The pedestrian-only Nanjing Road, China's premier shopping street.

Shanghai has a rich blend of religious heritage as shown by the religious buildings and institutions still scattered around the city. Taoism has a presence in Shanghai in the form of several temples, including the City God Temple, at the heart of the old city, the Wenmiao, dedicated to Confucius, and a temple dedicated to the Three Kingdoms general Guan Yu. Buddhism has had a presence in Shanghai since ancient times. Longhua temple, the largest temple in Shanghai, and Jing'an Temple, were first founded in the Three Kingdoms period. Another important temple is the Jade Buddha Temple, which is named after a large statue of Buddha carved out of jade in the temple. In recent decades, dozens of modern temples have been built throughout the city.

Longhua Temple's inner courtyard.

Shanghai is also an important center of Christianity in China. Churches belonging to various denominations are found throughout Shanghai and maintain significant congregations. Among Catholic churches, St Ignatius Cathedral in Xujiahui is the largest, while She Shan Basilica is the only active pilgrimage site in China. The city is also home to Muslim, Jewish, and Eastern Orthodox communities.There is also some old towns in Shanghai, such as Zhujiajiao Old Town, QIbao Old Town and Fengjing Old Town.

The Shanghai Museum, located in People's Square.

Shanghai boasts several museums of regional and national importance. The Shanghai Museum of art and history has one of the best collections of Chinese historical artifacts in the world, including important archaeological finds since 1949. The Shanghai Art Museum, located near People's Square, is a major art museum holding both permanent and temporary exhibitions. The Shanghai Natural History Museum is a large scale natural history museum.

Although often viewed as a modern metropolis, Shanghai still contains some picturesque rural suburban areas.

In addition, there is a variety of smaller, specialist museums, some housed in important historical sites such as the site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea and the site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

While Beijing is considered the educational center of China, Shanghai is also home to some of the country's most prestigious universities, including Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Tongji University.

In addition, Shanghai is the venue of forthcoming World Expo 2010 to take place from May 1 to October 31.For more information about touring in Shanghai, please refer to Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration.