the Former French Concession is Shanghai's most visitor-friendly area, with ample shade and sidewalks meant to be pounded. If you’re looking at a larger city map, the Former French Concession is located in North Xuhui District, South Jing'an District and West Huangpu Districts. The area is a wonderful place to go wandering and make serendipitous discoveries of stately architecture, groovy boutiques and galleries, or cozy cafés. Much of Shanghai's past beauty remains, although many of the old buildings are in a desperate state of disrepair. One of the major roads through this area, Huaihai Lu, is a popular shopping location, with all the big foreign chains and an assortment of local brands. Julu Lu, Fumin Lu, Donghu Lu, Xiangyang Lu, Fuxing Xi Lu, and Anfu Lu are where many of Shanghai's restaurants, bars, and clubs are located, so if you are looking for an evening out, head to this area.