Mysterious Asian cities and countries have been gaining popularity among tourists from Russia, Ukraine and the USA in recent years. An interesting and unusual culture, bright, but at the same time conservative outfits, national cuisine and age-old traditions - all this is extremely interesting, unusual and exciting for guests of such cities. The most important and largest cities in China are Beijing and Shanghai. Beijing is the capital of China, and Shanghai is not only the largest city in China, but also in the whole world.
How to get there
If you decide to go on vacation to Beijing, then the most comfortable and fastest way of delivery will be a flight by plane. For those who cannot bear flying, there is an opportunity to travel by train, however, it will take much longer (about 5 days). Buses also go from the Far Eastern border cities of Russia towards China, their cost is not at all high and affordable.
There are direct flights from Moscow to Shanghai. It is convenient, no transfers or waiting, fast. Due to the frequency of flights, tickets can be purchased at affordable prices. Or you can combine these two amazing cities in one trip, because it is very easy to get from Beijing to Shanghai. In just 2 hours you can fly by plane and you are there. This flight will cost about $ 85. You can also get from Beijing to Shanghai by train, it will take 5 - 8 hours, and the cost ranges from $ 20-30 to $ 250. The cost depends on the type of train and the class of seats in the car.
Food prices in shops and restaurants
As it turned out, the Russians and the Chinese are somewhat similar, not externally, of course. We have a saying “A person eats to live”, and in China, on the contrary, “A person lives to eat”. The meaning of the sayings, of course, is different, but both those and others do not forget about food. It seems interesting that when they meet, the Chinese will always ask: “Have you already eaten?”, And not like with us: “How are you?”.
In Beijing, food prices are the highest in all of China. In order to save a little, locals buy vegetables and fruits only in the markets, the same is recommended for the guests of the city. There are a lot of markets in Beijing, so finding them will not be difficult. All cereals, alcohol and sweets can be bought in supermarkets, while taking into account that the price will depend on the manufacturer and the region of delivery. Do not be surprised when you see Chinese vodka in a 5 liter plastic bottle on supermarket shelves.
For those who do not like shopping, it is worth visiting the restaurants in Beijing. One of the most famous restaurants not only in Beijing, but throughout the world is Peking Duck Private Kitchen. This restaurant is famous for its unique and most delicious recipe for preparing the main national dish - "Peking duck". It is worth ordering not only a table, but also ordered dishes in advance, so as not to wait an hour afterwards.
Another expensive but very popular restaurant is Dadong Roast Duck. It is not at all necessary to book a table here, because of the high prices, there are always free seats. It is difficult to announce the average price for a dinner in a Beijing restaurant, since the price depends on the class of the restaurant. So, in Beijing, you can eat for 30-40 yuan, you can for 100-150, and you can also for $ 200.
In Shanghai, on average, about 30 yuan will be spent on food per day. You should know that the most delicious Chinese food can be tasted in very unremarkable eateries and not regret it. Shanghai traditional cuisine may not be to everyone's liking because of the dark sauce, so you should not rush to order it, and more.
You can eat tasty and inexpensive in restaurants with Muslim cuisine, where the menu includes beef and lamb dishes. Shanghai is famous for its German bakeries, so lovers of sweets, buns and muffins will find Shanghai like a paradise. There are a lot of ice cream in the range in Shanghai.
Accommodation
Previously, it was almost impossible to find hotels or hotels in Beijing. However, construction began in the late 1970s and modern hotels began to appear in Beijing. The main hotel is Peking. In the 20th century, various hostels became a popular place for shelter. An inexpensive hostel in Beijing is Forbidden City Hostel, located near Tiananmen Square.
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Of course, rent, which is not in last place. If you decide that staying in hotels is too expensive and hostels are too crowded, renting is the best option. The price will depend on the area, proximity to transport and shopping, and the condition and amenities provided by the hosts.
Rental housing in Shanghai is obscenely high. The price depends on the period for which the apartment will be rented (for example, if the period is less than 6 months, the price will be very high). Shanghai has a huge number of hotels for every taste and color. $ 69 per room per night can be paid at the New Asia hotel, a little more than $ 94 - at the You you hotel, and all $ 210 at the Grand central hotel.
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Entertainment
It is best to start your journey around Beijing from Tiananmen Square. Every morning the Chinese flag is raised here, not only local residents, but also guests of the city watch this process. Tiananmen Square is home to a huge number of attractions and architectural monuments. Among them: the building of the People's Assembly, the Chinese History Museum, the Museum of the Revolution, the Opera House, and in the center there is a large monument dedicated to the people's heroes of the Republic of China.
To enjoy the square in all its glory, it is better to come here early in the morning, while there are still not so many people here. Traveling in Beijing is a must-visit for the Forbidden City of Gugong. This palace complex is a world famous heritage of Beijing. According to legend, there are 9999.5 rooms in the palace, whether this is true or not, you can find out personally by walking along the magical corridors of the palace complex.
On the basis of this Forbidden City, the Gugun Museum was created. All the palaces of the museum complex have romantic names, and their appearance is constantly maintained so that they look the same as they did many years ago.
