Worth getting out of bed for...

Viewpoint

It may no longer lay claim to being the tallest building in China, but the Jin Mao Tower in Pudong is still mighty high. Head to the Cloud Bar at the top of the Hyatt for cocktails and get views of all of Shanghai, but be sure to take in the breathtaking lobby halfway up. Not for vertigo sufferers.

Arts and culture

Take in the contemporary Chinese collection at the Shanghai Gallery of Art (Third floor, No.3, The Bund; +86 21 6321 5757), or visit Studio Rouge (17 Fuzhou Road, +86 21 6323 0833) for avant-garde pieces.

Something for nothing

Go Tai Chi watching on the Bund or in any public park early every morning. And it costs nothing to join in.

Shopping

Upmarket shopping centres can be found at The Bund at Plaza 66 on Nanjing Xi Road, or Xintiandi, where Shikumen architecture forms an attractive backdrop. Visit Shanghai Tang (15 North Block, Lane 181, Taicang Road) for sexy cheongsams; Oshadai (7 North Block,181 Taicang Road) for vibrant cotton clothing and bags; and Yaoyang Tea House (25 North Block, 181 Taicang Road) for tantalising loose-leaf brews and covetable ceramics. The famous IPR-dodging Xiangyang market has been closed down, so there’s no longer a one-stop shop for all your counterfeit requirements. You’ll come across guys flogging watches and other ‘luxury’ goods on most of the main tourist drags. Never pay more than half the original asking price. Visit Dongtai Road Antique Market for all your Mao memorabilia and other China kitsch requirements.

Daytripper

Hangzhou, two hours south of Shanghai, is a beautiful area of lakes, bridges and pagodas centred around the beautiful West Lake.

Activities

Get yourself a massage. Dragonfly on Xinle Road (www.dragonfly.net.cn) is one of the most sensuous options. Go for the deluxe Love Nest where you and your partner can be pampered and pummeled together. Green Massage at 58 TaiCang Road in the Luwan district is fantastically affordable (www.greenmassage.com.cn).

And

If you’ve got a mobile with you and a local sim card, text Guanxi (9588 2929) with a destination name and get the address (in English or Chinese) in seconds.