Elite Traveler January-February 2015

EXPLORE SHANGHAI

LIVING

People watch The local historian

Shanghai has one of the largest collections of Art Deco buildings in the world. American historian Patrick Cranley co-founded Historic Shanghai in 1997 to raise awareness of – and protect – Shanghai’s cultural heritage. He’s currently leading preparations for the 2015 World Congress on Art Deco, which Shanghai will host for the first time in November 2015. Travelers can also join him on monthly themed walking tours of the city’s finest gems – including the Bank of China, below – peppered with colorful tales of Shanghai’s 1920s golden age.

Clockwise from above: Farine for coffee and pain au chocolat; a cocktail from Spanish bar el Coctel; jewlry boutique OOAK

Recently launched in the French Concession: New York menswear label s2vs

Beyond the futuristic urban skylines are downtown neighborhoods with a charming heritage feel. A throwback to Shanghai’s Concession era – when the city opened to international trade following defeat in the 1843 OpiumWar – the former French Concession is Shanghai’s chicest borough. Avenues are lined with 100-year-old platane trees imported from Paris, with trendy cafés, boutiques and art galleries tucked away in historic garden villas and art deco terraces. Wukang Road, Fumin Road and Anfu Road are lively streets to begin the exploration, but getting lost in the winding lanes and happening upon hidden gems is recommended. Fashionable locals perch on the rustic terrace bench at French bakery Farine AREA FOCUS FRENCH CONCESSION

( farine-bakery.com ) for pain au chocolat and cappuccino. Across the courtyard, Leo Gallery ( leogallery.com.cn ) shows contemporary art exhibits. Shoppers can head for edgy boutiques such as S2VS (menswear, s2vs.com ), Platane (home accessories, platane.cn ), OOAK (jewelry, theooak.com ) and Madame Mao’s Dowry (China gifts, madamemaosdowry.com ). After dark, well-dressed locals gather in atmospheric restaurants and cocktail lounges. Lost Heaven ( lostheaven.com.cn ) is a hip spot for spice-infused dishes from southern China’s Yunnan province, while Spanish bar el Coctel ( el-coctel.com ) and live jazz lounge JZ Club ( jzclub.cn/en ) are sophisticated spots to end a Shanghai night.

DON’T MISS… A TCM TREATMENT

Traditional ChineseMedicine (TCM) involves dramatic therapies – fire cups, needles, skin scraping. Body & Soul Clinic provides all the treatments with certified, multilingual doctors in the plush surroundings of the Qin Spa at Four Seasons in handy downtown tcm-shanghai.com fourseasons.com/shanghai

One of the best ways to explore the former French Concession is by vintage motorcycle sidecar; Shanghai Insiders offers tours with a city expert as your rider. insidersexperience.com