Beijing is also home to the National Museum of China, whose collections attract thousands of visitors every year. Among the famous exhibits of the museum are the Jade Prince, weapons that were used during the Opium War and interesting artifacts that reflect China's long journey to independence and a place in the sun.
Of amazing and unique beauty, Gunwangfu is a palace and park ensemble. It was created on the basis of the palace of Prince Gong. On the territory of Gongwangfu there is a theater, the hall of which can accommodate 200 people. Another beautiful palace and park complex is the Summer Imperial Palace. It is often called the Garden of Peace and Harmony.
This palace is more than 800 years old, but it still looks majestic and graceful. Also in Beijing, you can see unique, beautiful temples made according to the traditions of the Chinese people: the Big Bell Temple, the Confucius Temple, the Temple of Heaven, the Yonghegong Buddhist Monastery. But the most important place for relaxation and emotions is the Amusement Park, everyone comes here with or without children, feeling that the child still lives in them.
In the park, you can ride a super train, water cars, visit the Gothic Cinderella's castle, a 4D cinema, and a huge number of small slides and interesting attractions. A detailed guide to Beijing can be found here.
When traveling around Shanghai, be sure to visit Mount Sheshan, such beauty of landscapes and types of nature you will not find anywhere else. Here you can ride a safe cable car and see every treetop from above. If you are lucky, you will be taken to one of the park's monthly festivals: the Sand Figures Festival or Lan Sun Festival.
In Shanghai, you can find a piece of Venice - a city on the water of Zhujiajiao. This city completely recreates the picture of ancient China: in the ancient streets and architecture, the customs of the local population and water landscapes. An interesting place will be the automobile museum in Shanghai. Here you will learn the history of the evolution of cars, different technologies of creation and see rare copies of cars.
Interesting museums include the Shanghai Urban History Museum, the Museum of Jewish Refugees, the Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Postal Museum, and the Shanghai Museum.
Shanghai's most unusual attraction is the Underwater Hotel, which is located at the foot of Tianmashan Mountain. The hotel has 19 floors, half of which are underwater. The hotel has 5 stars, so it is expensive to rest here, but to see such a miracle from the outside is completely free. For outdoor enthusiasts, Shanghai presents several entertainments:
- skiing on the ski slope "Seven Silver Stars"
- aquapark
- Cycling, which is becoming more and more popular among residents of the whole world;
- the sea and the beach, and although the beach has little resemblance to it, and the sea is only partially present, you can try
- travel to the mountains, live in tents, eat porridge from a fire and enjoy the clean air and magical views of nature
Food
What better can it say about the city as unconventional food. In Beijing, as in all of China, street food is very popular and there is such an abundance of it here that the eyes run wide. Separately, it is worth noting the varieties of meat - from chicken to unknown names of animals.
Also, you should definitely try the delicious seafood. However, many come to Beijing not at all for meat or seafood, but with an unbridled desire to try something disgusting, something that could not even come to mind. And here it is: silkworm larvae, all kinds of cockroaches and grasshoppers.
Noodles and dumplings are very tasty, they are deep-fried. For dessert, the locals prefer fruits, the variety of which is also great from bananas to durian.
Shanghai doesn't differ much from Beijing in its cuisine. Here, too, the most delicious is sold right on the street, and everything is prepared on the grill and barbecue. The food is served on skewers, but the highlight is its preparation, right in front of your eyes. The most popular food is noodles. Shanghai people dine with an interesting dish called "Hot Pot".
This dish includes chicken, celery and herbs, and is prepared according to the principle of our dishes in pots. Large bivalve molluscs, which are a delicacy, will be very edible. And this is not all the goodies and delicacies of Asian residents.
Shopping
No matter how everyone argues, everything is done in China, and if not all, then most of it, that's for sure. That is why, when visiting cities in China, be sure to go shopping, pleasure is guaranteed. In Beijing, the biggest discounts and promotions occur during the holidays, so this is the best time for shopping. During seasonal sales, discounts can be up to 70 to 80%.
The most popular in Beijing is the Druzhba Shopping Center, the range of which is very large, and the prices are fixed, which attracts buyers and tourists. The chain of stores represents Zhongyou Department Store, where you will find branded items from all over the world. The main rule of shopping in Beijing is bargaining, no matter what expensive store you are in, knock down the price and they will yield to you.
Silk is very popular in Shanghai, from bed linen to dresses. Traditional Chinese medicines, tea and porcelain figurines will also be popular. Shopping in Shanghai can start on any street, because shops abound here. Shanghai is a real city for shopaholics. Here you can buy yourself not only a branded thing, but also a very high-quality fake at an acceptable and affordable price. Shanghai seems to be a real paradise for connoisseurs of antiques.
There are many antique shops where you can find the rarest items from all over the world. Shanghai is a great place to combine value for money. Anyone will find a product to their liking here. Fine jewelry can be purchased at the First Asian Jewelry Market. 600 of the best stores are located in Shanghai on Nanjing Street, and Yatai Jinan is one of the modern markets that provides goods of various kinds. The best shop for souvenirs and things is the three-story Sunshine shopping center.
Both Beijing and Shanghai are the largest cities in China. The atmosphere here fully reflects the life and existence of local residents, and the amount of exotic, beautiful and mysterious is off the charts.
