Xintiandi square is located in the heart of Shanghai. The most economical way to get there is through the dedicated Xintiandi station by taking subway line 10 or line 13 which costs a meager RMB3 to RMB6 and takes less than 30 minutes. By taxi, you can get there even quicker, but it will set you back up to RMB55. Various buses make the journey as well.
It strongly reminds one of the cafe strips and shopping malls of western countries. Its central location is one of the many things which makes it so great. This all-in-one center stands out as an entertainment complex which includes so many activities such as shopping, sightseeing, discovering new things in the area, tasting delicious food of many cultures and even just strolling along the streets filled with pastry shops and cafes. If you are stressed out and looking for a relaxing place to enjoy a cup of coffee, this leisurely square is the way to go. It is an upscale area with many of the Chinese elite residing here. Staying at the hotels will be a little pricey (starting RMB195/ night) but they offer a lot of amenities.
The shopping malls have big elevators, so wheelchair bound people have access. Some malls inside the buildings also have movie cinema, that have English language shows. You can bargain in Shanghai tang’s northern block and in the Taicang street, find locally made bags with good leather, fancy scarves and fittings. Its boutiques are up-to-date, keeping a close track of international fashion. The ambience of this lovely glass wall building is pleasing.
Passing through the narrow lanes you can see a lot of the Chinese style delicate design work carved in some of the wooden doors and you can consider several of them as good settings for photography.
Now for some juicy details because munching is necessary after shopping and roaming the streets! There are great places to dine. The new Shake Shack gets a lot of positive reviews and offers a tremendous variety of edibles and drinks. They are famous for their special burgers and shakes like the strawberry Yu(zu) Garden Shake (Vanilla frozen custard blended with strawberry puree and yuzu juice, topped with whipped cream cheese, whipped cream and matcha powder). Since many upscale restaurants opened by famous stars offer cuisine from all over the world, it reveals the international level of Xintiandi. There is a chance fans can come across their idols there too.
The afternoon and night times are the better times to pay a visit. At night, the exquisite highly lighted Xintiandi Bar is life of the party as it is also known to be in the major bar cluster of the City. Popular among youngsters and foreign visitors, it combines the two moods: romantic and fun. So many spots for a great date! The rock music played by the musicians in the Japanese restaurant and performances of South Americans in the Brazilian restaurant leave the folks with a grand impression.