Taikang Road is an artsy area of Shanghai, which has managed to retain a feeling of authenticity in spite of its popularity with tourists. With eclectic shops set inside old brick buildings, this street is a charming spot to explore. Browse the unusual stores, which sell goods from handmade jewellery to leather journals.
The houses that line nearby side streets and apartments located above the street’s shops are homes for local residents, adding to the area’s palpable sense of community. As you wander, watch for vendors napping outside storefronts and housewives hanging laundry on balconies.
Find the district’s main shops down Lane 210. Look for a distinct Chinese gate marking the entrance to this lane. Just beyond the entrance, you’ll find a tourist information booth and a map shop. If you have a specific shopping goal in mind, pick up a map. The district’s network of alleys can be difficult to navigate, but worth investigating.
Note that many of the shops are set in early 20th-century residential buildings called “shikumen,” characterized by their stone doorframes. Residents campaigned to protect the area when a commercial real estate development threatened to demolish its old buildings. Today the neighbourhood has been rezoned as a special artists’ community.
The Liuli China Museum, a unique museum with a façade constructed from 12,000 individual glass bricks, houses more than 250 glass artworks, including some of China’s oldest glass artifacts. Be sure to see the museum’s contemporary works, which were created by various international artists hailing from countries such as the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic.
Stop at Nest, a warehouse space in the International Artists Factory. Operated by a collective of eco-conscious designers, this store sells home furnishings and accessories. The warehouse regularly hosts evening events and lectures find out if anything special is taking place during your visit.
Reach Taikang Road (Tianzifang) by taking the subway to Dapuqiao. Keep in mind that most of the neighbourhood’s restaurants and shops close around 10 p.m. each night, but its bars often stay open later.
